Post by taxidermywoman23 on Jul 31, 2005 14:29:11 GMT -5
I have been working on this Post for the past 6 weeks and have done a bunch of reasurch in my spare time so I hope this provides all the info members have been asking for.
First off lets start with field care. I can not stress enough that field care is the most important step in producing a quality mount of any species. Field care for Waterfowl is easy. Once the bird is in hand make sure all the feathers are laying along the body and their are not any sticking out or bent. Lay the wings alnog side the body as well. The head should be placed over the birds back where the feathers are not sticking up all over and can get damaged.
Now, get it in the freezer ASAP. If a freezer is not an option than get the bird on some Dry Ice. Reagular ice is an option as well if you can get the bird to a Taxidermist or in the freezer with in 24 hours, no longer. If the bird is going on ice put it in a plastic bag and leave it open for a few hours so body heat can escape. If it's going in the freezer leave the bag open til it is frozen. Befor you put the bird on ice try and get all the excess water off the bird as best you can without damaging feathers. Roll it up in a towel and let the towel draw out the moisture. When putting a bird on ice or in the freezer make sure the bird does not get wet. Moisture attracts bacteria which can cause feathers to fall out.
I am under the impression that when someone goes on an out of state hunt for Waterfowl they are going either with freinds from the state they are hunting or with a guide servise and staying at the lodge. I am sure the freinds you are hunting with out of state will have a freezer at their hourse and the lodge should have one... I would be shocked if the lodge didn't. Even if you are staying at a motel I am sure your freinds would be more than happy to put your bird in their freezer.
My advise to the hunters is don't wait til you shoot a Bird you want mounted befor you start shopping around for a taxidermist. Finding a good taxidermist requires some pre-season scouting. Just like hunting. You don't go into your hunting area the day befor the hunt and expect to know where all the birds are moving and where you want to put up decoys.
When you go to a Taxidermy Shop too look for a potential taxidermist always ask to see his "CUSTOMER MOUNTS"....."NOT his COMPETITION MOUNTS". Their is a world of difference between the two. A competition piece is one that he is trying to win awards with and he will spend anywhere between 30 and 40 hours on just one mount.....customer mounts will only get between 7 and 10 hours worth of work. Competition work is usually what ends up in the show rooms...Customer pieces are usually hung on the wall in the shop. Unless it is a specialty mount for a customer....than it usually goes into the show room because those usually get a lot more time put into them.
I recieved a PM from a guy a month or so ago:
"I have a buddy that has gotten into Taxidermy! The bellies of his ducks are turning yellow! Is that from not getting all the fat off? He has been trying to cut to many corners I think. He is also not using a degreeser that could be part of it. What is your thought?"
The reason the belly is turning yellow is because the Taxidermist did NOT get all the fat off of the bird. That includes fleshing the fat off and putting the bird in a degreeser to remove the fat out of the skin. If it is not removed it will eventually pool up in the belly of the mount and make it turn yellow.
Once this has happened their is nothing that can be done for the bird. It will eventually attract bugs which will eat away at the bird. It can also begin to rot and make feathers fall out. All this may take a while but more often than not it will happen.
You can't cut corners in taxidermy or you are asking for trouble.
I hope this answers some of your questions and helps you out a little...Feel free to ask me any more questions you might have and I will answere them the best I can!
First off lets start with field care. I can not stress enough that field care is the most important step in producing a quality mount of any species. Field care for Waterfowl is easy. Once the bird is in hand make sure all the feathers are laying along the body and their are not any sticking out or bent. Lay the wings alnog side the body as well. The head should be placed over the birds back where the feathers are not sticking up all over and can get damaged.
Now, get it in the freezer ASAP. If a freezer is not an option than get the bird on some Dry Ice. Reagular ice is an option as well if you can get the bird to a Taxidermist or in the freezer with in 24 hours, no longer. If the bird is going on ice put it in a plastic bag and leave it open for a few hours so body heat can escape. If it's going in the freezer leave the bag open til it is frozen. Befor you put the bird on ice try and get all the excess water off the bird as best you can without damaging feathers. Roll it up in a towel and let the towel draw out the moisture. When putting a bird on ice or in the freezer make sure the bird does not get wet. Moisture attracts bacteria which can cause feathers to fall out.
I am under the impression that when someone goes on an out of state hunt for Waterfowl they are going either with freinds from the state they are hunting or with a guide servise and staying at the lodge. I am sure the freinds you are hunting with out of state will have a freezer at their hourse and the lodge should have one... I would be shocked if the lodge didn't. Even if you are staying at a motel I am sure your freinds would be more than happy to put your bird in their freezer.
My advise to the hunters is don't wait til you shoot a Bird you want mounted befor you start shopping around for a taxidermist. Finding a good taxidermist requires some pre-season scouting. Just like hunting. You don't go into your hunting area the day befor the hunt and expect to know where all the birds are moving and where you want to put up decoys.
When you go to a Taxidermy Shop too look for a potential taxidermist always ask to see his "CUSTOMER MOUNTS"....."NOT his COMPETITION MOUNTS". Their is a world of difference between the two. A competition piece is one that he is trying to win awards with and he will spend anywhere between 30 and 40 hours on just one mount.....customer mounts will only get between 7 and 10 hours worth of work. Competition work is usually what ends up in the show rooms...Customer pieces are usually hung on the wall in the shop. Unless it is a specialty mount for a customer....than it usually goes into the show room because those usually get a lot more time put into them.
I recieved a PM from a guy a month or so ago:
"I have a buddy that has gotten into Taxidermy! The bellies of his ducks are turning yellow! Is that from not getting all the fat off? He has been trying to cut to many corners I think. He is also not using a degreeser that could be part of it. What is your thought?"
The reason the belly is turning yellow is because the Taxidermist did NOT get all the fat off of the bird. That includes fleshing the fat off and putting the bird in a degreeser to remove the fat out of the skin. If it is not removed it will eventually pool up in the belly of the mount and make it turn yellow.
Once this has happened their is nothing that can be done for the bird. It will eventually attract bugs which will eat away at the bird. It can also begin to rot and make feathers fall out. All this may take a while but more often than not it will happen.
You can't cut corners in taxidermy or you are asking for trouble.
I hope this answers some of your questions and helps you out a little...Feel free to ask me any more questions you might have and I will answere them the best I can!
R&S 
OWNER/PRESIDENT
