FIELD CARE

You just shot a really nice duck, upland bird, or turkey, and you have visions of what it will look like DISPLAYED on your wall FLYING or STANDING/STRUTTING on a table in your home. Everybody says “you just have to have it mounted”. Now what?

While it might seem obvious, how you handle the bird from the moment you shoot it until you deliver it to the taxidermist is important. Here are some tips to keep your bird in the best shape possible.

WATERFOWL

See Video HERE

  • Do not put your prized duck on a duck strap. While handy, those things bend and tear feathers and stretch out necks. You will most likely ruin any chances to have a flying mount.

  • Keep the duck separate. If there’s any chance you might mount a bird, do not put it in a pile with the others. Blood and mud from other ducks can foul your bird’s beauty.

  • Quickly find a cool place away from direct sunlight to place duck, preferably in a cooler with ice. This way your dog can’t retrieve it again. Make sure to place plastic between the ice and birds body. DO NOT place in a bag and close just after a kill, this will keep the bird from cooling by holding in heat from its body. This could cause it to slip later in the taxidermy process. Make sure your dog can’t retrieve it again.

  • Lightly dab away any excess blood, but do not wash the duck in the water.

  • If the temperature is below freezing, make sure your duck isn’t resting on metal, wood or the ground. Wrap it in a dry towel or shirt. You don’t want feathers to pull out of the skin.

  • Once home, wrap a damp paper towel loosely around the head and tuck the duck’s head under its wing, and gently smooth all of the bird’s feathers. The paper towel will protect the head from any blood or fluids. Also wrap damp paper towels on feet to protect them from drying out or freezer burn.

  • Tag the bird with your name, address, license number, species, and date taken.

  • Tightly double-bag the duck and promptly freeze until you can deliver it to the taxidermist.

UPLAND BIRDS

  • Do not put your prized pheasant, quail, or grouse in your game bag with other birds. Feathers can become damaged and unnecessary fluids may become transferred.

  • Quickly find a cool place away from direct sunlight to place bird, preferably in a cooler with ice. This way your dog can’t retrieve it again. Make sure to place plastic between the ice and birds body. DO NOT place in a bag and close just after a kill, this will keep the bird from cooling by holding in heat from its body. This could cause it to slip later in the taxidermy process.

  • Be especially careful with a pheasants tail, do not bend the tail and damage the feathers. Before placing in a bag, take a two pieces of cardboard the width of the birds tail, place one on top and one on bottom and tape together.

  • Once home, wrap a paper towel loosely around the head and tuck the duck’s head under its wing, and gently smooth all of the bird’s feathers. The paper towel will protect the head from any blood or fluids.

  • Tag the bird with your name, address, license number, species and date taken.

  • Tightly double-bag the bird and promptly freeze until you can deliver it to the taxidermist.

TURKEY

  • After shooting the bird, quickly secure its body to keep it from flopping if at all possible. Excessive flopping can damage feathers and cause feather loss.

  • Do not put your prized turkey in confined area with other birds. Feathers can become damaged and unnecessary fluids may become transferred.

  • Quickly find a cool place away from direct sunlight to place bird, preferably in a large cooler with ice. Make sure to place plastic between the ice and birds body. DO NOT place in a bag and close just after a kill, this will keep the bird from cooling by holding in heat from its body. This could cause it to slip later in the taxidermy process.

  • Be especially careful with a turkey’s tail, do not bend the tail and damage the feathers.

  • Once home, wrap a damp paper towel loosely around the head and tuck the head under its wing, and gently smooth all of the bird’s feathers. The paper towel will protect the head from freezer burn any keep any blood or fluids from getting on the body feathers. Save any feathers that fall out.

  • Tag the bird with your name, address, license number, species and date taken.

  • After the bird is cooled, tightly double-bag the bird and promptly freeze until you can deliver it to the taxidermist. (You can lay the bird in a freezer on a plastic bag until it gets cold, then place in bag and freeze).