Taxidermy Tip:

Proper Field Care For Your Trophy

1.  Select the right specimen.  Birds taken early in the season often have  "pin feathers" that will fall out eventually during the mounting process.  This will lead to a less than satisfactory mount.  Generally birds taken in mid to late October will have better plumage and give you a more desired end result.

2.  NEVER ring the neck of a bird you intend to have mounted.  Instead, squeeze the bird on the outside of the chest cavity and apply pressure.  Be careful not to disrupt the feather tracks.

3.  NEVER gut your bird.

4.  Try to keep your dog from retrieving any bird you intend to mount. 

5.  Handle bird by the feet in the field. Avoid holding by the neck.

6.  Do not wash blood of your bird.  (This will do this later!)

7.  Freeze your bird as soon as possible.  Double wrap in a plastic bag.  Take a damp cloth or paper towel and wrap around the feet of your bird and use a pair of twist ties to secure.  This is to insure your feet do not become freezer burned and dry out.  Gently tuck the neck of your bird to the side of it's chest.

8.  Leaving your bird in the garage is not a good option for freezing.  Your bird will actually start to decompose at any temperature above ZERO!  Store bird in a chest freezer or make arrangements with your taxidermist to pick up.

9.  Remember...A little care in the field, will go along way to insure you have a top quality specimen on your mantle.