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Oh, cpj: your green-winged teal is mounted up
No, I didn't forget about you. The guy who was instructing me had to finish out his javalina season before we could use up a weekend day for my live-fire tutorial.
For those who don't know, a few months back, I shot this green-winged teal in Nevada. I had an offer from a gentleman I met at a Bass Pro Shop rewards member loyalty event to learn how to do taxidermy on my own ducks (my wife is just tickled with this whole idea). CPJ expressed interest in taking my first mount attempt, so I told him it would be all his when I was done. Well, the posing is complete, the background is complete, and the bird is carded, pinned and drying as I type this. The post is a cupped bird, flying in to finish it's landing mounted on a chunk of driftwood from the Colorado river area.
I now have a new appreciation for why taxidermy is so expensive. It took about 8 hours of work from the time the first cut was made to get this bird, skinned, fleshed, stuffed, detailed, stitched back up, posed and in its final drying position. It now must sit for about a month and change to let the skin changes from the posing take a permanent hold. here are some shots of the bird, still in it's setting. Unfortuantely, a lot of feathers and details are covered up by the necessary carding materials and pins. I'll post the final shots when it's dried and ready to ship.
It is a LOT of work to mount up a bird, but the end result is really rewarding. I will be saving some more birds, even the beat-up ones, to practice skinning and mounting when next season gets going.
For those who don't know, a few months back, I shot this green-winged teal in Nevada. I had an offer from a gentleman I met at a Bass Pro Shop rewards member loyalty event to learn how to do taxidermy on my own ducks (my wife is just tickled with this whole idea). CPJ expressed interest in taking my first mount attempt, so I told him it would be all his when I was done. Well, the posing is complete, the background is complete, and the bird is carded, pinned and drying as I type this. The post is a cupped bird, flying in to finish it's landing mounted on a chunk of driftwood from the Colorado river area.
I now have a new appreciation for why taxidermy is so expensive. It took about 8 hours of work from the time the first cut was made to get this bird, skinned, fleshed, stuffed, detailed, stitched back up, posed and in its final drying position. It now must sit for about a month and change to let the skin changes from the posing take a permanent hold. here are some shots of the bird, still in it's setting. Unfortuantely, a lot of feathers and details are covered up by the necessary carding materials and pins. I'll post the final shots when it's dried and ready to ship.
It is a LOT of work to mount up a bird, but the end result is really rewarding. I will be saving some more birds, even the beat-up ones, to practice skinning and mounting when next season gets going.
Accuracy: because white space between bullet holes drives me insane.
Replies
Sako
I did not get any pics while I was doing it. It might have been interesting, but the only particularly noteworthy step was when the bird was completely skinned and dunked in a bucket of Dawn dish soap and water. It is extremely wierd to see a duck flat as a packcake, covered in soap bubbles, and then consequently rung out like a wet dish rag.
Oh, and I am not responsible for any hate your eife may have for this thing going over you entertainment center, toilet or bed.
Not tanned at all. The preservative of choice? Borax soap!
The legs are typically just left to dry with the heavy wiring keeping the volume. There are also injectable resins that can be used to plump them up, as some species have heavier leg mass that can be lost in the drying process. Green-wings are fine with straight drying.
Nice group. Three right in the chest. Now that is primative hunting......
:jester:
With floral pins, no less. Brought him down like a stone!
Oh, yeah it does. It already has a funk to it. Not a rotting flesh stench, but it smells wierd. The scent goes away when it's dry, but until then....yum.
And Chris...let me know where you finally place that bird when you get it. Since I know where you live, let's make this easy on both of us. Let me know what room, wall, bookshelf, toilet cover, etc. you're gonna put this and whether I'll need a ladder.........and leave the chest pins right where they are. Conversation pieces, you know. :jester:
I will giggle a bit if suddenly, cpj walks in and has to wonder if this thing is over your fireplace :jester:
Oh, and the last thing I have to do before it ships is detail the legs and bill. The legs/feet will lose their color and must be painted and the bill will get a satin clearcoat. That shouldn't take more than about 30-40 minutes.
Truthfully, that's what I'm going to start doing with any new ones that I get. It helps keep things at home...defused.
Well, you can try, but I'd highly suggest a rabies shot. Things will probably get sporty in a hurry.
I think the squirrel would look better in a toga with a crown of olive sprigs on its head and a spear held high and back in its tiny mitt. Maybe even fashion some sandals for the little guy. The duck would be bridled like a flying horse/pegasus with its head thrown back, mouth gaping open, and the whole thing would resemble some sort of theme from Greek mythology. At the very least, it would be one hellvua conversation starter, or a really awkward grounds for termination at work. $5 says they wouldn't know what they were actually firing you for, but they feel complled to just do it.
WANT!!! I can always find another job.
Dad 5-31-13
I've seen some good comedy mounts over the years. I'm not gonna lie: after I posted that, I caught myself wondering when squirrel season starts.
Hey, .44mag birdshot, Moisin Nagant, nuff said.