Bird Taxidermy by Larry Neal

Email        (512) 653-6267

 

 

Game Care 

  

Game care seems like such a simple task, yet many hunters still don’t know how to insure their trophy bird gets to the taxidermist in the best possible shape.  Here are a few things to keep in mind next time you are in the field and you think you just downed a trophy bird.

 

Avoid letting your dog retrieve that bird you’ve been waiting all your life for, even the softest mouth can break or pull feathers.

 

If your bird is not dead after retrieval, don’t wring its neck.  Hold the birds bill/beak closed with one hand making sure to cover the nostrils with two fingers, then using your other hand or knee gently press on the birds chest making him expel the air out of his lungs, hold this position for two or three minutes or until the bird succumbs.

 

Once you have the bird in hand, inspect it for damage, the less damage the better, broken wing bones can be repaired, the main thing you don’t want are missing feathers or an abundance of pin feathers.  Pin feathers are early season feathers that have not yet fully developed and fall out very easily, plus the birds’ plumage is usually not as good if it has lots of pinfeathers.  If you are unsure about pinfeathers ask your taxidermist to look over the bird with you to insure a good specimen has been selected.

 

Wash off as much blood and mud as you can while still in the field.

 

Let your trophy cool down away from the rest of your birds and don’t stretch its neck out on a duck strap.

 

The sooner you can get your bird to a taxidermist the better.  If you can’t do it the same day you shot it, double bag it, fold the head and neck back towards the body or under a wing, squeeze out as much air as possible and place it in the freezer.  A well-packaged, frozen bird can last for years in the freezer, we do however want to avoid freezer burn whenever possible.

 

Good Hunting!!!