Field Care Birds: BennettTaxidermy.com

Birds in most cases are much smaller than mammals, and are therefore much easier to get back to civilization in one piece. As in the as in the section on mammals, I would suggest that you visit with your taxidermist before the season and get a short course on proper field care. If you are planning on hunting a long distance from home or out of state it is very important that you plan ahead. A harlequin duck from Alaska, a Mearns quail from Arizona or, an oscillated turkey from Mexico all make beautiful mounts, that will bring back memories for years to come, but if not properly cared for in the field all you will have is an expensive bag of feathers.

Lets start with a list of common mistakes that you should avoid.

• Do not wring the bird’s neck.
• Do not allow a dog to “mouth” the bird excessively.
• Do not put the bird in your game vest and continue to hunt for another four hours.
• Do not gut the bird.
• Last, but not least, do not attempt to skin the bird yourself.

Here are some of the steps that you should take to help insure a quality mount.

Try to choose only prime specimens to be mounted. Young birds, birds with lots of pinfeathers, or badly shot up birds tend to make poor mounts at best.
Usually the later in the season that a bird is taken the better its’ plumage will be. The best specimens are harvested from the middle of November until the end of January depending on the species and location hunted.

Carefully wipe off any blood or dirt with a paper towel. You don’t need to worry about getting it all off, just try to remove the majority. I find that most blood and dirt stains come out of the feathers fairly easy during the mounting process. The only instance that I had trouble with was when a hunter tried to remove blood from a bird with Hydrogen peroxide. If you choose to wash a bird use only clean cold water.

Cool the bird down. This is the most important step. Get the bird cold and keep it cold, and then get it into a taxidermist as soon as possible. A cooler, with ice, works well in most cases to cool a bird down, but try not to get the bird wet. Use a towel or something to keep the bird up out of the water. If you are planning to hunt out of state, or even for extended trips closer to home, dry ice works very well to cool birds down and keep them cold. If you can’t get to the taxidermist that day, it is ok to put the bird in a refrigerator overnight. If you can’t get the bird to the taxidermist for a few days it should be frozen. After being certain that the bird is completely cooled down, wrap it in a heavy plastic bag and put it in a freezer. I usually suggest that you try not to use a frost-free freezer, and don’t leave that bird in the freezer for more than month or so. I will add a disclaimer here. I would strongly suggest that you try to get the bird to a taxidermist before freezing it. It is much easier to assess the bird and make a decision as to its quality before it is frozen. When a frozen bird comes into my studio, I will thaw it out and assess the plumage, and condition of the specimen before committing to do the job. What you may see as a perfect wood duck that your young pup just retrieved, may not be up to par for a quality mount that will be displayed in your home or office for years to come.

Lastly and most important choose a good taxidermist. Birds are probably the most commonly mounted trophies in North America. That is not to say that they are always mounted anatomically correct. It is very simple, and not all that expensive to purchase the supplies from one of the many taxidermy suppliers out there. Many of the suppliers even offer kits for beginners and hobbyists, and it seems that most hunters know someone who at one time or other has mounted a few birds. Let me first say, more power to them. I would be the last one to try and discourage anyone from trying his or her hand at the art of taxidermy. However, just because I buy a stethoscope and a tongue depressor that doesn’t make me a doctor. I would caution you to visit several taxidermists and look at samples of previous work before you make a decision to trust them with your once in a lifetime prize canvasback. Prices will vary considerably, just remember the old adage, you get what you pay for. Expect to pay a 50% deposit when you drop the bird off, and in some cases you will be asked to pay the entire balance up front. Completion times can also vary considerably from one taxidermist to the next.

I can tell you it is best to not get in a rush. Quality work takes time, and a quality taxidermist is usually very busy, so be patient.

In summary pick a good bird, get it cooled down, and get it to a quality taxidermist.