Finished Harlequin Mount

[WCTaxidermy]

I just finished a batch of Birds ready to go to their new homes   Thought I would share a few with you as I get pictures taken of them.  Here is a Harlequin that was sitting in a freezer since 1994.  It about went into the garbage can more than once when mounting this one up   Didn't turn out too bad considering living in a freezer for 15 years.  Take care and talk with you soon.  John

 

[bucklucky]

Nice job, looks good especially for being in the freezer for so long.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Looks great.  Pretty bird.

[boneaddict]

SWEET!

[bowsandhose]

looks good

[WCTaxidermy]

Thanks guy's and gal's.  My picture taking really sucks   Maybe someday I'll get good at it.  I'll post some more shortly.  Talk with you all soon.  John

[robb92]

Looks good to me! Thanks for posting the pic!

[Rob]

Thanks guy's and gal's.  My picture taking really sucks   Maybe someday I'll get good at it.  I'll post some more shortly.  Talk with you all soon.  John

Please do post some more.  That is an amazing creature and you did it justice.  I like the snow habitat.

[Rocky]

Wow I have never seen a bird like this one, with al the mulitple colors.. Looks really good.

[WCTaxidermy]

Thanks Rocky, This one was shot on Kodiak Island.  John

[saylean]

that is a pretty bird for sure. nice work man~

[washingtonmuley]

15 years in the freezer? That bird looks awesome for that long in the freezer.

[Tom Reichner]

Very nice Harlequin mount!

"Freezer Birds" can be tough!  In 2006, Stephan Savides mounted a big Ringneck Pheasant that had been in a freezer since 1980 - and it looked absolutely perfect!  It's amazing what can be done.

[bucklucky]

Im not a bird Taxi but have been wanting to take some classes to get into it .....well maybee. All I want to mount is big bull elk actually  Anyway, what  has to be done to mount a bird that is freezer burned that badly?  Or was it freezer burned at all?

[WCTaxidermy]

Hi Buck, OH YES, it was freezer burned.  BAD!  This bird was laying in an opened plastic bag in the freezer for that long.  The wing joints were so freezer burned there was no way of spreading them for a flying mount at all.  The hardest challenge you have on a bird like this is getting the skin off the body and head with out destroying it and without creating new cuss words to use in the process. Then feather slippage.  Then the feet etc, etc, etc. Doing a bird like this takes up so much time and there is no guarantee on the outcome, I usually don't do them, but this was a special bird for this customer, so I wanted it to turn out nice for him. 

If a bird is wrapped correctly, then placed in a NON FROST FREE freezer, It will last a long time.  Thanks for the compliments and talk with you all soon.

John