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