Turkey Mount

[Bridger]

Does anyone know what the taxidermey shop wants you to do in the field after harvesting a turkey? Do you field dress it or bring it in whole?

[boneaddict]

I'd field dress it so that you can keep the meat.  Otherwise you are likely to have to submit it frozen, and it takes a long time to thaw a turkey with its feathers still on, and I'm not sure you'd want to eat it after that.  Wrap the wingbones and leg bones with papertowels and tape them so that when manipulating the bird the cut bones do not tear your skin up.  Let me know if you have any specific questions about skinning them.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Hey Bridger,

The prefered method would be to bring the bird to the taxidermist whole.  That way he can get the birds weight.  We use the weight to order forms.  I would take it to him right after you kill it.  Once you take the bird to the Taxidermist he will either remove the breast meat for you befor you leave or he will show you where to cut it to remove the meat.

If he does not have time to do it don't bother to go back and get it.  It can take up to 48 hours or a little longer to defrost a whole turkey.  Course that depends on the size of the bird and the temperature.

 

[Bridger]

Thanks for the information.

[Michelle_Nelson]

    Daing I wish I would have remembered to take pictures of that 26 1/2 lbs Eastern Turkey I mounted befor I dropped it off! ! ! ! !

[Fletch]

Here is mine from my office wall shot and mounted in 1988.

[boneaddict]

He is holding up well.  That is one less Turkey in my backyard.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Boneaddict, that sounded like an invite to come shoot a Turkey out of your back yard,lol. 

Fletch,

From what i can see in the picture that turkey is holding up GREAT!  Especially for being close to 20 years old.  That turkey is almost as old as I am