Finished Flying Turkey without wires/tape

[WCTaxidermy]

Greetings to all, I posted this Turkey a few weeks ago with wires and tape still on it as it was drying.  Some of you wanted to see the finished photo with the beard visible, so I took another photo before it went home with the owner   So here it is.  Talk with you all soon.  John

[addicted]

looks good

[bucklucky]

Great job man!

[Little Dave]

Nice work!

[rasbo]

nice work there.

[ICEMAN]

How cool is that?! Great job John!

[Gobble]

Looks Great! Nice Job

[WCTaxidermy]

Thanks for the compliments guy's.  This is one I hated to see leave my shop for it's new home.   Oh well there will be more.  Talk with you all soon.  John

[yelp]

Great Job..beautiful mount..in your opinion what is the most common mistake turkey hunters do when they bring in a turkey to be mounted..I noticed on that mount the wing feathers were frazzled is that preventable..I know the tail feathers can get screwed up.  You did a great job on the back feathers and the down feathers are hidden well.  You will be getting a call from me when I get a nice tom I want to mount..

[huntnphool]

Well done.

[ICEMAN]

.....I noticed on that mount the wing feathers were frazzled is that preventable..I know the tail feathers can get screwed up. 

On my one and only turkey, the wing tips were destroyed from drumming? Isn't that sort of normal? No turkey pro here...thought that most toms drug them around from time to time... I would love a mount like that of my next bird....

[NWTFhunter]

I don't see anything wrong with it ! GREAT Job.
Iceman, you are correct toms drag their wings when strutting for a hen which wears off the tips.

[yelp]

.....I noticed on that mount the wing feathers were frazzled is that preventable..I know the tail feathers can get screwed up.  

On my one and only turkey, the wing tips were destroyed from drumming? Isn't that sort of normal? No turkey pro here...thought that most toms drug them around from time to time... I would love a mount like that of my next bird....

I have killed 35+ toms and in my experience the wings are usually worn with squared up tips, during the strutting.  I wasn't being critical..I was making a point that at the shot birds flop and flip, lose feather, etc... but after the bird is dead many turkey hunters jump on, drag, spread, stretch for pics, grab..and shove in turkey vests and then expect a taxidermist to mount them and create a piece of art.  I would assume that there must be some tips that the taxidermist has that may help him make a great mount..The shove a bird in the nylon stocking isn't going to work..unless you get them from the big gal isle (no offense)..LOL ...I guess you would start by not doing what I mentioned above.. Turkey mounts are tough to get right and to do exceptionally well.  Especially mounts that expose all of the feathers like a flying mount..serious hours.   Like I said I will bring you my next mounter..great job.

[WCTaxidermy]

Yelp and all thanks again for all the compliments.  That bird was a 22 pound Tom that did have it's primaries worn down from strutting.  The picture shows them to be worse than they actually are because of the the background of the photo. 

There was a lot of feather damage/loss to this particular bird especially on the wrist area of the wing and the middle coverts that were probably lost right after the shot when the bird was doing just as Yelp explained.

There are some important things you can do to prevent feather damage especially for Turkeys.  Yelp is right on when he said that the birds flop and flip around after the shot and loose a heck of a lot of feathers.  The best thing you can do to avoid this for a bird you want to have mounted, is to get to the bird as fast as you can after the shot and pick it up BY THE LEGS BELOW THE FEATHER LINE so the breast is facing you.  Hold the bird up high enough so when the Tom is flapping it's wings he is flapping them into the outside of your legs.  Hold him there until he gives up life. 

Try not to use your hands to "comb" the feathers in place before the picture taking, because when the bird is warm like that, the feathers will pull right out in your hands especially if your hands are wet or the plumage is wet from rain, blood, etc.  Instead just pick up the bird by the legs, (again below the feather line) and gently shake it, and the feathers will fall right in place for that perfect picture. 

After you exchange congrats and pictures are taken, try to transport the bird by picking it up by the feet and carrying it that way until you get to your vehicle.  If you drape it over your shoulder to carry it, you will loose feathers for sure.

When you transport it, try not to wrap the bird in a bag, if possible just lay it on one so air can get to the bird and cool it off as much as possible.  Do not gut the bird or take the breast meat out of it, otherwise it probably won't be mountable, or will cost you a lot for the repairs if it can be mountable. 

I usually tell my clients that if they are going to bring me a bird to mount and they get it to me fresh, I will go ahead and skin it right away, or freeze it right away, and then bag the meat up for them to take home.  I hate wasting meat on a bird!

If you follow those tip's you should have a great specimen for your Taxidermist to provide you with a quality mount.  Thanks Yelp for asking that question .  Hope this helps.  Like always, if any of you have any questions at all feel free to call or e-mail me.  Talk with you all soon.  John 

[ICEMAN]

Great info from all! Thanks guys!