taxidermy sessions

[pjb3]

Anyone up for doing some taxidermy? I have been doing it for 30 years and now have no place at the present time to do some and have lots of birds to do. If U have the place and either want to learn or just do some taxidermy, let me know

I live in Marysville so somewhere fairly close works for me.
I mainly do just waterfowl but other birds are OK if you have any to do.

[pjb3]

I'm surprised no one wants to learn or do any taxidermy.

[lostcat]

It is very odd I am sure someone will pop up soonish

[bowtech721]

I do and think it would be awsome but Im way to far to be worth your while 

[ducksdoom12]

i do. ive had 2 pintail in my freezer for the past 2 years now that i have not been able to mount

[h2ofowlr]

I taxidermy some of my birds when I have time.  They turn out okay, still working on it.  I used to make stuffers for goose hunting.

[pjb3]

doomed duks
Lets do some taxidermy if you have the space. I'm not that far from ya and 2 years old is nothing, some of my stuff is 6 years old and good to go

[Elliott]

i would love to learn how to do it, some guys we were hunging with today ( me and ducksdoom) were saying it only costs about 30 bucks to do it yourself, i think it would be awesome to learn how to do it, but i got no trophies as of yet, maybe later in the season though!

[pjb3]

Its probably not to do your first on a "trophy"

[Elliott]

thats true, i should edit to say, nothing worth mounting yet

[Dustin07]

thats true, i should edit to say, nothing worth mounting yet

if the head is still in 1 piece I'd say do it! Not too often you get someone experienced to offer to teach you how to do a bird. If it's really only $30 in materials you could screw up a good 6 or 7 mallards before getting to the cost of outsourcing the work.

[h2ofowlr]

If you want to try a bird and go inexpensive you can use wood wool for the insides.  Go to a hardware shop and pick up a few feet of grey 1/2" tubular window insulation for the neck.  Use old heavier gauge coat hangers for the legs, neck and wings if using them.  You can get taxidermy clay or go to a craft store and then pick up a set of eye from Van Dykes.  If you can still get formeldahyde or an equivalent and a syringe go for it for the legs and wings.
Skin out the bird.  Flesh as much fat off the skin as possible or it will leak out.  You then can wash the bird in the sink with liquid dish detergent then blow dry.  Or do a quick rinse in white gas and throw it in the dryer.  1st option is better as the wife won't be as mad. Make sure you do an incision in the skull and scrap out the inards.  I fill it with Borax then place the clay in the eye sockets.  You then can run the insulation up the neck.  Stick a wire through it until it comes out of the top of the skull.  This can be bent to get desired posture.  Place wood wool in body or foam body.  If your doing a flying mount run wire through wings as bones are hollow or pin in place or use a stich.  Run wire through legs into body.  You can drill a base after you mark spots, incert wire then run up through legs into body.  Use Borax for inside the body cavity.  To sew up the body of the bird you can use waxed dental floss.  Pick up a stiching needle from vet and go to work  Inject any meaty spots of the legs and wings with formeldahyde, so you don't get decay or smell. Then preen the feathers to get desired look.  This is the quick and way to go.  Obviously there are lots of techniques and additional steps, but for inexpensive this will get you close. I used to use this routine for doing my stuffers.

[ducksdoom12]

doomed duks
Lets do some taxidermy if you have the space. I'm not that far from ya and 2 years old is nothing, some of my stuff is 6 years old and good to go

i dont really have a spot right now but there is currently a shop being built at my house that im gonna have a spot for all that kind of stuff.  when are you going out sea duck hunting next? mind if i come along?

[BLKBEARKLR]

First off, I have thought about this a couple of days and I even talked to another good taxidermist friend about this.

I know that posting on another persons thread is TABOO, but I mount birds, all you need is a kitchen table, a scalpel, a good fleshing machine and some warm water? 

I commend you for offering your services out to people, I just don't understand the reason of wanting to do it at their place? If I was going to show somebody something then I would certainly want to be in a comfortable environment with all my tools around me? It just sounds a little fishy?

Just a food for thought for some that are thinking of letting a complete stranger into your home or shop???

PJB3 - By no means is this to discrimanate you in way or your character, it just does not sit right for me, when I know how little of a space is needed to do a bird. So sorry if I offended you in any way.

Joe

[h2ofowlr]

I used prepare all the birds on the kitchen table.  Good light.  That's all you need.  If you do get a fleshing wheel, don't use it in the kitchen.  You will have the bird fat scattered everywhere if it's your first time.  Skin the bird out, take some pics and I'm sure there are a few that will try to give you some good advise.  Having said that I am not a taxidermist, but do give it a good effort when I try doing my own mounts.