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April 7, 2013
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I got it mounted. I was able to get the look I wanted, however, I had to overcome two major obstacles that almost ruined the mount. I had to do some scrambling, troubleshooting and intensive research in reference to get passed it and still accomplish the look I was going for. I was aware of the potential of one of them to go the way it did, but, one of them took me by surprise and I will have to do some repair possibly at some point.
One was the form was too big. This tom was the size of a jake and I bought the smallest form I could get and rasped it down a lot. I still couldn’t get the form as small as it needed to be and I used it anyway so, I expected to have some issues. The only issue was when I brought the breast feathers over the wing edges, it pulled a large gap in the feather tracts down the center of the breast. I stopped and googled strutting toms and 8 out over a hundred pics had strutting toms with the wings out of the pocket with breast feathers under the wing, so, that’s what I did. Not as pretty and not what I wanted, however, anatomically correct and has occurred at least 8 times in the past and those pics prove it!
The second one is more of a challenge which may need repair or replacement. I ran out of Dawn and bought blue Walmart store brand dish soap. I washed it well and did three rinse baths while spraying water over it between rinse baths. After the third rinse the skin was still blue. After the fifth rinse and still blue skin, I took a tooth brush to the skin and scrubbed and rinsed again and again many more times. When I mounted it, there was still a slight blue hue the skin. Well, If the blue stuff ain’t out of the skin, why would I think it’s out of the feathers. After mounting it, it looked like a feather duster that went through a vacuum cleaner and then played with by a cat. I was able to get the breast, hackles and most of the wing feathers zipped together, but, the scaps and under tail coverts, I believe will need steam or replacement.
My question is when is the best time to steam the scaps? Before or after it dries? If I have to replace them, I will do it after it dries.
I still, it will turn out looking pretty good.
April 7, 2013
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I will add that after my second rinse, no more soap bubbles were present in the succeeding rinse bathes. So, I thought I was safe.
September 26, 2011
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Some of the off brand soaps will leave a blue residue on the skin etc. I have always avoided using them and never tried them on feathers for that reason .
You can steam the feathers back together anytime –no need to wait on that.
Taxidermy Talk Administrator
Stehling’s Taxidermy LLC http://www.stehlingstaxidermy.com
Taxidermy Insider / Learn Taxidermy Online http://www.taxidermyinsider.com
920.650.5457 a.n.stehling@gmail.com
April 7, 2013
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Thanks Aaron. I’ll be steaming those scaps soon.
October 14, 2011
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Have any pics?
Chief Editor of The Taxidermy Journal~TTN News Contributor
April 7, 2013
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I’m not good with the internet and pics, however, I did send a couple to Aaron. So, if Aaron wouldn’t mind posting them, that would be great if he still has them.
I mounted it with a video reference in mind. The tom was walking in full strut with his wings back and tucked up under his tail. As he walked he would extend his hand only without dripping his wings so just the first 3 or so primaries would be unfolded from the rest of the wing. Also, he kept his head low and back, which the head Aaron freeze dried for me worked great. His pan of feathers behind his head was rather flat and pushed the hackles back some. I tried to capture those things in this mount.
I also saw several reference pics of toms balanced on one foot with the other extended forward with the middle toe pointed down, since I really liked the look, I incorporated that into the mount.
This is my fourth lifesize mount.
September 26, 2011
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Here are the pictures of Tanglewood’s turkey
Taxidermy Talk Administrator
Stehling’s Taxidermy LLC http://www.stehlingstaxidermy.com
Taxidermy Insider / Learn Taxidermy Online http://www.taxidermyinsider.com
920.650.5457 a.n.stehling@gmail.com
October 14, 2011
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Nice bird, good job
Chief Editor of The Taxidermy Journal~TTN News Contributor
April 7, 2013
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Thank you!
Very nice! I like that head. Did you paint it yourself?
I never really liked the looks of the artificial one I purchased awhile back. That led me to the decision that if I ever do get a chance to mount one of these birds I will get a freeze dried head.
Vic
September 27, 2012
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Ain’t nothing wrong with that tangle wood looks good !
Tommy
April 7, 2013
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Thank you Tommy and Vic!
Vic,
I painted the head with Hydro-mist water based paints. Gill red, dark red, yellow, ocean blue, white, dark brown and paynes gray. Aaron did a great job with the freeze drying the head.
I tried using hydro-mist on a couple ducks and they just didn’t have that sheen the lacquer based paint does or I am doing something wrong (very possible). If I could get it to look the same I would really prefer hydro-mist so I didn’t have to worry about fumes from lacquer. Even using a respirator (and I wore this with both anyways) you still get exposed to some of the fumes.
Your paint job looks dang good!
Vic
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