# Wood duck mounts? Decision to make.



## jimposten (Sep 28, 2008)

I've been browsing through pics of Travis's work, (drooling) And I think I have my mind made up. I am going to have to take the drive to Grand Rapids to visit lastflighttaxidermy.
.
This year has been slow... But I do have a very special bird. This is my first woodie, my first bird over my own decoys, out of my own boat, in my own spot, without my buddies in on the water helping me make it happen. And most importantly my first bird with my 9 year old son by my side. He was so excited. This dude makes hunting a blast and I can't wait for his first bird to hang on the wall next to this one.

















So... I gotta make up my mind. I have been browsing mount pics online. I know I want it wall mounted. But I am thinking I want the mount flying instead of perched on a piece of wood. Not seeing a lot of mounts like that. 

What are some of your favorite woodie mounts?


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Beautiful bird. I think woodies are great preening mounts or swimming. I think it shows there color off better much like hooded mergs.


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## jimposten (Sep 28, 2008)

sswhitelightning said:


> Beautiful bird. I think woodies are great preening mounts or swimming. I think it shows there color off better much like hooded mergs.


I hadn't even thought of preening (actually just had to Google it) that's not a bad idea. I really like the dead hanging mounts too... But I don't think woodies are fully shown off that way. 

Jeaze... The more I browse the harder the choice is. I should probably round up as many pics as possible, and let my son decide.


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## The Doob (Mar 4, 2007)

Go to "Birdman Studios" - he has a bunch of great pictures of mounts. I have gotten a lot of great ideas from browsing those photos - just show the photo you like to your taxidermist and he should be able to duplicate it.


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## John Singer (Aug 20, 2004)

An idea for a wood duck mount that I have always wanted to do is to make a real nice rough sawn wood duck box. Have a hen wood duck mounted with her head sticking out of the opening of the box and the drake mounted standing on the top of the box.


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## Sampsons_owner (Dec 30, 2005)

We are having a drake and hen mounted by Travis on a woodduck box that my son and I made as a prototype for his Eagle scout project. If you are on facebook you can go to last flight taxidermy and see it in progress. We wanted to see the hen so he is putting her as if she is going into the nest and the drake is on top. I will post pictures when we get it. Steve


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

I really like woodies perched on a log (wall mount), especially in a drake/hen pair. There are so many other birds that look good flying or jumping because of fancy speculum feathers, so it's nice to have something different, and for me the woodies look great on a log. I see them on logs a lot in the woods anyways, so it reminds me of them in life, which I think is cool.


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## JMSparty08 (Sep 20, 2012)

I like standing mounts. I think it shows off the colors of a Woodie the best. If you have a bird that has beautiful wing color, then you get a flying mount, but the drake wood ducks don't have a lot of color on the wings aside from the little bit of blue. To me, the best color on the wood duck is the head (obviously) and the breast plumage, which you can't see as well in a flying mount. 

Something like a blue wing teal, northern shoveler, or pintail? Those are what you would do a flying mount on IMO.


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## Bertslash (Sep 3, 2011)

I would ABSOLUTLEY take my birds to Travis! He did a triple curl drake mallard from last year! He does amazing work! I like the standing pose on a piece of driftwood.


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## Deltabullcan (Jan 24, 2011)

jimposten said:


> I've been browsing through pics of Travis's work, (drooling) And I think I have my mind made up. I am going to have to take the drive to Grand Rapids to visit lastflighttaxidermy.
> .
> This year has been slow... But I do have a very special bird. This is my first woodie, my first bird over my own decoys, out of my own boat, in my own spot, without my buddies in on the water helping me make it happen. And most importantly my first bird with my 9 year old son by my side. He was so excited. This dude makes hunting a blast and I can't wait for his first bird to hang on the wall next to this one.
> 
> ...


 You said this bird was your first woodie..Congrats...Having been a bird taxidermist for over 45 years...The number one thing to remember is, if it was shot during the early part of the season, it may not have good plumage,You want a bird which is fully developed and no pinfeathers..Woodducks are notorious for under developed plumage in early part of season.The bird will come out alot better if very mature. I can't tell by the photo. I would have to say personally after doing hundreds of birds, a bird always looks better in a standing type mount, whether preening or in sleep mode...Reason is, a person can create a habitat with the bird and it will surpass anytype of flying mount. Habitats reflect well on bird mounts..


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## jimposten (Sep 28, 2008)

Well I think you guys and my son are changing my mind. He likes perched on a branch. But definately wall mounted. I have looked at so many woodie mounts lately that they are starting to blur together.


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## haverka7 (Dec 31, 2012)

Standing or preening is the way to go! Woodies in flight don't show off the cool zebra pocket feathers under their wings!. Good choice by going with last flight you won't be disappointed!

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## lastflighttaxidermy (Jul 12, 2010)

Give me a shout if you want to get it here. We can go over all your options and I can look at it for you. 


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## jimposten (Sep 28, 2008)

lastflighttaxidermy said:


> Give me a shout if you want to get it here. We can go over all your options and I can look at it for you.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


What is your preferred method of contact? I am 2.5+ hours away. So I will have to find a day to take the road trip.


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## lastflighttaxidermy (Jul 12, 2010)

Call me. 616 644 1195. Thanks 


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