# Storing a duck for taxidermy.



## black dog (Oct 29, 2008)

My son shot a nice greenhead today and I think we might get it mounted.
How should I store it until we send it to the taxidermist?


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## hankrt (Nov 7, 2007)

First, make sure all of the feathers are all positioned naturally.
Put some paper towel into its beak and insert a little into the throat to prevent any further blood loss. Wrap up in paper towel and place in a paper bag and freeze, be careful not to bend the feathers, or position it in an un natural position while freezing. I also like to take a panty hose and place the bird into that before freezing, this helps protect the feathers.....good luck!!


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## black dog (Oct 29, 2008)

Thanks.


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

Yep! Steal a pair of your wife's old panty hose (stealin' the new ones will get ya in trouble) and pull the duck in head first and put in the freezer.

If your not married, don't pay any attention to the looks your gonna get as ya stand in the checkout line at Wally's while the cashier is ringing up your panty hose. Sometimes ya gotta be thick skinned ta be a duckhunter.   :lol: :lol:


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## CMFish51 (Feb 24, 2003)

For all my ducks, the taxidermist tells me to buy the large freezer bags and triple bag the bird. clean as much blood as you can and insert a paper towel or cotton ball in the beak in case of future blood loss....wrap head down into chest, wrap an old cotton t-shirt around bird, and insert head first into bag. then double and triple bag and freeze that way. 

Everyone has there own ways of doing it, just giving you another idea...


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## dubser31 (Jun 8, 2005)

back to gonefishin's comment, try Rite Aid at 10pm with a pack of panty hose and a case of beer. The cashier gave me quite a look, i didn't mind though, totally worth it for that drake surf scoter.


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## neil duffey (Feb 22, 2004)

NO PANTY HOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i dont know who came up w/ that malarky but panty hose ruin more feathers than they save. and if a feather gets folded, it could ruin the bird... yes just one feather. double even tripple bag it w/ as much air out as possible. the parper towel isnt needed but it doesnt hurt, as long as you double bag w/ as little air as possible. lay it on its back in the freezer. less blood on the belly to clean off the feathers later. also you can lay the head under a wing or just along the side. use garbage bags or large large zip locks, just please dont use panty hoSE!:banghead3:help:


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## GoneFishin (Jan 11, 2001)

neil duffey said:


> .... HOES ....


Ya better watch those typos or you'll be in trouble like that radio guy Don was.   :lol: :lol:


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## WalleyeSlayer11 (Feb 21, 2008)

we got a few ducks and put em in food saverbags and vaccum packed em. They looked perfect when they came out. If you have one i would do that.


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## N.E. Outdoorsman (Sep 18, 2006)

My taxidermist complains about the paper towel wrap. He suggests simply bagging in an airtight baggy and take care not to disturb feathers...

I had to edit this. "My taxidermist"...Like i'm some sort of pro with a taxidermist on retainer. NOT! Just sharing some data.


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## woodie slayer (Feb 25, 2006)

when we brought birds back from texas we tucked the head under the wing and vac sealed em.they come out great
2 red heads
2 blue bills 
1 pin tail
2 speckle bellies
1 eagle top 
1 cackler
2 ross
2 snows
all dead mounts full plumage (mid dec.)
taxidermist bill "priceless"


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## Bellyup (Nov 13, 2007)

woodie slayer said:


> when we brought birds back from texas we tucked the head under the wing and vac sealed em.they come out great
> 2 red heads
> 2 blue bills
> 1 pin tail
> ...


I bet that bill was more than the trip !! Nice job !


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## marshman (Nov 29, 2005)

never used the pany "hoes" but most of the other tricks Ive heard of. Cleaning the bird of blood, head under the wing and the biggest thing that nobody has said anything about is the feet!!! If you are going to display the feet with the mount you need to preserve them. 

Take a triple layer of WET paper towel and wrap the feet nice and tight up to the feathers. This ensures no accident of freezer burn. 

Best of luck and lets see some pic's once the bird is done! 

Congrats!

~marsh


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## Fordman7795 (Sep 9, 2007)

i just sent my first bird in to get mounted by birdmanstudios and he also says to not use panty hose. Use all the other techniques mentioned for field care and then get it to the taxi ASAP. from there on its in his hands.


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## duck-n-nutz (Sep 20, 2008)

I dont post here that often more of a surfer then a poster but I have done taxidermy for a wile (mostly ducks*). It is just a preference of what your taxidermist likes*. I love it when the customer puts the birds in a stocking and then raps it with plastic bags. It makes it so much easier to keep it from getting all messed up in the boat or transporting! I have competed at the MTA with birds that have been in a stocking for 3 years and never I mean NEVER had a problem with them. If a feather gets bent or twisted in the stockings your taxidermist should be able to fix it if they cant go some ware else! *I put all my birds in a stocking,* *which is just my preference.* PM me if you want to see some birds that were mounted after they were froze in a stocking and rapped in 2 plastic bags for 1 to 3 years.


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## neil duffey (Feb 22, 2004)

duck-n-nutz said:


> I don&#8217;t post here that often more of a surfer then a poster but I have done taxidermy for a wile (mostly ducks*). It is just a preference of what your taxidermist likes*. I love it when the customer puts the birds in a stocking and then raps it with plastic bags. It makes it so much easier to keep it from getting all messed up in the boat or transporting! I have competed at the MTA with birds that have been in a stocking for 3 years and never I mean NEVER had a problem with them. If a feather gets bent or twisted in the stockings your taxidermist should be able to fix it if they can&#8217;t go some ware else! *I put all my birds in a stocking,* *which is just my preference.* PM me if you want to see some birds that were mounted after they were froze in a stocking and rapped in 2 plastic bags for 1 to 3 years.


and iv seen birds of my own even before i became a taxidermist, that the feathers get ravaged by the sock... to each his own but im willing to bet you find more that say dont than do. and the feet/paper towel... not needed. you can rehidrate a foot no problem. i did a pintail w/ feet so freeze dried i couldnt tell they where feet. they turned out nice. just a bit of alt water and a smalllllllllll syringe does the trick.


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## u.p.blaster (Nov 20, 2008)

just get it to the taxidermist and let him worry about storing it until he can mount it. I am sure it will take him a while before he can get to it.


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