first drake wood duck

[wildreflections2]

This is the first drake woodie I have attempted.  I know that I have a lot to improve on, but please let me know what you think.

[Greg O.]

 Looks darn good to me!

[RDA]

for your first  not BAD!!!!  But,,,,,the leg is completely broken on the poor bird.....  Knees  or in this case ankles  do not bend backwards.....  Ckeck references,  and before you skin your next one,  look at how the legs fold and move....Next,,   the skin needed pulling down on the head a evidenced by the distortion in the white strips....  The side pocket could also use pullinp up towards the back  so that the edge patterns flow in a nice arc,  no, they arent that way all the time,  but we usually try to make all we can from the plumage patterns.  The bill finish is also not sharp  and LOOKS  air burshed.   try using a combo of hand painting and aair brushing on you next,  and once again,,,  ITS ALL ABOUT REFERENCE...  But its a nice clean  pretty piece!

[Ross Vogler]

And what kind of eyes are those? The pupil look way too small. IMO

[SteveP]

Another easy one to make the bill not look fake is to drill/dremel the nostrils, and then paint.

Yeah, Ron, that leg jumped right out at me.

Unfortunately, there are too many customers out there that would be pleased with that mount, although it is not "bad".

Keep it up wildreflections, you will get it.

[wildreflections2]

After getting an educated critique, I feel like a moron.  While skinning deer all week I kept glancing at the duck trying to figure out why I wasn't happy with it...........I was hoping it was just the lighting .  I'm now trying to rehydrate that leg and see If I can fix it.  I'll repost pics if it works.  If not then maybe I'll hang a muscrat trap from that poor broken leg to add some realism

Thanks for taking the time to look guys!!

Scott

[arkfisher]

After getting an educated critique, I feel like a moron. 

Don't feel like a moron!  This is actually VERY VERY good for a first mount.  Much better than mine.  There are always little things that you'll want to change and that someone else can point out to you.  You'll learn something new with each mount.

Good job,

R

[taxos]

ouch! that leg is bend the complete wrong way!

[RDA]

No need to feel like anything but the rest of us who continue in the quest for the perfect bird....    And Ive seen expirienced competition taxidermists show up to a show with artificial legs on a mount,  and had them on the wrong sides!!!   DO NOT FEEL BAD!!!   As has been said,  its a very NICE MOUNT.....

[Brad Jones]

Ouch that hurts, it should rehydrate just fine.

[Peter Span]

That will give him a limp . Nice first!

[Rick RR GBirds]

Thanks a lot...You just brought back memories of how my high school football career ended.  My leg looked about like that.     Woodies are a tough one to pull off even for the vets...You are on the right track!

[igor]

Looks great for your first bird, except the leg. In this mount I see lots of your potentials. On " broken legs" you are not first one. On 2007 World show there was a flying quail with legs just lake that. Well, we are learning...

[RDA]

I remember that quail,,,,,,I even remember whos STUDENT it was that entered it

[mark11]

i agree too it is very nice for a first attempt at a woody, even if that leg won't rehydrate in that pose you could always remove the bad leg and replace it with one from a different bird. keep p the good workj and keep practicing. markw