A Bad Bad Deal!!

[lookn4awhitetail]

First let me get my question out of the way.  Then I will in another post tell a story about a horrible taxidermy experience.
1.  I have been doing taxidermy now for a few years, Not very good, But intrested and looking to increase my knowledge.  But a year and a half ago, I took a turkey that I shot, and now I picked it up yesterday, 16 months later.  So when I was walking out to the truck I noticed the bird stunk like crazy.  As I drove home I kept smelling it, and then when I got there it was raing so hard I decided to leave it in the truck and retrieve it when the weather subsided.  Well when I went to get it, the smell was overwhelming.  This bird stinks and and I need to know if there is something that I can put on it to make it not smell so bad.  The mount itself is ugly enough, I dont need any smell lingering around it.  ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED!!!

[Jim McNamara]

Take it back and demand your money back or for the taxi to fix the problem. It probably isn't finished drying yet as they do get an odor to them due to meat in a couple places in the wing and maybe in the tail. If the mount is that bad take it back!

[mrdux]

No way in HADEZ that is life!!  That is crappy business practices and a typical black eye on our industry. You should take the bird back and camp out on the SOBs doorstep until he makes this deal satisfactory to YOU. If he doesn't take responsibility for it, I would march into the county attorney's office, bird in hand, and file a complaint against him. Good luck and please don't think that this clown represents those of us who work our butts off for little pay to make sure we turn out the best work possible.

[rgswildlife]

Some guys leave the bone marrow in the legs or don't remove the meat clean enough in the wings and tail, and WOW will that smell. As the bird drys (about 2-3 weeks) the smell should leave. If not I would bring it back and ask the person who did it to return your money, because most likely the odor will never leave.

Rich

[JonHarleTX]

I would be more concerned with the appeance than the smell at this point.. It is obviously a fresh mount that ideally should still be at the taxi drying.  Turkeys are Turkeys, and try as you may sometimes they may have an odor during the drying stage.. it only takes a small amount of flesh left in the wing to produce an odor.. Borax and other injectables  will bug proof it to a degree, but does nothing to mask the odor other than being an astringent to help dry the meat faster.  I will admit myself, that I have had more than one turkey out of the many I have done, that have had odor.  In the shop it isn't an overwhelming odor so long as the air is circulating, but once you put the mount in an inclosed space, (ie: car during a heat wave) that same odor that wasn't too offensive in the shop can be gut wretching.

Like stated, in 2 to 4 weeks (depending on the humidty,) the odor should dissapate.

Now as far as the appearance... If the bird is still that moist, chances are feathers may move and go astray as it dries.  This in turn can make an already unappealling mount even less desireable. 

I do not know the reasons the mount was let out of the shop wet, but I would definately return it until it is dry so that the taxidermist responsible can tend to it while it dries. 

Now.. the next part of the equation... If you were truely unsatisfied with the  mount and noticed the odor before leaving the shop..... WHY DID YOU ACCEPT IT??  Did you see pictures or other turkeys in the shop before leaving your bird?  A duck isn't a turkey.. and a good duck taxidermist isn't always a good turkey taxidermist.   Good turkey taxidermists are usually expensive and definately worth shopping around for.  If the taxidermist you chose is capable of putting together a bird that you saw and were satisfied with, then you should return the bird and request an explanation.  Maybe it was lack of attention on the taxidermists' part, maybe it was the quality of the bird to begin with.  Even the best turkey taxidermist can be hard pressed to make a less than adequate specimen look appealing.

Anyhow.. good luck to you however you proceed.

Jon~