mallard head

[1stturkey]

Attempting my 1st Mallard...when I skinned it yesterday I was able to pull the skin completley over the head w/out another incision (or tearing) as I expected I would need to make.  I had read that an additional incision is necessary for mallard heads but since things were going smooth I didn't make one.  Am I going to have to make an incision in order to fit in the artificial head or is the head on this one just smaller than usual?

[Brad Jones]

I never have had to make a incision either way.

[1stturkey]

Okay, thanks.  Guess I had some misinformation leading me to believe the skin on the head couldn't be inverted w/out a head incision.

[Brad Jones]

Some birds will need to cut but not all.

[Paul C]

If you remove the head by making your incision around the bill you won't need any other incisions.  If you have inverted the head but the skin is still attached to the bill you will have to cut it there anyway to get your artificial on/in.  I guess I'm not sure what you're asking---if you are using an artificial head the only incision will be around the bill.  If you're using the real head and managed to invert it completely without splitting it somewhere consider yourself VERY lucky---very lucky that you didn't have to split it to invert it and even luckier that you didn't rip the head off trying.

[1stturkey]

yes, i guess I did get very lucky.  It's my 1st mallard as well as my 1st attempt w/a replacment head.  I don't want to press my luck any further than I already have.

Thanks