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Bird Taxidermy / Pellet holes
« Last post by vincer15 on Yesterday at 02:13:34 PM »Just wondering what different methods people on here use to repair pellet holes in duck feet before injecting them
Recent Posts
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Bird Taxidermy / Re: A Few Problems I Experienced Recently
« Last post by Tom Maul on Yesterday at 01:39:28 PM »Trapper,
The best advice I can give you (if I understand your question) is to take a thawed bird before skinning and spend some time really studying it. This is what you're trying to replicate. I'm not trying to be a smart guy, here. I think sometimes we already have the answer, but don't know it.
If you literally mean "is there skin between the humerus bone and the body", the answer is "yes". There's actually two layers... the skin under the humerus and the skin over the abdomen. This skin (both wing and abdomen) needs to go where it was originally on the bird. The entire humerus bone goes in the wing (flight web), then the entire wing is folded naturally and positioned on the mannikan. There are different methods of wiring the wing, or not, and pinning the wing. Each method has pluses and minuses that should be discussed in the archives if you research it. Setting the wings on a standing bird is not an easy "slam dunk" thing to learn. It can be frustrating.
As far as the head feathers... as Cheri has mentioned, the head skin needs to be fleshed well in the head (and everywhere). "Tight" is not better. That skin should taxi easily around the head. It's important that you hit your marks when attaching the skin to the bill. That skin needs to go back on where it came off or you'll have distortion. Also, if you get glue on a feather(s), it's toast. Don't get glue on feathers... and you're only gluing the edge... it doesn't take much. Find the ear holes in the skin (I use compressed air) and match them up to the ear holes on the artificial head. Now you have three known reference points and you can taxi the rest of that head skin appropriately. I use caulk in the head as Cheri does. Be advised, there's a big learning curve to using caulk!
Lastly, a properly fleshed head dries out really quickly, especially after it's boraxed. Do what you have to do to keep that skin (not feathers) moist. If that skin is crispy or dry when you're mounting it, you're gonna have problems with every aspect of it. Apply water with a Q tip or artists brush. If the feathers get damp they can be dried with a blow dryer after the skin is positioned.
Hope that I may have been some help. Good luck to you.
The best advice I can give you (if I understand your question) is to take a thawed bird before skinning and spend some time really studying it. This is what you're trying to replicate. I'm not trying to be a smart guy, here. I think sometimes we already have the answer, but don't know it.
If you literally mean "is there skin between the humerus bone and the body", the answer is "yes". There's actually two layers... the skin under the humerus and the skin over the abdomen. This skin (both wing and abdomen) needs to go where it was originally on the bird. The entire humerus bone goes in the wing (flight web), then the entire wing is folded naturally and positioned on the mannikan. There are different methods of wiring the wing, or not, and pinning the wing. Each method has pluses and minuses that should be discussed in the archives if you research it. Setting the wings on a standing bird is not an easy "slam dunk" thing to learn. It can be frustrating.
As far as the head feathers... as Cheri has mentioned, the head skin needs to be fleshed well in the head (and everywhere). "Tight" is not better. That skin should taxi easily around the head. It's important that you hit your marks when attaching the skin to the bill. That skin needs to go back on where it came off or you'll have distortion. Also, if you get glue on a feather(s), it's toast. Don't get glue on feathers... and you're only gluing the edge... it doesn't take much. Find the ear holes in the skin (I use compressed air) and match them up to the ear holes on the artificial head. Now you have three known reference points and you can taxi the rest of that head skin appropriately. I use caulk in the head as Cheri does. Be advised, there's a big learning curve to using caulk!
Lastly, a properly fleshed head dries out really quickly, especially after it's boraxed. Do what you have to do to keep that skin (not feathers) moist. If that skin is crispy or dry when you're mounting it, you're gonna have problems with every aspect of it. Apply water with a Q tip or artists brush. If the feathers get damp they can be dried with a blow dryer after the skin is positioned.
Hope that I may have been some help. Good luck to you.
73
For Sale / white mark silver wallhangers
« Last post by Ed Buck - Taxidermy on Yesterday at 01:32:30 PM »hello have 2 ranched super prime soft tanned white colred silver fox wallhangers 200.00 ea plus shipping can text pics 610-308-1578 thanks
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Skulls and Skeletons / Whitetail Degreasing Problems/Need Advice
« Last post by SwedesForest on Yesterday at 01:29:11 PM »I've been working on degreasing eight deer skulls with dawn and water that were harvested over the last four years with three from last fall. I've tried fish tank heaters and only had bad experiences so I decided to pick up a free chest freezer from the local landfill to use as my degreasing tank. I sanded and coated the inside with liquid flexseal (looking back, I should have used marine epoxy) and wired a heating element that keeps it at a constant 115-120 degrees. I started the degreasing process on April 1st and each skull had its own 5 gallon bucket within the freezer. I've spent several hours reading degreasing posts on here, and I knew that I would likely have mold issues on the exposed antlers but read that rubbing denatured alcohol on the antlers occasionally would kill the mold without damaging them. Anyway, I ended up having much more mold growth than I had anticipated and now have several red, purple, and blue spots on the antlers that I am not sure how to remove. After noticing that, I decided to remove the buckets, have all of the deer skulls together, and add enough water to completely submerge the antlers. That was a week ago. The water didn't look bad, but I decided to change it today and noticed that the antlers reeked pretty bad. The skulls also do not appear to have degreased much at this point and still have several large dark yellow grease spots. The antlers are also lighter and are rough looking. I had originally pressure washed the skulls, but the antlers didn't appear to be damaged. If I ever get these done, I am planning on sealing them with paraloid B-72, and I will probably have to stain the antlers to help cover the mold spots. I have several Minwax wood stains. I care a lot about the end quality of these skulls. Any advice on how to get rid of the mold stains, make the antlers stop smelling like death, or anything else that I should change? One of the skulls was beetle cleaned four years ago but was never properly degreased.
Thanks!
Thanks!
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The Taxidermy Industry / Re: Artistry!
« Last post by NJTrapper on Yesterday at 01:14:22 PM »I believe it is something you are born with. I inherited from my Father. He was a commercial artist, back in the day when you had to draw the logo's for your customers products. Same as some, in the 5th grade Myself and another kid, were the ones who always got out of class, to go in the hallway and paint or draw murals. Fast forward to adulthood, I have 2 daughters, who with out any coaching, have been drawing since they were old enough to hold a pencil. My oldest, does the painting classes George was talking about and calls her self the "traveling painter". My youngest was a park ranger at Huntington State Park in S.C. and painted the State Park logo and the big giant chairs that everyone gets their picture taken in.
I don't know if it happens to anyone else, but there are times when I just got to do some type of art, and you can't just blow it off, it eats at you. There are times when I just wake up in the middle of the night and got to "get my art on" as my wife calls it. LOL. It's definitely a strange journey but glad I have the ability.
I don't know if it happens to anyone else, but there are times when I just got to do some type of art, and you can't just blow it off, it eats at you. There are times when I just wake up in the middle of the night and got to "get my art on" as my wife calls it. LOL. It's definitely a strange journey but glad I have the ability.
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Fish Taxidermy / Re: Update on trout supply for taxidermists
« Last post by Cecil on Yesterday at 01:11:27 PM »I was going to recommend you get these advertised in Utah somehow, but I see that's where your eggs came from...they are crazy about tiger trout in that state. There are rare natural hybrids of browns and brooks but that would never have happened without man's intervention. Browns are only native in and around Europe.....they were transplanted here in the late 1800's. Brookies are only native to eastern North America. Where they have come in contact there is the rare hybrid. Problem is that they aren't only different species but different genera. Chromosomes don't match as brookies have 84 and browns have 80.....they heat the eggs and sperm, similar to producing triploidism, in order to replicate more chromosomes to match up....that is why the survivability of fertilized eggs is so low. Cecil, they are actually all diploids (not triploid). The fact they are really chromosomally mismatched means they are almost all sterile.....they simply can't breed. Anyway.....they do have a good control purpose in fisheries as they are extremely piscivorous and are great for reducing certain types of rough fish is some ecosystems and you have control of their numbers as they don't reproduce........much as tiger muskies are being used also (again Utah is crazy about weird fish and has some great tiger musky lakes too). Their body shapes are unique from either brookies or browns and I would think you would have a lot of interest for establishing molds for these guys. Best of luck with the beasts....
Brian
Actually Brian I was told my tigers are triploids as they are not only a cross of both species but are pressure treated to produce triploids. Two ways to interrupt mitosis: warm water or pressure treatment.
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Fish Taxidermy / Re: Update on trout supply for taxidermists
« Last post by Cecil on Yesterday at 01:08:19 PM »Right!!! I was confusing crossing BREEDS with crossing SPECIES ! Hey, it's early.Thanks Cecil.
~S
Some fish species crossed are not sterile. A common hybrid bluegill stocked in ponds is the bluegill crossed with a green sunfish. They are not sterile but the offspring tend to be up to 90 percent male. Some hybrid striped bass are not sterile either.
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Deer and Gameheads / Re: What am I doing wrong here?
« Last post by juli on Yesterday at 12:18:48 PM »Small enough to fit through the eye of the needle. I buy mine at the fabric store... or walmart fabric section. 
