This is my second attempt at a bird mount. I took some classes and I feel pretty confident I can do it, but I can't get it to look good on the form. The body I am using is the exact same size as the one I took out of the bird. The neck is the same length. It is going to be a standing mount. When I put the skin onto the body and sewed it shut, the rear end just sagged down. It was almost like the foam body was a couple inches to short. Even if I pined the tail to the body, it still sagged under the tail. If anyone can help, I would greatly appreciate it. I'm sure I am doing something wrong, but I'm just not sure what it is! Thank you.
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The slack is needed to taxi i.e. adjust the skin. Pin the tail where it should go and work at compacting the feathers over the entire body. Instead of handling the bird with oily hands, use a 2 inch wide paint brush, those cheap ones at the hardware store, white bristle, as you work the skin you can take long pins to pin the hide where it needs to stay. I work from the head all the way back, and work it forward again. Just keep working it until the feathers are laying smooth and in the proper places.
..the skin needs taxi forward on the body and yes, you will have to pin around the tail area
Good Luck and don't get discouraged, you will get better and faster with practice
TJ
You should try a blonde, they are a little easier.
I've been married to one for 7 yrs and still cant figure out how to mount her. I have no idea where the 2 kids came from.
is sometimes overlooked with the first few birds folks do. If you forgot to cut a tail slot, it is difficult to get the tail to stay put properly. During the sewing phase, I pin the tail on the top and bottom to hold in place. Some extra skin on the bottom is normal as there is a little pouch their anyway. Did you replace the leg meat and tuck the skin? Did you fill in the side pockets? Taxiing the skin forward is also an important part. Did you pull the wing coverts up? Put caulk in the wings for bulk? Each of these things impacts on the skin and how much you have. The skin will also shrink to some degree, tightening up the feather groups. I am sure that it will come with time and doing more birds. Good luck.
What you have is just overstretched skin. It's very common.
You will need to press it back into shape and, since there is no caulking under there, it may take a dozen or more small sewing pins to hold it in place. Push them all the way in and leave them, (but only AFTER you have the skin taxied correctly!)