Here goes. I am now starting to learn to do turkeys. I have been all through the archives. I am wondering if you can use Tannery Degreaser on turkeys. This stuff is great on Bears but is it safe for turkeys? Just wondering. Dawn seams to be the choice on turkeys. Thanks Jack F
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Turkeys are not really greasy. The dawn is plenty to wash and degrease them.
Todd B
after you have defatted your turkey either by hand or on a wire wheel
wash it 2 or 3 times in dawn then be sure to rinse it at least three times to remove ALL th soap residue. Upland gamebirds all seem to hold the soap in their feathers more than waterfowl. I rinse my birds in a bathtub that has a sprayer nozzle to help force the soap out of the feathers. After your water comes out clear in you rinse squeeze and blow out as much as possible using 40-60 lbs. air pressure the put the skin into some sort of bath to displace the water, ie: gas, white gas, mineral spirits, thinner, ect. I personally use regular gas(outside only away from all ignition sources). Squeeze out gas and allow to hang outside to evaporate as much gas as possible then tumble in sawdust to dry further.
I am wondering about the gas idea. I would think that the gas would defeat the purpose of removing the grease and fat/oils from the bird. My thought is that gas is petrolium based oil. Any time I have ever got gas on anything it leaves oil stains would this not stay on the feathers of birds? why not just use the dawn, rince it well and then tumble? then mount. Also mineral sperits that I have used also have left a residue. If all you want to acomplish is to remove the water after the wash then the tumbler should do that with out leaving any residue. I am very new to birds only mounted two in fact. I am probably way off on my thoughts. Thanks for your time Jack F
I won't touch the Dawn versus gas debate again, but was a convert to Dawn last year. But one caution, mentioned in past turkey tumbling posts (which I read too late). I use hardwood sawdust in my tumbler and do mainly waterfowl and gameheads. I tumbled my turkey and wound up with sawdust adhering to the down along the base of many feathers. It took hours to comb that stuff out, since it didn't come out doing the finishing drying with the hair dryer. Check the archives for some of the recent discussions about tumbling turkeys with corn cob material. That's what I'll definately go too! Turkey turned out real nice, following the 3-part Calley series from Breakthrough. Also follow-up on another post, about caulk getting on the feathers. Prior advice was 100 percent correct; just let it dry and pick it off; don't try to wash the wet caulk off.
gas has been used for years by many well known taxidermists in various forms as I statee above. Tha gas displases the water and also seems to help remove more of the preening oils thean just dawn. Th birds that I have not used gas on just don't seem to have the shine or iridescent colors as the ones that have been gassed.