I will be going to Alaska this Fall and hope to get a couple of Harlequin ducks to mount. I will be in the field for a couple of weeks with no means to freeze or refrigerate the birds, so what is the best way of preserving the skins and how do I go about making incisions that won't show on the final mount. Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.
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I would recommend shipping out immediately to the taxidermist of your choice or to someone who can freeze them... However, if that isn't an option...hmmmmmm you could salt dry them...but without knowing how to skin the bird to begin with, I would assume you wouldn't know how to flesh it either... and salting without fleshing isn't a good idea...A salted bird skin is something most taxidermist don't have experience dealing with... it wouldn't be my first choice by any means.
Duck season in AK is normally quite cold.. Box them up and leave them outside and hope that they freeze and don't get eaten by bears? Definately keep them on ice... If kept cold, they will last a few days and should be okay.. but more than a couple days and you're asking for trouble.
IF this is a trip booked through an outfitter, I would think they would have means to handle specimens for taxi work or should have a local taxi willing to accept birds.
I'm really at a loss for a concrete answer here. Buy a Manaual and practice skinning a few birds first, a harly isn't something that I would want to start with, it isn't hard, but from your question about making incisions, I take you haven't skinned too many birds?
Sorry I cant offer better advice.
Jon
wait till the last day to take your harlequins.