Let me start by saying, I don't mean to stir anything up or offend the sponsors of this site (which by the way is great). I ask these questions because I know I'll get honest answers. First, there are a lot of manikins out there with varying degrees of detail. Some I've seen are Newmeyer, Dahmes, Savides, and I'm sure there are others. Which do you all prefer (I'm really talking about waterfowl)? Does preference vary depending on whether the bird is flying, standing, swimming? Does the extra detail really make a difference? Second, whose heads do you like the best?
Thanks and Happy Holidays,
Kirk
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I've used a lot of Joe's stuff in the last 3 years, I like the fit and his artifical heads are hard to beat. I'm sure others have their preferences, hell at times I still wrap a few bodies, I have to do something with that bale of excelsior I bought 13 or so years ago, besides using it as a fire starter....
....with Tomdes. I think Ferbee's are some of the finest on the market. Cant bet them!
Dave
Not much. But buy what appeals to you.
all degrees of good from my perspective. Each have their own uniqueness. I use Ferebee artificial heads and manikins as well as those from Stefan and others. My choices frequently relate to the variety of sizes they offer and the bill detail. No two are exactly the same size or configuration. They are also cast from different materials and have different degrees of detail. I also pay some attention to price (heaven forbid). If all things are equal, I will purchase the least expensive. I would suggest that you try one or two from each of the manufacturers and then choose. You also have options to buy with eyes set or without eyes. Again, there are a variety of options and shapes. You might even consider casting your own heads. With regard to manikins, I do not believe that extreme detail is necessary in bird body manikins. There are some key anatomical bench marks that do count for me, specifically, the neck, wing, and leg attachment areas. There are also differences in flying and standing manikins. In my case, I purchase the manikin I feel most represents the particualr bird and the position I anticipate for the final mount. This is not to say that you can not modify a standing manikin to accomodate a flying one or a bird coming in for a landing and visa versa - you can. You can also carve a neck indentation on a manikin that comes without one and a tail slot to accomodate the tail quills You can carve a hole in the shoulder area to accomodate the head of the humerous (if you choose to leave it on) and so forth. Most manikins require some type of modification to fit your application. Another consideration is the density of the foam manikin. Some are "harder" than others and hold wire and supports better. You just have to experiment a little and see what is best for you. Every time a new manikin comes on the market I try and buy one - you can also see them at the many taxidermy shows Good Luck
wildlife illusions heads and bodies in the Matuska catalog.I have tried several and they were very impressive.
wildlife illusions heads and bodies in the Matuska catalog.I have tried several and they were very impressive.
as far as bodies go...i dont think detail is very important. infact, my favorite bodies right now are Harvey Zieglers bodies from Authentic Supply. They are the simplest (least detail) bodies ive ever used....but i really like the way they fit. They fit the birds in my area extremely well.
i always had problems with most other bodies i tried. If i had to choose someone else though........i would go back to joe ferebee. some of his bodies were too long, but otherwise okay.
and as for heads...you cant buy heads better than you can make your own. the hardest part was finding a two part plastic that i liked. but i finally did, with the pour a kast Mark 1. saves a ton of money and looks a ton better.
but if i had to go back to buying them...i would reccomend Ferebees heads too. They were the most consistent of the different types i tried. and they had the best fit too.