I'm teaching in the bush of Alaska and one of my students JUST gave me a pair of beautiful black crane feet he took yesterday... I want to keep them and right now have them fixed in an upright, natural standing position. I hope that they will dry like this, but I suspect there is more I need to do... I'm completely new at this...
-How would I take care of the open skin and exposed bone at the top of the joint where it was cut off?
-Should I inject it with something? If so, should I freeze it for now until I can secure necessary prep. materials?
-Do I need to 'shellac' it? Is it necessary to mount them?
I'd be VERY grateful to anyone who can point me in the right direction, and may be able to return a favor...
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Not that too many people are going to question you out there in the bush, but you should contact the local game warden and have him give you a slip permitting you to keep the feet legally.
Next, skin down the feathered skin to the knee joint and cut off the upper piece of the leg bone. You can tie the skin in a purse sting eventually if you'd like or you can just cut it off.
Probably the injection fluids would be hard for you to get and as a crane has very little meat in those legs, I'd just say, keep it dry. Not much is going to effect them as long as you do that. Next, get a lenght of wire (about wire coat hanger size)that's about 4 inches longer than the leg bone. Sharpen it and insert it at the knee, sliding it down the leg in that groove made by the leg bone and the major tendons in the leg. Push it straight down through the "palm" of the foot and then use that wire to hold your leg up on a flat surface. Pose the toes like you want them and allow to dry. BTW, keep the mice away from them.
Thanks for the response. Just learned about many of the specific game laws they have up here in a class, actually. I'll definitely have it registered before I go. This is easier than I thought!
Have you tried dried salmon? If you can remember and are so inlined, drop an email in September and I'll send some. This is where it'll be coming from- www.tunt.blogspot.com