New to Taxidermy

Where are you located,do you have a state association, that would be a great way to get started.

 

Welcome huntress. I would go to Taxidermy Training Unlimited and purchase one or more duck DVDs. I would also go to Research Mannikins Supply Company and purchase one or more from them.
Most supply companies sell a duck DVD.

 

Welcome to the most rewarding and frustrating pursuit I know. Taxidermy is something that gets in your blood and you just have to do it, I know. It sounds like you are on the right track with the videos but Richard is spot on. I never learned so much as when I started going to our state show, priceless experience. Also, the archives of this site are an incredible source of information. Do some searching and you'll find answers to most any questions you have. Good luck and have fun!

 

https://www.taxidermy.net/threads/372464/

Best advice I can give still. Love your name!

 

All the above is GREAT advice!
DVD's I learned from...
Mounting and Finishing a Flying Common Eider by Page Nethercutt (Taxidermy Training Unlimited... TTU)
Painting Waterfowl Bills and Feet by Joe Kaiser... TTU
Mounting a Flying Pheasant by Brian Harness... TTU
Mounting and Finishing a Strutting Turkey by Harry Whitehead... TTU
Mounting a Flying Waterfowl by Stefan Savides... Research Mannikins
Mounting a Valley Quail by Stefan Savides... Research Mannikins
Wood Duck Secrets by Matt Smith... blueribbonbirdsdvd.com
Don't be mistaken, I by no means learned SOLELY from DVD's (I used all the above advice). Oh, and believe me when I say that I'm still learning.
Tanglewood gives good advice about DVD's.
pick a couple different taxidermists (everybody has a different way of getting things done)
pick a flying video
pick a standing video
Pick a waterfowl video and an upland bird video (if you wanna do both, and i suggest you do)
Pick a TTU video
Pick a Research Mannikins video
Matt Smith's video is top drawer, but a bigger investment

My piece of advice that maybe hasn't been overly stressed above would be PRACTICE and PERSISTENCE!
If you're afraid to fail you're screwed from the start.
They'll be plenty of it. You have to persist. When you screw it up, give yourself the time you need to get over it, lick your wounds and do it again. If you take the above advice and practice, practice, practice, you'll do well...
My two cents
Best of luck to you

 

Right on Tom. Don't be afraid to experiment!
I am working on a fall jake turkey that that I killed December 2017 that is mostly pin feathers. With a 1" beard and button spurs, it ain't no trophy.
The reason I'm doing it is because I have a fear of losing all my pin feathers, so every bird I get with pin feathers gets mounted.

I have learned how to work around and with pin feathers to the point that I lose less feathers now than I did with un pin feathered birds. I learned that there is a better way to flesh birds that have no pin feathers due to success and failure through experimentation.

 

The reward of screwing up something is learning how to fix it.

 

I would suggest that you obtain one of Tony Finazzo's duck mounting videos and Joe Ferebee's Duck Mounting Basics video. Tony has a long chapter on tools and supplies needed and Joe's is a no nonsense basic mounting procedure that turns out a beautiful mount. Good luck and keep at it.

 

I aslo have Tony Finazzo's DVD sets on coloring the bills and feet of both divers and puddle ducks. Complete with materials lists, tips and secrets, His step-by-step approach to airbrushing can give any beginner excellent results the first time!

 

Go to the north Carolina association site on here look at pictures from past conventions you,ll see who are the bird slayers.

 

Personally I like a standing mount. I think the overall colors are shown better. All of Tony's Dvd's have a chapter on tools and materials needed. Joe's is a standing mount.