What's On Your Workbench June 2023

Here's a dead mount work in progress. What's cool about this is he had a band...data showed this was banded before old enough to fly, and banded 18yr ago. This band is slap wore out.

 

Brooke, I had no idea they lived so long. To think, he made it 18 and perhaps, could've gone another few years. He looked as good inside as any other goose I've taxied. It's one of those trophies that we taxidermist are honored to preserve.

 

I raise wild waterfowl! Been raising them for ove 40 years.
I've had a few ducks that lived to 25 years old. I've have had geese live past 30 years old. I've got a Whitefront goose that's going on 34 years old and still laying eggs every year.

 

That's pretty amazing too, but those are pen birds. This bird lived in the wild. I never imagined a bird could live/survive that long. 18+ years of migration...surviving weather conditions, predators, hunters, and everything else that can happen to a bird traveling thousands of miles over it's lifetime. Records show that he was banded too young to fly in Canada and harvested in So IL by a guy from Bama who fishes on the Auburn Bass Team. Go figure. This bird is certainly worthy of tribute in my humbled opinion.

 

Added a pin feathered shot up Gaddy to the party. That's it for now, until he gets more. He wants to add a hen gadwall and a pair of Woody's to this scene .

 

That Blue is lookin sweet ... Your right about that Blue living 18 yrs , cus thats a real feat for a snow/blue goose to live so long being the most hunted waterfowl of them all ... they're hunted nearly yr around .. maybe not but at least 6 months a year lots of chances to be killed ... If that was a Ca Blue it wouldnt live that long for sure .. these guys shoot anything not white when those flocks come in and fight over a Blue goose even a juvie cus they're still pretty rare out here think I saw one in millions this yr .. you gotta be Lucky and good to shoot an eagle head in Ca ..

 

Amen. Tiugh life im sure,and blown away at 18yrs okd. Still wouldve been going as far as anyone knew. And I appreciate the compliment.

 

Not exactly on the workbench anymore, but just wanted to share something different.
Blessings y’all

 

PM sent.

 

Very nice Wally Gator!

 

That's great! I've always lovrd this type of display, and wanted to try something like this for myself.

 

Friends,
A couple folks were interested in techniques used on this display, so I posted a tutorial in the Tutorial section called Turkey Feather Art.
Blessings y’all

 

I did a couple 10x12 framed 8x10 photos (friends with turkeys) a couple years back and used turkey feathers for matting. Turned out very nice. Mentioning because it was very tedious and your project is about 20 times the volume, appreciate the effort. Great job.

 

That is amazing W Gator Incredible talent