Picture this: you’ve just come back from a successful trophy hunt. You have your treasured turkey hanging in the shed. What do you do now?
Do you just leave it in the shed to the molder? Do you take a picture of it? No, you want to remember forever your successful hunt and the thrilling experience it was.
You need to immortalize your trophy with a taxidermy turkey mount! This blog post will explain exactly how to do it.
What Is Taxidermy?
Taxidermy is an art form of stuff, preserving, and mounting animals for display purposes. A taxidermist will take an animal’s hide or skin and use it to recreate a lifelike mount of the animal.
Most taxidermists specialize in either hunting specimens or fish, game birds, and mammals. But some also do reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.
The process of taxidermy requires a detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the species. It also requires the taxidermist’s ability to create a lifelike mount of the animal by stuffing and mounting it.
The taxidermist also needs to use a variety of tools when working with a hide. This may include needles, scalpels, forceps, and fiberglass. In addition, they must understand the importance of tanning to preserve the hide.
Taxidermy can be seen in many places. You can encounter museum taxidermy mounts, hunting lodges, game preserves, and private homes. Taxidermy can be a rewarding craft for the skilled and dedicated hobbyist.
What Are the Benefits of Taxidermy?
There are several benefits of taxidermy. Firstly, it offers the opportunity to showcase wildlife in a beautiful and educational way. When done efficiently, it can act as a form of conservation. Taxidermied animals can be used as educational tools to stimulate more public interest in a species.
The taxidermy process has also been used to provide a visual taxonomy for wide-reaching species. This includes the Smithsonian’s collections of bird specimens.
The aesthetic value of taxidermy art is also undeniable. It can be used to decorate homes, offices, and businesses with a unique and special style. Finally, taxidermy allows us to remember and appreciate the beauty of the natural world.
How to Create a Taxidermy Turkey Mount?
Creating a taxidermy turkey mount is a great way to capture a hunting trophy and display your skills at the same time. With the steps detailed below, you will have a lifelike turkey mount ready to be proudly displayed!
1. Gathering Materials and Tools
The first step to creating a taxidermy turkey mount is gathering the necessary materials and tools. The basic tools needed are a knife, scissors, leather needles, and thread. These can be found at most arts and crafts stores or online retailers.
Additionally, you will need leather for the turkey mount’s breast and legs and a foam block to insert inside the bird’s body. You may also need ground ginger, Epsom salt, baking soda, cornstarch, and rubbing alcohol.
Finally, you’ll need some taxidermy tools. This includes a stuffing tool and a glove to protect your hands. Once you have all the materials and tools, you’re ready to begin the process of creating a taxidermy turkey mount!
2. Preparing the Turkey Specimen
Preparing a turkey specimen for a taxidermy mount requires careful attention to detail. Freezing the specimen properly ensures the skin is well preserved. A taxidermist should handle the prepared specimen carefully to avoid any damage.
The taxidermist should carefully remove the hide from around the top of the head and neck area and cut away any neck skin so the neck can protrude out sufficiently. Then it’s time to remove the wings and legs using a sharp knife.
3. Removing Feathers and Skin
The next step is to remove the feathers and skin carefully. It’s best to remove the feathers all at once with a sharp pair of scissors, as this will result in the cleanest cut and minimize the mess. You will then need to peel the skin off of the turkey carefully.
It’s often easiest to start at the neck and work your way down. Once finished, consider placing the feathers and skin on a piece of paper to use as a reference for later on.
4. Preserving and Cleaning the Skin
After the bird has been skinned, it is important to remove and discard any fat which may be found under the skin. Next, the skin should be salted and left for several days in a cool, dry location to prevent spoilage.
Once the skin is dry, it can be scraped and rubbed down with sawdust. Finally, the skin should be fleshed and degreased with a mild detergent or soap and water. Once cleaned, the skin can be placed into a turkey form, using a dye or tanning solution to give it a realistic color.
5. Creating the Mannequin
You will need to create a mannequin form that resembles a real turkey. This must be done accurately as it will serve as the basis for a successful mount. You will need to carefully shape the mannequin using wire, foam, cotton, and paper to create a realistic shape.
6. Sculpting Details
Creating a taxidermy turkey mount requires special care and attention to detail – especially when it comes to sculpting the head, eyes, and caruncles. Start by forming and installing the form. Then, secure the form with screws at the base and prepare to begin sculpting.
Next, using a sculpting knife, begin carving the details of the head. Special attention should be given to the details of the eyes, beak, and breast feathers.
After that is completed, move on to sculpting the caruncles. This requires a great deal of precision, patience, and detail. Carefully carve and then add aesthetic features using clay.
7. Mounting the Turkey Body
After the turkey body is attached to its mount, the taxidermist then spreads the turkey skin on the mount and attaches it with a special adhesive. The area around the head is secured with a contact adhesive or glue.
With patience, the taxidermist can gradually push the feathers into place, adjusting as needed for a realistic look.
8. Positioning the Wings and Tail Feathers
Positioning the wings and tail feathers will require some extra effort. Starting with the wings, hold them in the desired position that accurately represents the bird in a relaxed flying pose.
Secure the wings in place with the designated screws. If the wings do not stay in place, use thread to wrap around and tie them to hold them better.
When it comes to the tail feathers, they need to be fanned appropriately to create the illusion of a flying turkey. Using thin wire, attach small felt circles to the quills of the feathers to secure them in place.
Secure the wall to the bottom of the mount with small bolts for a better hold. Lastly, cover the exposed areas of the mount with moss, foliage, or any other type of camouflage material.
9. Ensuring Stability and Lifelike Pose
To ensure stability and a lifelike pose, a stable foundation such as rubber foam is needed to provide structure for the feathers and other parts of the mount. The form should then be positioned and secured on whatever base you have chosen and secured with screws and other anchoring material.
10. Final Touches
Once the form has been stuffed and secured, the finishing touches of the taxidermy turkey mount include painting and the final touch of the feathers. Start by using alcohol-based paints with colors and hues that closely match the real turkey.
A key factor to remember is that the base color needs to be darker than the markings. Paint in small stripes and feather lines with the same color to create an irregular pattern.
Once the base coat has dried, begin adding the accent colors with a very light touch. To give the feathers a realistic look, use paint to create a staggered application across the feathers, allowing each feather to have a unique pattern instead of the same exact one.
Be sure to blend colors from one feather to the next lightly, then complete the final touches with fine detail work around the eyes and beak.
How to Find the Best Taxidermist
When choosing a taxidermist to immortalize your trophy with a taxidermy turkey mount, it’s essential to do your research. Look for a reputable taxidermist with a positive online presence and plenty of important credentials, such as awards and professional certifications.
Take the time to review their portfolio of work to ensure they can meet your needs with top-quality work. Also, ask about their experience with turkey mounts and check to ensure they have experience with properly handling the specimen you’re providing.
Ask about prices and fees, and be sure to find out how long it will take to complete your project. Make sure you’re comfortable with the terms of the agreement before signing.
With the right taxidermist like Allis Markham, your trophy will be preserved in its finest form and be a beautiful reminder of your hunting experience.
Impress Everyone With Your Taxidermy Displays
Your beautiful trophy taxidermy turkey mount is your memento of an unforgettable hunt that you can immortalize by following the steps in this article. So be sure to get your turkey mount made for the perfect conversation starter in your home and for the perfect reminder of your great hunting memories.
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