I have a friend who is an excellent Taxidermist and he skinned a Pheasant in front of me in about 3 minutes and brought it back this weekend after only a month. I think he did an excellent job. He took a couple Prairie Chickens I got this season and is going to mount one for me. He always asks me how I want them done and I tell him whatever you think would look best.





Here are a few of the other birds he has done for me.

A big Gadwall drake that I had done not the most flash bird but if you look close they have some amazing patterning in their feathers.



My first and best Can I have taken, we don't get many around here.


A Huge Greater Canadian that he mounted when I lived in a Trailer and had very little room. I love the way he did it.

The jewelry makes the canvasback even sweeter.

Skip

Great looking mounts!

I have a friend that does taxidermy, and is pretty good, but not as good as your friend. He did 3 ducks for me, a woodie, a pintail and a mallard. He told me that was his first, second, and LAST ducks to mount. Deer are much easier.

Ok I have to be honest. That was not actually on that bird. I had it ina drawer adn added it later. I do have a mounted Mallard that was actually banded but the picture did not turn out. Will try to add it later.

I would be sure to invite your friend to every barbecue. Nice mounts.
Jay

Very nice mounts.

I agree with your comments about the gadwall. In hand, the feather pattern of a fully plummed drake is gorgeous.


OutdoorHub Mobile, the information engine of the outdoors.

Nice

great mounts and nice photos. I love Gadwalls also- beautiful birds and very tasty! A very underrated duck for sure. Nice to see you give that Gadwall a beautiful mount that it deserves.

My favorite duck, and the best mount I have is a Black drake. I've never taken a Canvasback either - glad to see that you have!

I have to say I love the Gadwall. I have liked the pattern on a drake & have thought a pair or several would make a great mount. Nice mount.

He does very nice work!

But three minutes to skin a pheasant? After mounting birds for over 40 years, I don't think I've ever come anywhere near that! I just mounted a mallard yesterday. The entire process took about 4 hours. Now, I'll admit that ducks are a different breed and have some "special needs", but the skinning alone took over an hour! And that doesn't count fleshing and degreasing!

Either way, the mounts look fantastic!

Frank

Very smartly done with the grass and feathers blowing the same direction. Good job!