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rishu_pepper
12-06-2008, 08:09 PM
Downing some pretty widgeons and pintails today got me thinking about mounting a duck, hopefully within this season. I'm thinking of the flying pose on a trophy plaque kinda thing. How much do they usually run, per bird?

Crazy_Farmer
12-06-2008, 08:15 PM
Depending where you go and on whos doing it. For a duck it should run anywhere for $450 on the high end to probably $200 for the lowest. I know my three ducks were inbewteen 200-250. Geese around 350-500. And you normally get what you pay for aswell. Always look for other birds done in shop or old pictures. Theres alot of big game guys who are great at big game but not so much with birds becuase they dont do birds that often. So find someone who does a good mix.

It also seems like the closer you get into vancouver the more expensive they are. Valley guys seem to be cheaper for whatever reason. I priced out quite a few places first.

Gunner
12-06-2008, 10:47 PM
Try Frank Gilbert at Fur and Feathers in North Surrey,He's done about 12 or 13 birds for me,(Brant,Ross's Goose,Blue Goose,etc),and he does excellent work.Abou$375 nowadays I believe.Gunner

Ovis17
12-07-2008, 01:45 AM
Fur and Feathes gets my vote as well. Frank has done lots of birds for me (wood duck, pintail, pheasant and game heads) I'm happy with all of his work. 300-350 ish for an open wing mount is what you'll likely pay.

scallywag
12-07-2008, 02:14 AM
i have to find out where my step dad got his wood duck done cause it is beautifull and he says i can have it cause mama won;t let him put it in the liviving room

fowl language
12-07-2008, 10:23 AM
fur and feathers gets my vote hands down

smoothbor
12-07-2008, 10:52 AM
like crazy farmer said, check out other birds in taxis shop, you pay for quality and if you dont like what you see while you are there chances are that is the quality you will be getting out of your taxi, lots of them do excellent big game heads and stuff, but do birds vewery rarely, i have 3 whitetail heads that are beautiful,same taxi di a pheasant for me and its ok but not great,cost was 275

rishu_pepper
12-07-2008, 05:16 PM
Cool, thanks for the heads-up, guys. Seems like F&F is the choice of all, though it may on the pricey side, I do think a quality mount is worth the money.

We downed a pintail drake in full plumage, and while pretty in itself, wasn't what I was looking for. A widgeon drake we got had some beautiful wings but the head was not all white (not the least of which were due to pellets ;)). We always get good looking greenie's but every Tom, Dick, and Harry seems to have a mallard so I'm trying to get something different.

Gunner
12-07-2008, 07:42 PM
If you get a full plumage Pin with short tail feathers,throw it the freezer,and when you get one that's all shot up with a long tail the taxidermist can switch the feathers!I never used to hunt for mount birds until Xmas,from there til' the end of the season you'll find the better plumaged birds.Carry a leg from the wife's pantyhose and tuck your mounter into that,after gently rinsing any blood from the white areas. Gunner

rishu_pepper
12-07-2008, 08:54 PM
While I don't have a wife (yet :D) I can probably grab some pantyhose at the store, but that would look weird :lol:

Crazy_Farmer
12-07-2008, 08:58 PM
I've done the pantyhose trick and it does work great on the birds keeping all the feather running the one way, its a great idea. But then I've also brought in a few just double wrapped nicely in plastic bags taped and sealed. Either way seems to be good enough for taxidermists, they didnt prefer either way their main concern was that you took care of the bird before you wrapped it and froze it.

ultramagbob
12-07-2008, 09:01 PM
Speaking of differnent I have a Shoveler Hen and Drake.Look real neat

rishu_pepper
12-07-2008, 10:28 PM
Shot a shoveler last season, funny looking beak :D

Wood duck is my fav., but the area where we hunt rarely has them. Mostly mallards, pintails, widgeons, and the odd teal. I guess my best bet is a nice full plumage widgeon drake.

Marc
12-07-2008, 10:33 PM
Shot a shoveler last season, funny looking beak :D

Wood duck is my fav., but the area where we hunt rarely has them. Mostly mallards, pintails, widgeons, and the odd teal. I guess my best bet is a nice full plumage widgeon drake.

Why stop there? Get one of each done. My goal is to try and get a full plumage drake of each species mounted and on the wall. I just have to figure out how to set them up so my dog can't reach them.

The Hermit
12-07-2008, 10:52 PM
Let me get this right... you want to mount a duck? OhhhhKaaayyyy you must be some kinda of pent-up conservative type guy eh! ! Is the flying pose some avian karma-sutra thing? ;-)

Please no offense meant to anyone - signed, Jack Daniel's :-)

rishu_pepper
12-07-2008, 10:56 PM
Why stop there? Get one of each done. My goal is to try and get a full plumage drake of each species mounted and on the wall. I just have to figure out how to set them up so my dog can't reach them.

I'm not made of money, you know, I'm a teacher... :roll::biggrin:

The Hermit
12-07-2008, 10:56 PM
Try GateHouse for the Pantyhose and BTW Guys how about posting up some pics of your birdies!

http://www.members.shaw.ca/btozer/icon_worthless.gif

Mr. Dean
12-08-2008, 01:39 AM
While I don't have a wife (yet :D) I can probably grab some pantyhose at the store, but that would look weird :lol:

Just ask Mom for a pair. :wink:


Yours truly'
Wisers.

Ian F.
12-08-2008, 10:05 AM
Do yourself a favour and do some research, the bird is dead, in your freezer and it'll take 2 to 8 months to get it back.

First stop look at these websites

http://www.nwwings.com/ (http://www.nwwings.com/)

http://www.birdmanstudios.com/ (http://www.birdmanstudios.com/)

http://www.waterfowler.net/taxidermy/


They are all BIRD ONLY taxidermists, they are all highly skilled and qualified with credentials to match.

Look at their prices and you'll see what the standard is for what you pay.

All of them have field care instructions, READ THEM! I Wrap my birds in plastic wrap, then put a piece of cardboard to protect the tail, then wrap them again in plastic wrap and then slip the whole thing into vac-lock bag and vaccum seal it.

I can tell you this, do your research NOW and make sure whomever you choose produces what you want for what you are willing to pay. Mounts are like food, everyone has different tastes and what one guy is estactic about another will scoff.

Unfortunately I'm been burned by a taxidermist in BC and what makes it worse is I also took in a friends bird. When I got them back I was horrified at the quality and knew I also had to give a friend his bird as well!
$250 stung, but what really stung was I took in a perfect drake pintail that I shot at the end of the season. I high graded birds on shooting picking only longtailed drakes from flocks and passing on many, and then high graded from the 4 to bring the taxidermist a near perfect bird.

What I have now is a soiled memory, a bad mount, and thankfully an understanding friend.

Moral?

DO YOUR RESEARCH!

My plan going forward is to spend the money for shipping, drive point roberts and send it out from there to one of the folks listed above. At the end of the day you'll be looking at it for years and it should meet what you want to see in your mind.

Very best,

Ian

P.S. you should look up the works of Frank Newmeyer (sp?), Stefan Savides and Don Schaeffer (sp?). All world champions, all bird pionneers all the best fo the best. There work will show you what the best is!

rishu_pepper
12-08-2008, 10:56 AM
Ahh, thanks Ian. I'm looking at those links right now, they are certainly very pretty specimens.

Hopefully before the season ends I will be able to find a mount-worthy bird. :D

Crazy_Farmer
12-08-2008, 05:22 PM
I have to say Northwest Wings does some of the best work I've ever seen Ian. The photos didnt do them justice once I saw a ton of his birds done down in Oregon. I saw specks, a few cacklers, one or two brants and lots of seaducks aswell, . And great prices too, I think my friend was quoted 400 US for a brant and all the base and habitat was included in that price. For the quality of his work its a steal. Only problem is you have to ship there and back express, and I may be wrong but theres some paperwork involved shipping waterfowl through the border.

I guess picking it up is an option, since we're down there a couple times a year.

I remember the brant he had at the show, I always only thought brant flying looked "right" or natural but he had a standing one that completely changed my mind over to getting one done standing.

Ian F.
12-10-2008, 06:55 AM
Haven't seen his work, but have seen Newmeyer, Schaeffer and Savides in hand and do they ever look lifelike! Several friends have "carver" mounts by these guys and they are as good as they get. I've got a brant set aside from last year, and hopefully another nice one this year that'll be heading to the south to be made into a dead mount. Last thing I want is that feeling again..

Ian