Waterfowl Taxi

[The Hermit]

I was out hunting today and shot a beautiful Mallard drake and hen (both with the same shot ). I am thinking about getting them mounted together. As a newish waterfowler I have a few questions about this process.

1) how do I prepare them? I slid the birds whole into a pair of my wife's panty hose and put them in the deep freeze. Will that work to protect them?

2) Can you recommend a taxi on the southern island? Terry at Lagoon perhaps?

3) What should I budget? I'm thinking having them side by side in a flared landing pose. Other suggestions welcome.

BTW It is my birthday (65) and I couldn't have asked for a better morning!

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Happy Birthday!!!

1. You did a good job with the freezing whole while protecting feathers thing.

I'll be no help on 2) or 3) at this time, insufficient experience to say as I am unfamiliar with the current local conditions. Marco at Sugar Creek in Alberta is the best I've seen for birds though there is another couple of excellent taxidermists on the Island. In your place, I'd go for quality and not concern myself with the price. Enjoy your birthday birds!

[lorneparker1]

I sent you a message on FB but I figured other people could benefit from this as well.

Firstly, never put your birds in panty hose, I have no idea where that started but, I've heard people doing it ( and regretting it) for as long as I've been duck hunting. its terrible for the birds. They can freeze with the pattern of the hose on the feathers and be near impossible to get out and they do ZERO to protect the bird from freezer burn. Wrap in a grocery bag, get all the air out and tape, then do it again. I have mounted birds a few years old that way

2. I have had really tough time finding a good taxi that is affordable on the western part of Canada let alone BC. World class Taxi's in the US charge 250-350 per bird. These are the best in the WORLD. There are taxis in BC that charge 500-800 PER BIRD and their work IMO is mediocre at best. There are some pretty good ones but 500 + per bird is out of my price range for sure. Sorry I'm not more helpful here. I have found a guy that is affordable but his work is very inconsistent. Sometimes its ok, sometimes not so much. The best birds I have had mounted out here I have had mounted in the states. I don't know anything about lagoon, but if you can go and see some birds has mounted, and they look good, and are in the 300-400 range I have some birds for him as well. lol

3. For poses, just google search Hen and drake mallard mounts. There is a ton of examples.

[warnniklz]

Billy-T!! Tried sending this link via FB. Working about as hard as George Michael lately... too soon?

https://youtu.be/KH__TbkPhXw

I Remember when my dad use to mount birds, the freezer use to be full of birds. All air tight in bags.

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

I've never heard of the feathers being mashed up from something like a smooth nylon! Interesting. The plastic idea is more normal and I have a way better supply of plastic bags than whatever else in the general way of things so have only ever used plastic or something along those line for freezing. Did think the main point is to protect the feathers.

Good info lorneparker1, thank you for posting! Good thinking.

[Bonz]

personaly i wouldnt think the nylons would prevent freezer burn the skin.
i did duck. given to me in a plastic bag from freezer. it was fine.
dont do anything to it till a taxidermist tells you to that will be working on i, all like them diff ways, and if it isnt his way, it may not turn out to well., most for small game you leave em whole and sent in.

[Bonz]

he isnt on the island. moved to merritt now, bout the only guy id recomend. havent had my own done there. but have seen others of his work

http://www.rwtaxidermy.com/

[Gone_Fishin_]

Ganders Taxidermy out here does great work from the pics I've seen. Might be worth shipping them if you could somehow.

I was quoted 550$ for a wood duck a while back.

http://ganderstaxidermy.calls.net/birds/

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