Jacked up turkey mount - pics

[Spring_Woods]

 When I talked to him he acted like it was no big deal to fix.

I really hope he can or I'll get my money back along with the legs, beard and fan.

[GobbleNut]

Once again, just to try to ease your mind a bit, I haven't kept track but have mounted probably in the neighborhood of 75 turkeys, perhaps more. I can assure you without reservation that even if this guy ends of making a complete mess of your bird, you can take the legs/spurs and beard from the mount and use them with another cape and end up with a mount that you would never know was not from the original bird.  I have done so a number of times, and there is nothing to it.

When mounting a turkey, the bird can be manipulated in terms of posture and feather placement for at least a few days after the mount is started, and probably more like a week or more.  I have changed postures on birds that had been dried for months before to improve their appearance. 

In the case of your mount, since the taxidermist had not even attached the head yet,...which is generally done on the first day of the mounting process, and is definitely done while the birds cape is still pliable, I am still assuming that he had not started the final posturing or feather placement on your bird. 

In looking at the positioning of the mount in the picture you took, it appears your taxidermist is giving you a "gobbling on the roost" mount. Of course, the head has to be attached and either glued or pinned in place and in the correct posture in relation to the body. The posturing of the bird is not bad at this point, but the legs need to be straightened a bit to raise the body and expose the spurs.  The wings will likely need to be raised, as well.  Then the cape will need to be adjusted and filled out to raise the feathers in the proper locations.  And finally, the feathers on the entire cape have to be tediously placed and straightened in relation to each other.  I am going to guess that your taxidermist, if he knows what he is doing, has been doing all of these things since you took the picture. 

At any rate, post some pictures of the final product for us so we can see it.  But do not fret, my friend, you can salvage your trophy regardless of whether or not this mount turns out the way you want it. 

[Spring_Woods]

This any better?

[GobbleNut]

Looks the same but from a different angle.   Where is the head?  ...And how long has the mount been like it is in the picture?

[TRKYHTR]

He moved the wings up and back a little, so you can see the spurs. In the first pic the wing tips were below the log. The feathers look like they are dry. The back feathers are standing up but the transition between the neck feathers and the back feathers are horrible. This is a picture of a gobbling turkey. You can see how the neck feathers transition together with the back feathers. Plus when a turkey gobbles his tail dips downward like the pic. Not up like your turkey. You can also see how high the wings are so that you can see the spurs. Your mount don't look anything like this turkey. Plus the grooming is horrible. Also notice how the beard sticks out, while your gobblers beard is against the breast feathers. JMO

[Spring_Woods]

 

Looks the same but from a different angle.   Where is the head?  ...And how long has the mount been like it is in the picture?

I'm not sure? I went in Friday before Christmas and snapped the first pic and he just sent me the revised pic tonight?

What should I tell him to do?

[Spring_Woods]

I see what your saying but I'm positive it's probably too dry to do any drastic changes like you've proposed.

In the pic you have the turkey is gobbling on the ground. I asked for half strut gobbling on a limb. The bird in your pic is dropping strut to gobble. Or in the process of gobbling. A different pose, at least in my mind. Lol

I told myself as long as it's fixed without damaging it I would probably accept it and keep it as a lesson learned. The only stipulation was if I absolutely cannot live with it. I'd go down the path as listed above in a new mount but same features.   

He moved the wings up and back a little, so you can see the spurs. In the first pic the wing tips were below the log. The feathers look like they are dry. The back feathers are standing up but the transition between the neck feathers and the back feathers are horrible. This is a picture of a gobbling turkey. You can see how the neck feathers transition together with the back feathers. Plus when a turkey gobbles his tail dips downward like the pic. Not up like your turkey. You can also see how high the wings are so that you can see the spurs. Your mount don't look anything like this turkey. Plus the grooming is horrible. Also notice how the beard sticks out, while your gobblers beard is against the breast feathers. JMO

[TRKYHTR]

Here is another picture of gobbling turkeys.

[GobbleNut]

If the mount has been sitting in that pose without the head attached for more than a few days, he will most likely not be able to fix it in an acceptable manner.  He apparently has not mounted many turkeys, or knows something I don't, if he thinks he can make that bird look acceptable if it has been drying for long in that position. 

One thing I have never tried , but have contemplated doing,  is to soak the entire mount in a barrel of water to re-hydrate the cape and start over from the beginning.  Might work,...might not,...I'm not sure.  Really though, the best thing for you to do at this point, assuming the mount turns out like it is looking like it will,...that is, pretty bad,...would be to keep it until you get your next mature gobbler cape, and then have somebody that knows what they are doing remount it for you with the legs and/or spurs and the beard.  It can be easily be done.

Besides the bad experience and lesson learned, you will never know the difference.  In the meantime, if you are not satisfied, get as much of your money back as you can.  Hopefully, the reason he had not attached the head is because he had sent it off to be freeze-dried (always insist on a freeze-dried head for your turkey mounts), and has not got it back yet.  If you are going to end up taking a screwing in terms of getting your money refunded, at least make sure you get the bird and the head for what you have deposited.  A finished, freeze-dried head alone is worth about 75 bucks., and having it should save you about that much in a future mount cost.

[Spring_Woods]

Yeah the head was freeze dried. He has it. Just needs to paint it and put it on.

[barry]

Dang those are some nice mounts. I don't really have thousands of dollars to send birds off like that but I can def see the difference. I guess ya get what ya pay for!

Here's a guy in VA that is great on turkeys plus his price way less than most others. He says he can't charge any more because he's in a remote area and it would cut his business if he raised his prices.

http://mcguiresfreezedrytaxidermy.com/

[Spring_Woods]

Dang those are some nice mounts. I don't really have thousands of dollars to send birds off like that but I can def see the difference. I guess ya get what ya pay for!

Here's a guy in VA that is great on turkeys plus his price way less than most others. He says he can't charge any more because he's in a remote area and it would cut his business if he raised his prices.

http://mcguiresfreezedrytaxidermy.com/

Wow. From what I browsed through it looks like he does quality work especially for under $500.

Thanks for the link!!!!

(My bird) To the guys credit, he really does have poor lighting where this picture was taken and I'm sure it was taken with a cell phone. In better light it may appear a little better. Idk

[GobbleNut]

If McGuire's does the quality of work shown in the pics on all his turkeys, that is well worth the money.  Those are great looking mounts, for sure.  Not too many guys that can do that quality of work, and the ones that do that I know of do not do it for that kind of price.

[barry]

If McGuire's does the quality of work shown in the pics on all his turkeys, that is well worth the money.  Those are great looking mounts, for sure.  Not too many guys that can do that quality of work, and the ones that do that I know of do not do it for that kind of price.

Truthfully, I don't think the pics do justice to his work. I've seen a good number of his mounts and they are as lifelike as can be.

[vaturkey]

  Here's an Osceola that McGuire's did for me last year !


  vaturkey