Preserving turkey feet with injectables

[deerhunt1988]

I killed a banded/radioed bird this year and am wanting to preserve the set of feet. I normally just hack off the spurs and have never tried keeping a set of feet before. I've read where some people just toss them in the garage and let them dry on their own. Others will borax the end or maybe even drill out the marrow. As special as this bird is, I want it done 'right'.

I've bought Kaiser's colorject to inject in the feet.

http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/C7108-P3942.aspx

Right now the feet are in the freezer and I have done zero prep. Do I need to borax the end? Drill out the marrow? Just use the injectable (And only tips on using it)? What steps do I need to follow in order to ensure these feet as long as possible? 

Any help would be appreciated.



By the way, here is the bird:

[Happy]

I am working on a set of feet now. I have done this before and what I do is cut them below the knee joint with a band saw and dried the end with borax. While it is drying I put the feet in the position I want and when they are "frozen" in that position I start to give them a few coats of polyurethane. When they are completely dry I will seal the cut ends with a two part epoxy.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

Why wouldn't you have had a taxidermist mount the bird???

[Happy]

Here is where I am at with them right now. Still drying so I haven't sealed the ends

[deerhunt1988]

Why wouldn't you have had a taxidermist mount the bird???

Can't afford full mounts on two

[deerhunt1988]

Here is where I am at with them right now. Still drying so I haven't sealed the ends

I needed a display idea.. Really like that!

[J-Shaped]

Deerhunt, sent you a PM

[Bowguy]

If you freeze the feet to long they can shrink. If this happens inject to refill shrunken areas. Don't over fill. The resin will harden to a plastic like consistency. I've never done feet that weren't attached to a bird but the fluid shouldn't go too far from where you inject.
If you just let em dry they shrink too

[Happy]

Go with it if you like it. I don't do many displays anymore but that's how I did my boys first bird.  I tend to like the rustic look .

[GobbleNut]

You really don't have to do anything to the legs (cut off at the joint where it meets the feathers).  There is really nothing in them that is going to decompose and cause issues in terms of odor and such.  Injecting them will keep them from drying out and shrinking a bit, but it is not necessary,...unless you are just concerned about the shrinkage.   Put them in the position you want them to be in and let them dry.  You can paint or seal them with something if you want to make them more "presentable". 

One good way to display them is to push the leg up against a wall somewhere (90 degree corner) with feet spread in a natural standing position, and put enough weight on the feet to hold them in place.  Let them dry for about three weeks like that and you can set them anywhere as if the bird was standing. 

[Greg Massey]

I just cut mine off and place the ends in a jar of salt. After 6 months or so of drying, your not going to have a problem with the bone marrow causing a problem. Then rub mop and glow floor wax on them. You can also put mop and glow floor wax on your old fish mounts etc to bring the color back out on your mounts. They will look as good as new. Mop and glow floor wax

[Bowguy]

Forgot to say it's not like filling a ballon. You gotta inject sections of the bird. If fluid leaks out of holes you can lightly put a pin in to stop that.
The guys were right though it will not stink or decompose, only shrink. If that doesn't bother you than all is good.
Another way to get to gooblenut's idea is by using electrical staples. You can buy em at Home Depot or any hardware store. Open feet to desired position, staple over toes. No need to put pressure just set em on top. Now take another staple n put it a few inches in front of middle tow. Obviously it's gotta be on wood, tie the top of foot(near where it attached to bird) a string. Tie your string between leg n forward staple to get foot to stand up.
I did taxidermy a long time until I got divorced so naturally my mind is geared toward total preservation but as a kid I set feet on the board the way described and they stayed so long I don't even remember where they are.

[VaTuRkStOmPeR]

Why wouldn't you have had a taxidermist mount the bird???

Can't afford full mounts on two

I like your style.

Well done, compadre.

[Jim K]

They need to be injected to preserve them. If you let them just dry, you run the risk of dermasted beetles getting to them and if you get beetles they will then start munching on any mounts nearby. As a taxidermist, things like this give me nightmares. You do not want dermasteds. Antlers cut of and skull plates left unclean, antelope horns that aren't removed from the cores and cleaned etc. all potential disasters waiting to happen. I know there are people that will say I've never had a problem but there are plenty that have. I cringe at some of the things I see and hear. I inject with 50/50 glycerin and preserve it. Put a pin in all the injection sites, position the way I want and let dry.

[hobbes]

If you want them to stay looking plump and fleshy.............inject and position like Jim K says.  There are multiple products out there.  Some will preserve, but not really prevent shrinkage.  I'd want to use one that plumps the toes and leg up if I were planning to display them.  If you don't cut the joint off, I'd drill an 1/8" or so hole in the top of the knuckle and run a rod into the bone to force the marrow back out around the rod.  There is a lot of marrow in them.

Your taxidermist that is mounting the other bird may be able to do this for you for a minimal fee compared to the cost of the mount.  I hope you found someone that is good at mounting turkeys.  I've seen plenty of birds on this site alone that guys were quite proud of, but they weren't even close to what I'd consider a quality turkey mount.

I'm assuming that you were able to get info about the birds from the bands.  How old did both birds turn out to be?