Field Care for Bird Taxidermy

Learning how to properly take care of your birds after the hunt is easy if you follow a few basic rules.

#1. After collecting the bird, the body heat needs to cool off, so place your bird in cool, shady place for an hour.
#2. After the bird has cooled down, bend the head and neck over the body and place in 3 sealed plastic bags.
#3. Place bird in a safe part of your freezer where no one can disturb it, or lay something on top of your bird that may cause damage.

Here are a few common mistakes hunters make that can greatly affect the quality of there bird mounts.

Never place your bird in a pantyhose. This will freezer burn the bird quickly if no plastic bags are used. What needs to be protected in the birds moisture.
Never place a warm bird behind your back in any field game jacket or bag. This will only promote the bird to spoil.
Never hold a bird by it's neck. Always carry the bird by it's feet. Holding the bird by it's neck can cause feather loss.