what to do after kill?

[lil hunter]

I am headed out turkey huntin this weekend, and if I get lucky, i wanna get a turkey rug made of it. What should I do with the bird after the kill, for the best preservation? I'd like to figure this out as quick as possible, cuz I'm gonna be leavin in a couple hours. Thanks.

[BowtechTurkeyHunter]

Re: what to do after kill?

Hers what Van Dykes says to do with it

Spring Turkey Field Care

Great care should be taken with any trophy you are planning to mount, but turkeys by their size and the often warm weather during the spring hunting season are often miss handled causing damage that make creating a nice mount much harder if not impossible. Quite often the over excited hunter inflicts more damage on the bird than the killing shot.

When retrieving your down bird get to it as quickly as possible if it is flopping, grab it by the legs holding it away from your body until the death convolutions have ceased. This will keep the bird from causing more damage to the wing and tail feathers. These big birds must be treated just as delicately as any smaller birds. Try to keep the feathers from becoming soiled in dirt or blood. Never grab the bird by the neck or drag it on the ground. When transporting the gobbler, place it on its belly, never on its back.

If blood does get on the feathers you need to wash them as soon as possible before it sets in the feathers. If the head is bleeding place paper towels down its throat, wrap the head in paper towels and use masking tape to hold them in place. When the head is properly wrapped up place the head under the wing and fold the wings snug against the body. Cut a piece of cardboard to fit over the tail and legs. Put the bird head first into a large plastic bag then tape the cardboard over the tail and legs take great care not to bend or break the tail feathers.

Now you have several options if you are going to mount the bird yourself or ship it to a taxidermist. Get it in the freezer as quickly as possible. It can take up to 48 hours for the turkey to freeze solid. If you have a local taxidermist you can get it to immediately then waste no time delivering it to him. If you cannot get the bird to a taxidermist on the first day of the kill, then freeze the bird. If you have experience skinning birds for taxidermy you can breast them out (remove the breast meat). But great care must be taken not to get blood or body fluid on the feathers. This should not be attempted unless you know what you are doing.

As with any animal bird or fish, proper field care is a must in the final out come of a mount, it is never more important then with a turkey. If you want to try your hand at a turkey this spring Van Dyke's Taxidermy Supply has everything you need to get the job done. Visit our website www.vandykestaxidermy.com for featured Spring Turkey products.

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Contact Information:

Please call Toll Free 1-800-787-3355 if you require further assistance

Van Dykes Taxidermy

PO BOX 278

39771 S.D. HWY. 34.

WOONSOCKET, SD 57385

PHONE: (605) 796-4425

email: [email protected]

Hope that helps some

Steve