So you’ve harvested a trophy bird! There are a few simple steps that you need to complete before freezing your bird.
– Examine your bird for any major damage, such as large patches of missing feathers and damaged wing feathers. These type of damages could limit the possible poses available to produce a beautiful mount. Make a note of any damage and its location and inform the taxidermist.
– If the feathers are extremely bloody, gently rinse the bird in cool, running water and carefully pat dry with a paper towel.
– To package the bird for freezing, lay the bird on its back and tuck its head under one of its wings. Do NOT wrap the bird in newspaper or paper towels. This will draw blood away from the body and to the feathers, as well as drawing out moisture from the skin, causing freezer burn. Carefully place the bird into the bottom of a trash bag. Next, roll the bird in the trash bag from the bottom of the bag to the top, taking precaution not to bend any of the tail or wing feathers. Remove as much air from the bag as possible without damaging the feathers. Place the rolled up bird inside another trash bag and roll the bag around the bird as before. Gently apply masking tape around the bag and the bird to seal.
– Finally, place the bird in the freezer and be sure that no other items are resting on the bird.