# Easy Do It Yourself Turkey Display:



## boparks (Mar 2, 2009)

I don't know how many of ya'll do this but it's pretty easy to do and makes a nice display. 

Takes about 7-8 minutes being careful to skin and another 10 to stretch out on a board.

Hang the bird up with a rope by the neck and clip the wings off. You'll see the line that starts at the head and runs down the side of the bird and widens out as it goes towards the tail. 

Cut across the birds neck and grab the skin from the inside and cut down the line. Don't pull on the feathers or you'll mess it up. Carefully work your way down both sides being careful about halfway down as it's just a little tricky to not cut thru the thin skin. When you get down towards the fan you just grab the bird low and cut the tail off (carefully) If you mess up the first time this is where it'll happen. 

It should all come off together. Take the skin and  tack nail it to  a board. Drive the first nail thru the fan portion after removing all meat etc. Then stretch the upper neck end out tight and tack it. Spread the fan exactly as you want it to be and tack with small nails between the first 3-4 tail feathers. Work back down the back skin of the bird and spread it out and tack in a couple - three places.

Pour 20 Mule Team Borax to cover the skin and anything exposed.

You'll have to let this sit 4-6 weeks.
Just take an 8-10 p nail and drive it thru the center of the fan from the outside and hang it on the wall.

This photo shows the end result as do other photos in my photo album.

Bobby


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## dwills (Mar 2, 2009)

That looks really good. I've never tried it before but will probably do so since you make it sound so easy!


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## dwills (Mar 2, 2009)

Where do you put the beard and spurs? Are they not included in this type of mount?


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## TurkeyManiac (Mar 2, 2009)

Yep. It's called "caping"


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## dwills (Mar 2, 2009)

So they are or are not included?


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## boparks (Mar 2, 2009)

Dwills, 

I keep the beards and spurs separate. So far I've just stacked the beards although I'm going to hang what I have. 

I had a dog that after years of not bothering anything, chewed up about 10 years worth of spurs and the hat some of them were on and alot of beards. 

I'll post a picture of his hide next LOL. Actually he was sick and taking medicine that must have caused him to do it. 

Turkeymaniac, 

Thank you. Caping is the word I couldn't seem to think of. 

Bobby


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## dwills (Mar 2, 2009)

Thanks bobby. It looks really good!


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## TurkeyManiac (Mar 2, 2009)

Sure. 
That is by far the best way/quickest/cheapest (and in my opinion) prettiest way to do a turkey.


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## wack em (Mar 2, 2009)

Those look great. 

I have one I did from last year that im gonna build a shadow box for.


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## yoteaholic (Mar 2, 2009)

very cool idea!! thanks for posting.


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## jharrell (Mar 2, 2009)

Man that looks really good. And that room is awesome as well.


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## Limb Hanger (Mar 2, 2009)

If you want to add alittle to it its not that hard to leave the wings attached....i have no pics but same concept, except leave the wings attached and hang it buy its neck....understand?!


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## Nitro (Feb 8, 2010)

Very nice.


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## nhancedsvt (Feb 8, 2010)

Looks great Mr. Bobby!


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## J Gilbert (Feb 8, 2010)

That looks pretty good, I might have to give that a try this spring


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## BPR (Feb 8, 2010)

Makes for a very nice presentation.  Thanks for sharing.


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## SouthGAHunter (Feb 8, 2010)

That looks fantastic....great job, and great thread


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## Covehnter (Feb 8, 2010)

I've got a dozen or so like that on the wall, I left the wings on the Osceolas. My favorite represenation besides a mount. Its neat to stagger eastern, merriam, rio, osceola and compare the different colors.


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## dwills (Feb 8, 2010)

What is the best way to do the wings? Do you cut the bone out by making a cut the entire length of the wing and pulling bone and muscle out? Looks great!


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## Covehnter (Feb 8, 2010)

I left most of the bone in and just clipped them with pruners. Got what little meat is in there out the best I could with a filet knife. Spread them out how you like and tack them down just like the fan.


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## hunter 85 (Feb 8, 2010)

Those are some awsome looking mounts. Some day I hope to have a wall that looks like that.


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## Nicodemus (Feb 8, 2010)

Looks mighty nice, Bobby!


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## Gut_Pile (Feb 8, 2010)

Looks good Mr. Bobby. Thanks for bumping this one back up


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## Toddmann (Feb 8, 2010)

Looks awesome. I want to try that.


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## fountain (Feb 8, 2010)

i am in the process of building some shadow boxes for some of the turkey stuff i found--not all i had over the years,, but some got eaten by something and some have been lost. 
i have one with the pelt like shown above.  if i ever finish the last one and get the glass in i will post pics.


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## DukeBoy30 (Feb 8, 2010)

They look great


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## Dead Eye Eddy (Mar 18, 2010)

Does anyone have pics of where to make the cuts?  

When you tack it to the board to dry, do you tack it skin out or feathers out?  Do you lay the board flat or hang it up?  How much borax to you use and how often?

I'm hoping to get my first bird this weekend and would really like to preserve the cape and build a shadow box for it.


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## TurkeyManiac (Mar 18, 2010)

Dead Eye Eddy said:


> Does anyone have pics of where to make the cuts?
> 
> When you tack it to the board to dry, do you tack it skin out or feathers out?  Do you lay the board flat or hang it up?  How much borax to you use and how often?
> 
> I'm hoping to get my first bird this weekend and would really like to preserve the cape and build a shadow box for it.



Skin out, it requires the air to dry and set.  I always lean the board but it probably doent matter as long as the borax will stay on. I just always keep an eye on the progress of the cape and add some additional borax when needed. I am sure Bobby can guide you a bit better though.   Just be sure not to leave in outdoors when setting. Lots of critters will mess with it.


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## BIGSteve (Mar 18, 2010)

boparks said:


> I don't know how many of ya'll do this but it's pretty easy to do and makes a nice display.
> 
> Takes about 7-8 minutes being careful to skin and another 10 to stretch out on a board.
> 
> ...


Displayed by a true KILLA!Very ,very nice display Mr. Bobby!I have thought about this for years 'cause I didn't want to just throw away such beautiful feathers!The problem I have is I have run out of wall space for being covered with other types of mounts!I think for me...a new house is in order!Then I can redecorate!


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## boparks (Mar 18, 2010)

TurkeyManiac said:


> Skin out, it requires the air to dry and set.  I always lean the board but it probably doent matter as long as the borax will stay on. I just always keep an eye on the progress of the cape and add some additional borax when needed. I am sure Bobby can guide you a bit better though.   Just be sure not to leave in outdoors when setting. Lots of critters will mess with it.



No Jason you 've pretty much covered it. I did post a little more info on another Thread "Information on a Caped mount" thats running along with this one but further down the page.

This what they should look like once you've boraxed them.

And thank you  Bigsteve and I'm finding out just how much you can pack on the walls in my new place because zi don't have the same space. I figure if I can see drywall I'm not packing them close together enough


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