A few simple steps in the field that will help ensure an excellent mounted trophy:

• Keep bird cool and freeze as soon as possible
• Freeze bird in double plastic bags, tuck head under wing or over breast
• Try to keep tail feathers from bending to the point of breaking, especially birds with longer tails (pintails, oldsquaw, etc.)
• DO NOT GUT or CLEAN BIRD, keep bird whole
• Blood usually isn’t a problem, try to remove excess blood if possible
• Some feather damage can be repaired, some can't

If you have a bird that you feel that might be “questionable” in producing a great trophy mount, please take some photos of the bird. Be sure to include all sides of bird, wings stretched out, or any other areas you feel might be damaged. Then send them to me via e-mail. I will give you my honest opinion about your bird and what we might be able to do with it. There are some things that can be fixed and others that may require you to wait a bit longer for a better bird.