What makes a duck a "trophy"?

What makes a duck a "trophy"?  That question has as many different answers as there are hunters.  I for one like this quote from Aldo Leopold; "The value of any trophy from the field depends not on its size but on the magnitude of the effort expended in its pursuit".

Reasons for deaming a duck a trophy, range from something as simple as the first duck you have ever taken, to the first retrieve your dog makes, or their last.  It could be a species that almost never makes it to your neck of the woods, or something like a hybrid or an unusal color variation.  And there are those that we keep to remind us of special hunts, like the first time we have harvested a particular species, or a hunt with good friends/relatives. 

Again, the reason's are endless.  However there are some criteria that make a duck more suitable for mounting than others.  Most of those have to do with the condition of the feathers, or plumage, and the overall condition of the bird.

More on plumage...

Most serious collectors and professional taxidermists will agree that birds taken later in the season will most likely be better candidates for mounting.  Early in the year, most birds will have "pin feathers", or feathers that are not completely set in the skin.  During the mounting process pin feathers have a tendency to come loose and/or fall out completely.  If the resulting loss is bad enough it can render the bird unmountable.  Some can be saved, but the resulting mount is almost always compromised, and a large majority of taxidermists will not accept the work, or at least have you sign a waiver saying that you will pay the fee even if the bird turns out to be of sub-par appearance.  The majority of collectors looking to establish a collection similar to the one I am trying to assemble with the Waterfowl of North America project, will not even consider a bird for taxidermy until after Christmas time or even later in some cases.

Another factor to consider is the age or maturity of the bird itself.  Sometimes this can be very hard to determine, but there are a few things to look for, that will help.

One big thing to look for is brown or otherwise off color feathers where there should be another color.  Fully plumed and mature Shovelers for example should have an all white breast.  Some immature birds will have a few brown feathers mixed in with the white ones, giving it a a spotted appearance.  Another instance would be brown feathers in the side pockets (the area where the wing tucks up against the body).  This is readily apparent on most of the diving ducks, where the body is normally black.

Other birds are a bit easier to tell when they reach maturity. Seaducks and some divers will spend a few years in different phases of immature plumage.  For most seaduck drakes the first year of life is spent looking almost identical to a hen, then they start to develop the brighter plumage more synonymous with drakes, after a few years.  Mature birds will have more contrasting colors, and complete tracts of feathers.  This will go a long way to making the mount more pleasing and  something that you can be proud of for years.

Bird damage...

Another factor for determining a bird that will eventually led to a quality mount, is the overall shape that the bird is in after it is harvested.  The very nature of hunting has a tendency to inflict some inherent damage on the birds that we could potentially select for mounting. Broken wings and other misc. shot damage, are very common.  Missing and damaged feathers, blood and soil stains, and collateral damage from hitting the water etc. are all things that can happen to our potential trophies.

Most of this stuff is not a a problem for a qualified taxidermist.  The one exception is missing or broken feathers. While not exactly a deal breaker, as they can be replaced with donor feathers if you have another bird of the same sex and species, this can be on the upper end of the difficulty spectrum. Even with donor feathers, the exact color match is almost impossible on big wing primaries.  Again however, different poses can be used to hide some of the damage. So if you are willing to compromise or allow your taxidermist to pick the best pose, you can still have something to be proud of.

Shot damage to beaks and feet is not a problem.  Most taxidermists will use "cast" or fake bills when mounting birds, this eliminates the long term problem of bill shrinkage, and also makes it possible to mount a bird that has severe damage to its bill.  Shot damage to feet is also easily taken care of.

Broken bones, can make it more difficult to make the bird look natural in some poses, such as flying mounts, but they do not generally pose a problem for a qualified taxidermist.  Most will recommend a different pose to help mask some of the damage, in cases where the damage would be evident in the finished product.

Blood and mud stains are also not a problem. The process used to skin and was h the birds in preparation for mounting will remove most if not all of the stains.  It's always better to remove as much of the blood as possible before storing the bird, in the freezer, but a little bit is not an issue.

All of this can be a bit overwhelming for the average joe in the field or even once we get the birds home. Fortunately for us we have an incredible resource in this pursuit of the ultimate trophy...  YOUR TAXIDERMIST!!

Every taxidermist I have ever dealt with is more than to take a look at your bird and do a triage of sorts.  They can immediately tell you if the bird is what you are looking of in a trophy,and possibly what poses would work best, for your bird.  A good taxidermist is your best friend in all this.  Make friends, be polite, and remember, this is how they make their living, so respect their professional knowledge, as well as their time.

To continue with the theme of trophy selection, I will be doing a couple of different segments, in the near future, on bird care in the field, trophy care, and even a few bird profiles including hot spots around the country for getting those trophies, and maybe even a guide or two that can help you out with your quest.

Later,
Kev