# To mount or not to mount..... that is the question.



## ndducknut (Nov 24, 2008)

Hey guys, quick couple of mount questions. First, I shot a nice drake pintail this past weekend, fully colored and one of the biggest ducks i've seen. I was thinking about mounting it, but since i don't shoot many of them, I am curious as to what are the tell tale signs of a mount-worthy pintail. The other question i had is about a good taxidermist in the area. I have a good one back in Minnesota, but he hasn't done too many pintails and I would like someone who had worked with these birds a bit more. Also, i know that their pini feather isn't matured up in these parts and read somewhere that a crow feather is what is used to sub. in place. Is that common? Thanks for the help guys.


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## feathersandpoo (Oct 23, 2009)

Id say mount him! Who knows when you will get another. :beer:


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## Bucky Goldstein (Jun 23, 2007)

I think whether a bird is mount worthy is entirely up to you.

If you like the bird and want to put it on the wall, have at it.


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## teamshakeandbake (Oct 14, 2008)

i say if you want to shoot another pintail come to south dakota....wayyyy too many around right now


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## tikkat3 (Jun 27, 2006)

They're also everywhere in ND this year our group has shot several drakes that almost made the wall really would like to get one with a good sprig though by all means I would mount it one of the prettiest ducks! post up some pics


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## Rick Acker (Sep 26, 2002)

Probably "pin feathery". Are the scap feathers black like on this bird here? I'm assuming they are brown rather than black. How about the head? Is it solid brown? Solid silver side pockets? Those are all things to look for. Here's a Texas bird that I put together for a guy.


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## Wildcat (Oct 26, 2009)

Beautiful work Rick.

We very rarely see anything like that up here.


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## TheDrake (Apr 20, 2009)

Defiantly throw him on the wall.
I know as soon as I get my first Pintail drake it's most defiantly going on the wall.


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## ndducknut (Nov 24, 2008)

Thanks guys.


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## fsbirdhouse (Mar 21, 2009)

Great job on the Bull Sprig.
Is the greenery in the background something you got from a craft store, or the real thing you dried and sealed yourself?


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## M2Deuce (Oct 17, 2009)

Mount It! i'm getting a very nice mature canvasback mounted i shot last week, and now this morning shot a huge banded northern green head so he is also in the freezer! i have a friend thats getting into taxidermy so he does mine for $125 a bird! had him do a drake widgeon and a deadmount of two roosters on a fencepost last year and they look great!


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## teamducker (Mar 19, 2009)

curiousity.... sprig?? shot pintails before never heard of that...


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## pinfeather (Nov 3, 2007)

Hey Rick....I have a bull sprig at my brother in laws(he plays with a little taxidermy for a hobby) the sprig is only about 3" long, did I hear someone say you could make them longer with a crow feather? That is the longest sprig I have shot....Thanks.. :beer:


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## trey5150 (Oct 10, 2009)

I got a female common merganser. I have never got one before. Are These really rare? is it mount worthy?


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