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| Fan Help | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Apr 26 2008, 06:43 PM (248 Views) | |
| Blur | Apr 26 2008, 06:43 PM Post #1 |
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Regular
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I was fortunate enough to harvest my biggest bird yet on opening morning After calling back and forth for just over an hour I had a nice tom come into the decoys. He was 19lb 5oz with a 9 inch beard and 3/4 inch spurs.I would like to do a fan display of the tail feathers.I cut it off along with quite a bit of meat and was wondering how to go about preserving it. A tutorial like dobber did on cleaning sure would be great!Thanks for any tips
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| Team OTB! | |
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bowhunter-57
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Apr 26 2008, 07:28 PM Post #2 |
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hi Blur,what l do is pin the tail to a board all fanned out,cut away all the extra meat from the feathers,but leave enough to hold the feathers there.then you can either Borax the flesh so that it will dry out,or if you can't find Borax you can salt it,it takes a lttle more time with the salt.it should take about a month,then you can mount it .here are some pics of the ones l've done.![]() ![]()
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| Blur | Apr 26 2008, 07:51 PM Post #3 |
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Regular
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Thanks Bowhunter57..those are impressive displays! Did you make the holders yourself? I do a lot of woodwork so am planning on making my own if I can find a pattern. I have the tail pinned to a board now. |
| Team OTB! | |
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| dewy | Apr 26 2008, 08:07 PM Post #4 |
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Regular
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I find that Borax does work very well. Pin it out like you did and rub a little Borax onto the base where the meat is and about a month you can put it on a mount. |
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bowhunter-57
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Apr 26 2008, 08:07 PM Post #5 |
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Blur yes l did make some of them,one is a store bought plaque cut in half and put so the tail slides in,the other is a slice for a large branch cut on a angle. |
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dobber
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Apr 27 2008, 04:22 PM Post #6 |
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
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keep away from the flies is the biggest help i can give ya congrats on the bird btw |
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condescending twat Someone who looks down on other people and is beyond arrogant | |
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dobber
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Apr 27 2008, 04:36 PM Post #7 |
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Team Ontario Trophy Bucks
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How to Preserve a Turkey Fan The procedure is quite simple, and with relatively few supplies, anyone can do it. You will need at least one cup of uniodized salt, a cup of 20 Mule Team Borax, a stiff wire brush, and a hacksaw blade. A good skinning knife, preferably with a muskrat blade, is also necessary to clean your fan. In addition, the project requires a piece of scrap board (3x4 feet or larger) to dry your fan on, a 10-inch square of heavy-duty aluminum foil plus two smaller pieces (about the size of index cards), and a few finishing nails. For mounting, you will need a mounting board (I use driftwood I find along the river), a few wood screws, and another small piece of wood cut in the shape and size of the fan base. The Preparation Process Before you dress your gobbler, cut off the meaty part of the tail that holds the feathers together. Skin this out, removing the meat and fat from around the quills. Be careful not to cut the quills away from the skin. When you have exposed the quills, use your knife to remove any remaining fat from around and in between them. After you have gotten all that you can with your knife, remove any remaining flesh or fat with the wire brush. When finished, your quills should be shiny and white. Tack the piece of foil onto your drying board with a couple of finishing nails. Leave enough foil free to fold up to create a leakproof pocket around your fan base. Mix together one cup each of salt and borax, and sprinkle a generous amount onto the foil. Place the fan base onto this, and secure it to the board with a few more finishing nails. Spread the tail feathers into a complete fan and tack into place with the rest of the nails. It is best to work from the center outward to the edges of the fan. When you have arranged your fan satisfactorily, cover the base with your salt-borax mixture. Be sure that you get plenty of the mixture in between and around the quills. Fold the free section of the foil up over the base to make your leakproof pocket. Cut the beard from the turkey's breast. Clean away any fat from the base; use the wire brush to get it thoroughly cleaned. On a small piece of foil, put about a tablespoon of the salt-borax mixture. Place the base of the beard in this and wrap. Saw the spurs from the legs with the hacksaw blade, and put some more of the mixture onto another small piece of foil. Be sure to get the base of the spurs in this and wrap. I suggest you tack the beard and spurs to the board with your fan to keep everything together. The Finishing Touches Place everything in a cool and dry place when you are done. Your fan should be located where it will not be exposed to excessive heat or cold while drying. Drying time will vary, but it should take between three weeks and two months. I have let fans dry for up to a year because I was busy and did not have time to mount them. When your mounting board is prepared the way you want it (e.g., sanded or varnished), and your fan is dry, clean away the salt-borax mixture from everything. Coat the fan base, and the base of the beard and the spurs, with a thin layer of pure borax. Attach the fan to your board with two or three wood screws. Then tack the beard and spurs to the small cover board, and fasten this over the fan base with additional wood screws. On a couple of fans, I have glued the empty shell casing to the cover board as well. You can place a few acorns or artificial leaves around the base cover, too, for a decorative effect. It's best to dust your mounted fan regularly. Occasionally you may want to brush out the feathers with a soft brush. With proper cleaning and maintenance, your fan will last forever. |
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condescending twat Someone who looks down on other people and is beyond arrogant | |
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buckstop
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Apr 27 2008, 04:54 PM Post #8 |
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buckstop northern wisconsin
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Dobbers got it right. The most important things are to remove excess flesh and use borax. Salt is a quick fix and it will dry the mount BUT it will not bug proof it. Any excess blood or dirt on the feathers and you will need to wash with soap and water(I prefer Dawn detergent). Make sure you rinse them very well and you can use a blow dryer to hasten the feathers drying and fluffing. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!! |
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After calling back and forth for just over an hour I had a nice tom come into the decoys. He was 19lb 5oz with a 9 inch beard and 3/4 inch spurs.I would like to do a fan display of the tail feathers.I cut it off along with quite a bit of meat and was wondering how to go about preserving it. A tutorial like dobber did on cleaning sure would be great!








9:52 AM Jul 11