Stuffers Geese

[DropinBack]

Does anyone have any experience making stuffers? If so can you please give a brieft explination of your technique...how long it takes you... and how long they last?

I am thinking about making a few for next season and would love some advice.

Thanks in advance!

[Dave Sikorski]

I haven't made them, but I know how, and almost started to make a few a little while back. I have dried pheasant skins for fly tying which is sorta step # 1 of stuffers.

1. Breast bird and make the cut in breast as small as possible. You'll use this hole to remove the body from the skin.

2. work your way around the skin and remove the body from the skin. Cut the legs off inside of the skin @ the knuckle. Do the same with the wings. Make an effort to leave as little meat in there as possible at this point, you're gonna have to get it out of there eventually.

3. Cut around the bill with a razorblade and pull the neck inside out to remove the head. You'll have to make some cuts with a small scalpel, and be careful not to cut through the skin.

4. Turn the whole skin inside out as best as you can and use a knife or wire wheel to remove all of the fat and flesh. Get all of your skins to this point.

5. Buy a taxidermy goose body. Get some heavy gauge wire, pipe insulation(the diameter of the neck), and a taxidermy head/bill. You can use marbles for the eyes if you want to save a little $. You can also cast your own heads/bills by using an actual goose skull that you've boiled cleaned out. (Google making study bills....pretty simple).

6. Use Borax powder soap on the skin. Coat it well. This is what cures the skin. While the skin is still moist and pliable, turn it right side out.

7. Measure your skin and get an idea of what neck length you'll need. The neck is wire w/ pipe insulation. Add the skull and push it through the neck. Let the bill come out through the hole in the face and use gel super glue to secure the skin to the base of the bill. Once the glue sets you can add the neck to the foam body w/ wire and wrap the body skin around the body form. use allthread or wire in the legs to stand the goose up.

Use pins to hold the skin in place and stitch the hole closed as best you can with a stout thread. It's on the bottom of the goose so you won't see it when they're being used.

Set the wings in the side pockets and hold the in place with pins.


8. If you need to fill in the neck or the head area, use silicone caulk.

9. Let the skin dry, then paint the feet.

The mice will be hell on them, so have a place to store them that is rodent proof. Moth balls and rat poison will help.

Like I said, I haven't made any myself, but did get pretty darn close and will get around to it one of these days.

I know taxidermists will remove the oils from the feathers of typical mounts and then do their drying. Unless I'm mistaken, there's nothing wrong with leaving the oils on the stuffers. It should protect them. I've heard folks use scotch guard to treat them once finished.

Good luck.

-D

[DropinBack]

Dave Thanks for the great reply!!!

[HOLWACHAGOT]

Dave,
That's about as good a reply as a man could ask for. Pretty Work Bro.
Holwachagot