One of the best parts of a successful turkey hunt is being able to commemorate it with a preserved trophy. While you can pay a taxidermist $150-$300 to fully mount a turkey fan, beard, and spurs, doing it yourself is simple, inexpensive, and rewarding. This comprehensive guide provides tips for removing, drying, and displaying your prized turkey tail fan.
Harvest and Remove the Turkey Tail
After legally tagging your turkey, lay it on its breast and locate the small knob of tissue at the base of the tail feathers. Make a shallow, horizontal cut with a sharp knife just in front of this knob to detach the fan. Be careful not to cut any feathers. Scrape off excess fat and tissue from the base, but leave the feather connective tissue intact.
Optional Soak the fan base in a degreasing solvent like Coleman fuel for an hour, then wash with dawn soap
Dry and Preserve the Fan
Use borax
- Generously coat the feather base and remaining tissue with borax.
- Pin the feathers in a spread fan shape on cardboard/wood.
- Let dry for 1-3 weeks in a well-ventilated area.
Use salt
- Coat the base and tissue liberally with salt.
- Pin the feathers to dry for 1 week.
- Remove pins and salt when dry.
Other tips:
- Use gloves when handling.
- Keep out of sunlight to prevent fading.
- Periodically clean feathers with rubbing alcohol.
Mounting Options
- Plaque mount: Affix fan to a finished wood, leather, or felt backing.
- Picture frame: For a simple shadowbox display.
- Durable base: To attach fan to a decoy (coat base in auto filler first).
- Wreath: Hot glue feathers in a spread fan shape onto a grapevine wreath base for unique wall art.
Alternative Turkey Parts to Preserve
Beard:
- Coat beard in borax or salt to dry.
- Display in a shadowbox with info card.
Spurs:
- Boil to clean.
- Dry, then attach to a plaque.
Wings:
- Pin open, cover with borax, dry for 1-2 months.
- Mount on barnwood or plaque.
Tips for Removing and Preparing Other Feathered Game
Ducks and geese:
- Field pluck, leaving wing feathers.
- Brine carcass overnight.
- Remove wings and tail.
- Wash feathers in dawn soap.
- Dry wings with borax.
Pheasants:
- Carefully cut or pull tail feathers.
- Wash and air dry tail.
- Brine body cavity.
- Freeze wings until taxidermist can mount.
Wild turkey:
- Cut off fan before field dressing.
- Scrape off excess tissue.
- Dry fan with borax.
- Save wings, beard, spurs.
Preserving your own turkey tail or other feathers is a gratifying DIY project. Follow these tips to create lasting keepsakes from your hunts.
How To Save Turkey Trophies – Removing a Tail Fan, Beard and Spurs
FAQ
How long does it take for a turkey fan to dry out?
Do turkey fan feathers grow back?
How to save turkey tail?
How do you preserve a Turkey fan?
The basic tools and equipment needed for preserving a turkey fan are as follows: Additional, optional equipment: After your turkey has been harvested you can get to work on removing its breast and legs or immediately get its tail removed. The best way to remove a turkey tail for displaying as a fan is shown by Lake Pickle in the following video:
How do you prolong the life of a Turkey fan?
Alcohol and the thinner will evaporate away, leaving the feathers clean and dry. One other tip that will extend the life of your turkey fan is to keep it out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will bleach and fade the feathers faster than you can call in another ol’ tom.
How do you put a turkey tail on a board?
Using T-pins and placing the turkey tail on a board or foam board, push one pin into the base of the tail and then working from the outer feathers toward the middle place a T-pin alongside (but not through!) each feather’s shaft (or rachis). Sprinkle a little more Borax on the base of the tail after it’s set in place.
Why do turkey hunters chase Gobblers?
Temperatures increase, insect populations rise, and thundering sounds of gobbles fill the air. The anticipation to get back out in the field brings excitement to spring turkey hunters. If you are anything like me, I can’t wait to chase gobblers and work on filling my tags.