Mounting turkey wings is a great way to preserve the trophy from your successful hunt With the right techniques and materials, you can create a beautiful wall mount to proudly display. In this article, I’ll walk you through a simple, DIY process for mounting turkey wings on a plaque No fancy tools or previous experience required!
Why Mount Turkey Wings?
Turkey hunting takes skill and patience. Bagging a big tom is an accomplishment worth memorializing. Here are some of the top reasons hunters choose to mount the wings
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Show Off Your Success: Mounted wings let you highlight and recall your big hunt. You can point out specific features when telling the story.
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Preserve the Beauty: A turkey’s wings are stunning and intricate. Mounting maintains these fragile feathers in peak condition.
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Decorate Your Man Cave: Mounted wings make excellent hunting decor. They showcase your passions and accomplishments.
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Save Money: DIY mounting costs a fraction of what you’d pay a taxidermist. And you get the satisfaction of doing it yourself.
Materials Needed
You don’t need fancy supplies or tools to DIY mount your turkey wings. Here are the basics you’ll need:
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Turkey Wings: Freshly harvested wings work best. Make sure they are fully feathered.
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Borax Powder: Used for drying and preserving the wings.
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Plaque/Mounting Board: A polished wood plaque with hanger provides a clean display base.
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Wire, Eye Hooks, Screws: For securing the wings to the plaque.
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Sealant: An acrylic spray sealant protects and preserves the feathers.
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Large Ziploc Bags: For borax drying stage.
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Gloves & Face Mask: Safety first when using chemicals!
Step 1: Clean the Wings
Start by removing any dirt, blood or debris from your fresh wings. Be extremely gentle as the feathers are fragile. Use plain water and a soft brush to lightly clean. Pat dry with a paper towel. Avoid heavy scrubbing or soap that could damage feathers.
Use gloves and work in a well-ventilated area. Borax powder can irritate skin and eyes.
Step 2: Apply Borax and Dry
Liberally sprinkle borax powder over the entire front and back of wings. Massage it into the feathers to ensure full coverage.
Place wings inside large ziploc bags, seal and lay flat in a cool, dry spot. Leave for 1-2 weeks so the borax thoroughly dries feathers.
During the drying time, replace the borax-infused bag with a fresh bag weekly. This draws out moisture for best preservation.
Step 3: Mount the Wings on a Plaque
Once wings are fully dry, it’s time for mounting. First decisions are positioning and layout. Study your wings and determine ideal placement.
Most hunters mount the paired wings slightly curved, tips pointing outward to highlight feathers. Make sure wings are evenly spaced and aligned.
Use wire, eye hooks and sturdy wood or metal screws to securely attach the wings to the plaque. You want a clean, seamless look. Reinforce connection points with strong epoxy or wood glue as needed.
Let connections fully cure before moving on to sealing.
Step 4: Seal the Mounted Wings
Sealing is critically important to protect feathers and prevent shedding or fading over time.
Work in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves and a mask to avoid inhaling fumes. Carefully spray coat the feathers with 1-2 even layers of acrylic sealant. Less is more, so avoid over-saturating.
Let dry fully. Your mounted wings are ready for display!
Tips for Keeping Mounted Wings Looking Great
Follow these care tips and your mounted turkey wings will maintain their beauty for years:
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Clean feathers occasionally with a soft brush to remove dust. Avoid heavy pressure.
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Use feather-safe cleaners only. Avoid products with bleach, dyes or scents.
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Re-apply protective sealant every 2-3 years or as needed. Watch for signs of shedding or fading.
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Display wings out of direct sunlight to prevent feather damage or fading over time.
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Consider placing wings behind glass for extra protection and a polished look.
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Check plaque mounting points yearly and re-secure as needed to prevent falling.
Get Creative: Unique Mounting Ideas
While paired wings are the classic mounting style, get creative with your setup. Consider these unique options:
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Fan Formation: Spread both wings in a semi-circle shape to recreate a male’s courtship display.
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Single Wing: Solo mount just one wing for a different look.
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Flight Position: Angle the wings as if in motion.
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Themed Display: Incorporate hunting gear like calls or a box call as part of the plaque.
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Shadow Box: Frame the wings in a shadow box with a photo or hunting memorabilia.
Display Your Mount With Pride
However you choose to mount and display your treasured turkey wings, take pride in highlighting your hunting success and memories. Let your trophy be a conversation starter as you relive your big hunt.
Mounting turkey wings is very doable as a DIY weekend project. With proper materials, time and care, you can create a professional looking preservation of your big accomplishment.
Follow the tips in this guide for cleanly drying, securely mounting, and properly caring for your mounted wings. Take your time and handle feathers gently throughout the process.
Before you know it, you’ll have a striking turkey wing mount ready to showcase in your home or man cave. Enjoy those bragging rights and fond memories each time you look at your trophy mount.
How to Prepare/Mount Turkey Wings for Display
FAQ
How do you secure turkey wings?
Do turkey wings need to be tied?
How do you display a wild turkey?
A wild turkey’s legs, spurs, beard and plumage are decorative when properly preserved and require minimal space for displaying. Spread tails and wings look good on a den wall and small parts such as spurs and beards can be preserved and put away for safekeeping in display boxes or displayed in shadow boxes.
How do you hang a bird wing on a wall?
You can sew leather or felt directly to the tail base and, with a loop of twine, hang the tail upside downoor whatever you choose. Wings can be hung on the wall. Before the wing completely dries, tie a small wire loop to a bone on the underside and hang the wing as you would a picture. Pick the balance point for the wire so it will hang level.
How do you keep a turkey tail from slamming?
Even if you are not into grand slamming, a turkey tail or wing makes an attractive wall mount for the den or trophy room. To preserve a wing, cut it off close to the breast, leaving some of the shoulder plumage attached. You can remove any excess shoulder skin later. Cut the skin open along the underside of the wing.
How do you hold a turkey leg up?
Hat pins, plain straight pins or small nails are OK. Place the pins or nails beside the toes to hold them in place. Use twine to hold the leg upright in place. You sometimes see dried turkey legs that appear silvered on the surface.