Cleaning Bird Mounts

[hustonmc]

I was at my parents house this morning and I realized how filthy my old pheasant mount was. It was my first pheasant I killed at 12, 3/4 spurs and 23in tail feathers, white on the head, just a pretty old bird. I'm 25 now and to be honest I don't think it has ever been cleaned. I need to move him down to my house so it doesn't look like such a bachelor pad, or maybe a stuffed pheasant will look even more like a bachelor pad.....................Anyways any tip on cleaning up the old guy?

[pear]

I like to take a very soft bristled paint brush, wet it with plain water shake it as dry as you can get it and gently brush with the lay of the feathers. I have also wet the brush with a spray furniture polish and it works very well to clean but also seems to want to attract dust back more quickly. I use the brush and water method on all mounts, fur fin and feather. ..."pear"

[birddogsunlimited]

if you can find a large makup brush they work great for cleaning pirds that and a soft damp cloth

[Wildweeds]

I used to use Wonderbread,it worked the best but I just use any type of bread now,and it works pretty good too.Obviously swipe with the feathers

[gunner]

I'm with Wildweeds. Wonderbread works great.

[Ruffshooter]

Alright, I need you wonderbread fella's to track back to when you learned of WonderBread for cleaning a bird. Why, where and or what in Preytell made you take a slice of bread, I assume with no peanut butter and jelley, and wipe down your bird. Hopefully that is all you are wiping down. Who showed you and why did they do it?

[hustonmc]

You beat me to it Ruffshooter. Realy............Wonderbread........................Thanks for all the input.

[gunner]

Correct, no peanut butter or jelly. Bread only.

I believe it was taxidermist Fred Lucas of near Morgantown, IN that suggested using Wonderbread to me years ago.
Fred is recognized as one of the top of his trade. He does everything from game birds, waterfowl to big game, but it's his birds that I really thought he excelled in.

He does work for some of the top museums and USFWS exhibits.

[Wildweeds]

My reply this morning vanished into thin air I guess...........................20+ years ago my taxidermist reccomended it as the best way for birdmounts.If you ever go to the smithsonian institute you will gaze at his some of his work.

[Ruffshooter]

Okay, You got it from a Taxidermist. Where did he get it from? I know; his mentor, a taxidermist. But who and why the first time. I just gotta know.