Duck Feet

Frank Gostomski

Frank Gostomski

Member
Need some help here...

I took my office mate and his young son on their first duck hunt last year. It ended up being a great afternoon hunt..they got some shooting and even brought home their first duck-- a very pretty drake gaddy (also a very underrated duck if you ask me!). As a surprise/thank you, my coworker had it mounted and brought it in to hang in our office.

After a week, I noticed something odd: the feet were black. They were orange when we brought the duck home...as they should be.

Was this "artistic license" by the taxidermist, or is this a common occurrence?
 
I've had several mounted over the years - no gaddy's though. Never heard of that happening before. Wonder if the taxidermist gave you back "your" duck. BTW Frank, I PM'd you last week. Let me know. Trip.
 
Not sure what happened there, the feet on a gadwalls should range from a dark yellow to a pale orange.
He either made a mistake, took some artistic lisence or somehow messed the legs up when preserving them.
Give the taxidermist a call and ask him.
 
The feet will lose color, just like a fish does when it dies and is frozen. The taxidermist should paint the feet when they do the bird for you. It is an art, and some can do amazing things with an airbrush. Some look like plastic. Same with the bill if they don't use plastic heads. My guy uses plastic heads and paints all the details.
 
If the taxidermist knows anything he should have painted the birds feet, or used cast feet (which would have been painted as well). The real bill will fade too.

I use fake bills(heads) and the birds feet. Everything gets airbrushed... Take the bird back. It can still be airbrushed.
 
I look at this duck's rear end from my desk every day, and I got tired of waiting for my office mate to call the taxidermist...which is why i put the question to the committee!

Thanks for all the replies gents.
 
I KNOW IT HAS ALREADY BEEN STATED. THE FLESHY AREAS NEED TO BE PAINTED AS THEY WILL LOSE THEIR COLOR. EVEN TURN ALMOST BLACK. EASY FIX. TAKE IT BACK OR TO ANOTHER TAXIDERMIST. THEY CAN PAINT THEM.
 
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