Recommendation for canvasback pair mount

Steve Froelich

Steve Froelich

Active member
I have a pair of cans M/F in the freezer and its time to move them to the taxidermist. Cans do not come easy to us Minnesotans, so other than a possible future sea duck, this will probably be the only taxidermy display in the house. Problem is, I am just not sure of how I want them mounted. I have mulled over many different ideas, but none are sticking. I am not really finding much reference online. So I guess I am looking for some duck pair ideas for mounts. I am not interested in "furniture style mounts" I do have a Terry Redlin/Les Kouba Basement, but that would be over the top for the misses. THanks for any ideas you folks may have
 
Steve,

For something so important I would take a look at Tim Schloss as your taxidermist. He is in Erie PA and has a web page that showcases his work. Top choice for most of the best decoy makers.
 
Steve,

For something so important I would take a look at Tim Schloss as your taxidermist. He is in Erie PA and has a web page that showcases his work. Top choice for most of the best decoy makers.
Click to expand...


Tim's work is outstanding. I have yet to see something from him that I am not impressed with...........


I'd like to see a pair done on rocks or habitat....Think like a Keith Mueller photo..............Maybe the drake alert and the hen preening her wing or something........just throwing out random thoughts..............Jode
 
Last edited:
Took a pair of canvasbacks to a taxidermist in Maryland a few years back, I think his name was travis. Up near the Chester river. He did them in a dead bird mount. I have them hanging in my office, I cant tell you how many people have asked me during the season, did you shoot those this morning? Ill post a pictire next week if youre interested. Rich
 
Steve - you know what they say about opinions... but I've got several mounted and I really like the one in a glass case as I know it will last a lifetime, or more. My taxidermist has a redhead, in glass, he mounted around 25 years ago and looks like it was done yesterday. Here's his website with images of a can similar to one he mounted for me: http://www.stangrosstaxidermy.com/birds/Pages/duck.html#1

Also, here are a couple of flyers... I like breast out on cans because of how the white/black transition "pops" on mature birds.

CanMounts.jpg

 
Steve, you might consider a dead mount on barn wood or barn wood with a shelf. You can display an old box of shells, or call, or anything along with the Cans. I had a pair of Glodeneye done this winter and love it. Good luck with your choice.

Rod
 
Thanks all for the replies. I am liking some of the ones I have found. A dead mount would be my fav, but it would be a monumental disagreement with the decorator. I welcome any more recommendtions. Jode, I have been thinking about what you said. Maybe there is an essence of a "carvers" mount. It certainly would have some preening.
 
Are you having Flyway Taxidermy in St. Cloud do the mount?

Here's an idea for ya . . .

Take a gander at the Holiday Shotshell box that has the pair of canvasbacks on it (12 or 20ga Magnum) and have the mount done like that. Kouba did the artwork for the Holiday boxes.
 
Nick, you would think I would use Flyaway since Jerry and I have the same last name. (No close relation as far as we can tell). If I got the family discount, that might be what puts me over. Also, since his 2 national championships, his time is more precious.

Interesting idea with the Kouba Shot Box. As you, I grew up getting outfitted at the local Holiday station. What once was fishing and hunting gear is now sugar, fat and carbs.


Craig, I do like that style as it is compact.
 
Last edited:
For what it's worth, I really like a can mounted with the neck curved as it seems to really highlight the sloping bill that just screams "canvasback". Usually, that means a sitting pose but Kyle's flying birds have curved necks which I think is terribly cool!

I also really like diver and/or sea duck mounts done in situational poses as though they were underwater doing what we largely only imagine them doing down there . . . anyway, an underwater scenario generally means a pretty compact pose . . . and a very unique one too!
 
Tim has done several birds for me as well. I have been nothing but pleased with his work. He is also a top notch guy! I really like dead mounts and mounts that mimic a duck stamp pose.
 
If cans are rare in your area then make sure whoever you choose knows what a can looks like flying. A friend of mine had his first can mounted and it looks like a mallard getting ready to backpedal in to the blocks. Just not quite right. If I were to ever take a bird to the taxidermist it would be a dead mount.
 
I've only had four birds mounted over the years - a real pretty golden eye, a drake old squaw, and these two canvasbacks. Shot these a few years ago off a beach on the Choptank River in Trappe, MD, right across from Cambridge. This was the first opportunity to shoot canvasbacks in Maryland for quite some time. So we flew up there, met with some of our local pals and had a great hunt. Except for these two the rest of the canvasbacks and some of the geese we shot went to Fireside Restaurant where they prepared them for us for dinner that night. This is an old-time tradition in this area. The locals have over the years truly perfected the art of preparing waterfowl. All in all it was a great hunt and these two birds are constant reminder of what a good time we had. Hope you guys enjoy them as much as I do.

Rich





View attachment DSC_1947.jpg
 
Nice mount Rich. I had a few cans I should have mounted last year. Did Eric tell you about the canvasbacks when he and my dad came up last fall? We had hundreds of them working the decoys all morning long the first day. That day will be burned in my memory forever.

Brian
 
Brian: Yes Capt. Eric told me about the great hunting up your way.Going to be a banner year for ducks on the central flyway we were in N.D. last week, local farmers only have about 70% of their fields planted the rest are under water. Ducks in every puddle geese have little ones, ducks are still sitting on eggs, cant wait for fall. Rich
 
I'm expecting my "Cans" back any day now. It will be a dead mount of a hen and drake shot on two successive hunts in the Mississippi River. The drake was shot while hunting with Brian M. (earlier post in this thread).

The hen was "encountered" the previous day on a solo hunt. It was ten year old Taffey's first Canvasback and will always be a very special bird.
_______
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top