Feathers Only Taxidermy

12/25/2023

Merry Christmas to everyone from Feathers Only Taxidermy 🦃 🎄

12/24/2023

Workin late on a last minute Christmas gift for a young hunter. One of the prettiest Jake tails I’ve seen.
Check out that crazy cool green moss covered barn wood

12/21/2023

Another one ready for its new home.

12/11/2023

I see on a Missouri duck hunting page that a horrible tragedy happened today at Shanks conservation area. A young duck hunters life was taken. PLEASE everyone, NEVER forget firearm discipline. Never forget where that firearm is pointed. Most accidents can be avoided. I don’t know any information but it definitely brought safety to my mind. Just a friendly reminder. No duck, deer, turkey or any trophy is worth risking your safety or the safety of others. Our thoughts and prayers are with this young hunter, his family and everyone involved.

12/09/2023

If anyone in the Springfield area was wanting to get with me, I’m setting up a table at the Springfield gun and knife show this weekend at the fairgrounds. I will be located in the west building right in front of the concession. Be sure to drop by and say hello if you are attending. Also if you have a duck, turkey, pheasant, quail or something else and would like to drop it off with me, it might save you a trip to my place in Pittsburg Mo.
If you are thinking of buying a suppressor, check out my buddy’s tables beside me. Corey at The Cliffs Sporting Goods is the man for that. He also has other things that are probably on your Christmas list and his prices can’t be beat!
The show is Saturday 9-5 and Sunday 9-3.

11/27/2023

This photo has surprised me more than once now. I mounted the birds in the middle about 12-15 years ago or so. Today on a turkey taxidermy page, this person’s picture got my attention. Their hen mount looked very familiar. I commented saying I mounted one similar to his 15 years ago. The taxidermist then replies that his customer found this pic and asked him to do it. Pretty cool seeing his surprise.
Same photo a few years ago, one of my customers sent this same pic to me and asked if I could mount his hen like that. I thought he was being funny, assuming I had sent him that pic long before. I was surprised to hear he found it online when looking up images of taxidermy hen turkey mounts. What are the odds? I still have no idea who put it online or how it got there.

11/25/2023

This is the only turkey I have ever competed with. Way back in 2012. I definitely enjoyed the time spent there with fellow taxidermists and seeing everyone’s ideas. The time involved with a competition piece is INSANE though. There are some absolutely incredible artists out there. I’d love to maybe do it again some day…


11/23/2023

Thankful for another year!
Feathers Only Taxidermy would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving.
Be sure and enjoy ya some turkey!!

11/13/2023

I stumbled upon this today that another bird taxidermist shared. Definitely some food for thought. I also wanted to share for anyone that is curious how things are priced around the country. Make sure to click on “see more” for his write up and explanation. This is only referring to ducks.

☀️Good Monday Morning.

With the cost of Taxidermy supplies and shipping both continuing to be adversely affected by hyperinflation across the US, I recently conducted a price check for the '23/'24 Season on DUCK mounts only. 

The 3 universal variables in Taxidermy that will never change are, "How long?" How much?" and "How good?" With that said, the numbers I collected represent a 👁️ completely random, nonscientific, sampling of prices across the country. I did concentrate on researching well-established shops that turn out quality work. These numbers are not final nor conclusive. Highest price I found was $625 in Illinois ($775 in Iowa has been reported/verified since first posting) and lowest price was $350 in Florida (1 established FL Taxidermist self-reported $475 after posting)

🇺🇸 It appears the Average Median Price for a quality commercial Duck Mount in the US is currently $425 - $450.

Additionally, there are a few shops that offer an "express service" that can increase the price of a Duck Mount to twice the retail cost. Other shifts that are evident in the industry are seen in notices found on some of the websites and include:

* "Limited Availability"
* "Not taking birds until caught up."
* "Call for pricing".
* Found some "Turn Around Times" up to 4 years with 18-24 month common.

Click on the Pic to Check Out the numbers below~> ⭐️Again, these were published & self-reported prices on a single waterfowl mount from vetted, established, commercial shops producing quality work as of November '23.

11/06/2023

This pic was my favorite!

I can almost hear this photo

11/05/2023

Been waiting to share these for a bit now. Customers picked them up today so thought I’d share. Really happy with how this shingled strut merriam and gobbling, cupped tail rio turned out. Took some outside pics with my phone just for fun before I put them on bases and habitat.

11/04/2023

Finished up this guy today.
Turned out nice for being hit by a train…
Yep, that’s how it was harvested 🤣
Only had two shattered wings and a shattered leg.
😳

10/30/2023

Something a little different.
“Wesley snipes” is just about ready to head home. Customer made his own base.

10/16/2023

Since the early portion duck and pheasant seasons are coming up, I thought I would share a little info in case anyone is looking to get a duck or bird mounted. Most already know this but many may not.
Early season ducks and pheasants may have something called “pin feathers”. These are new growth feathers that have not fully developed. They are worse in hot weather months. As the temperatures change and winter brings on colder weather, these feathers will mature and give the bird full plumage. Think of it as thin feathers help keep the bird cooler in the summer and full growth coverage keep it warmer in the winter.
Pin feathers are a taxidermist’s and trophy hunters worst nightmare. These feathers fall out VERY easily. The soft, straw looking quill, (where attached at the skin), is not anchored into the skin like a fully developed feather is. One picture is of pin feathers among fully developed feathers. They are not always in a bunch all together. They can be mixed in so it’s important to check thoroughly. 90% of pin feathers could fall out during the washing and drying process when mounting your trophy.
Another picture is of a large area of pin feathers that never began to develop. This at times is due to damage the bird could have received a short time before it was harvested and not necessarily due to early season. Of course the last pic is of good, fully developed quills and feathers which is what you want. There’s a comparison pic of two identical feathers showing the differences. If your early season trophy is full of these, it will not make a very nice mount due to feather loss in the process. This is why taxidermists normally won’t take turkeys in the fall. In spring, they still have their “winter” feathers and are good to go. Normally in our area, late November and past is safe to avoid your trophy having pin feathers.
Hope this helps anyone that didn’t know.

10/15/2023

Another one roughed in and drying 👍🏻

10/04/2023

Finished this beauty the other day. 4 bearded stud with white barring down the center tail feathers!

09/25/2023

Clean feathers are a must!
Check out the shine on this beautiful Rio 🦃

09/22/2023

Haven’t posted in a while. Been trying to get a little work done and was able to get these two sent off to their forever home.
Definitely a unique piece.

05/20/2023

Playing with a pen and paper the other night. Thinking of putting this on a hat with black and gray flag colors.

04/17/2023

Missouri spring turkey season is finally here! Feel free to give me a shout if I can be of assistance to anyone. 417-327-4851.
Wishing everyone a safe and successful season!

04/09/2023

Wishing everyone a happy and safe Easter!

04/08/2023

Don’t quite have the showroom walls done yet but got my stand up “desk” finished up. I don’t have tons of room so I had to make something somewhat small yet usable for filling out tickets. This is the first crow I’ve ever mounted and some may remember the flag I made a couple months ago with resin. Used that as my desktop and installed showcase lights in the case. Very difficult to photograph with a phone lol. Just something a little different.

04/02/2023

Thought I would share some of my work I’ve done in the past few years. Some old, some new.

04/01/2023

Getting closer to opening shop every day! With turkey season quickly approaching, I wanted to get this invite out there to everyone. This has been a desire of mine for many years. Having more time to focus on my work should dramatically improve my turnaround times. That’s better for me and more importantly, better for my customers. Thanks to incredible friends and a supporting family, it looks to be happening. I would like to introduce and invite everyone to my new business, Feathers Only Taxidermy. To say I’m excited about this is an understatement.