It’s Spring. You have prepared for this turkey hunting trip all winter, checked your shotgun pattern and shells (or better your bow), got all of your calls tuned and ready, got the best camo on the market, put a nylon stocking in your day pac. What! A nylon stocking, for what???? 

Glad you asked. When you go into the field you should be equally prepared to preserve that bird in the best condition for your taxidermist i.e. THE NYLON STOCKING. 

We all know a lady--maybe a wife, sister, girlfriend, mother, aunt and even a neighbor if need be. They go through nylons like we go through shotgun shells, so just ask for an old pair they are going to throw out anyway. Cut about two (2) feet from the thigh area of the stocking and tie a knot in one end. This is for a big bird like turkey or Goose. (Cut 2 feet from the calf area for smaller birds like ducks or grouse.) Also bring a paper towel and when you harvest that bird stuff the towel down the beak--that will stop the blood from running out. Now put the turkey head first into the nylon stocking and just let it slip on down. Tie a knot at the open end. This will hold all of the feathers tight to the body and will prevent them from being broken. All your taxidermist will have to do is cut the knot at the head end and slide it out, i.e. perfect condition!!. Remember, the better shape is in when you take it to your taxidermist the better it will come back to you. 

If you are not able to deliver the turkey to your taxidermist right away, then you will need to freeze it. So get a plastic garbage bag and put the turkey and stocking into the bag, wrap it and freeze it. What ever you do DO NOT GUT IT!!!!!!!!! Get the meat after you take it to the Taxidermist. 

Before your hunt is the time to go visit your taxidermist of choice. Ask questions, like will he/she be available on the days you will be hunting, so you can bring the turkey to be skinned, (cause you want the meat). Ask to see reference pictures that he/she will use to mount your bird, if they say they don’t need reference pictures it is time to get out of there and look somewhere else. Also don’t be limited to your driving area. If you know a good taxidermist there is always Overnight mail. It always upsets me to here someone say they have a bad mount but that was the only Taxidermist in their area. It may cost a little more for the shipping cost but the rewards are well worth the expense. You might want to ask how the taxidermist will preserve the head i.e., skin mount, artificial, or freeze dried. I like the freeze dried method myself--it eliminates the chance of bugs getting into the head, and the head hair stays intact.