[Adam]

I have a half mount of the one and only bow bird I shot. Then I have 1 fan mount with the beard and spurs from that bird displayed. I currently have 2-3 capes hanging and I gave 2 away to uncles to display in their man caves. I have a leather string with a collection of spurs on it and a beard display board with another fan on it and 8 beards hanging.

My most recent bird I caped yet again (seems once I did that I can't stop!) and will add the beard to the display but might do something fancier with the spurs.

Just curious as to what you guys do with your birds that you aren't mounting?

 

[TraskOutdoors]

I keep all the fans that are in good shape, cut the legs about a quarter inch on either side of the spur and put them on a leather string, and glue the beards into the brass from the shell.

 

[Woodland Warrior]

Keep the fan, beard and spurs and display them in the Quaker Boy Turkey fan mount. Easy to do and all fan mounts match.

 

[Hunter8319]

I've never done anything with them other than cut the beard and spurs off. Some are strung up with leather lace and the shotgun brass and the others are in a big pile of beards and spur that I've never done anything with. I've always enjoyed pictures more than mounts.

 

[TurkeyMike]

I Preserve all the tails fans, and beards, and spurs. I have last years bird in a mount, and my first bird just pinned up. I may pick up at least a wood board for it though.

The beards I have on a lanyard that is at home, with the spurs on it as well.

They are displayed in my office at work. LOL I had them out in my wood shop, but the dang red squirrel got to last years longbeard fan, I actually repaired it using my Jake fan from last year.

Last years Long beard is the one in the Van ***** mount. I really love that mount and so far I have just been rotating fans, as I get them in it.

At the rate im going though my 2015 Longbeard will get another year out of it LOL

I am now using the hacked up jake tail feathers for flies. I saved a pile of feathers from my Nephews bird for flies as well.

I dunno I am a fan junky. I am sure as the years go by I wont save all of them but I did see a really nice mount that you kind of stack them like a folder holder.

http://turkeyfanman.com/gallery.html

There was another one I will look for later, but As I get a few more birds under my belt that is what I will do. I really like how they look.

 

[South872]

legs and beards get dried out and then go in a box for i-dont-know-why in the hunting room. wing feathers go to a friend that uses them for crafts. tail feathers, since not sure what to do with anymore since the wife made me take down all my turkey mounts, go into the bottom of the freezer [along with various other animals parts/furs] until i can decide what to eventually do with them. which, honestly, is probably nothing, and really is more a game i play with myself to see how many i can get stacked up before the wife finds them and flips, heh.

 

[Trout 2003]

I used to save everything but then it got rediculous so I threw everything out! Beards, fans, everything. Then two years ago I hunted fruitlessly every single day of the season until I kill a bird the second to last year. That was one of the greatest kills as a hunter that Ive ever made so that fan and beard is still hanging above my work bench. The 3 since I've just tossed in the trash.....actually check that. I dont through turkeys in the trash. I lay them to rest at the farm I killed them at. It's a respect thing to me. They lived there, they die there, they turn to dust there.

 

[fall gobbler]

I only ever mounted one and I mounted a few fans from really exceptional birds, but I still save as much as I can....somebody ALWAYS has a use for it.

I obviously save the wingbones for calls. I save the wings and the tails for a girl who makes wreaths. She usually only uses the secondary wing feathers, so the primary feathers goes to a guy who burns his own feather arrow fletching. I save the beards and spurs for my "shrine" to the wild turkey. I save the feet for a fellow who makes back scratchers.

I hate to throw anything away, they're just so darn pretty!!!

 

[DoubleGobble]

I have three nice fans with the beard on plaques. My first Eastern and two Merriams. I have a stack of tails spread and preserved in my back unfinished basement. I have one cape also in back basement. I just had a friend make me a beautiful beard board with 20 holes and currently holding 14 longbeards. And my wife's favorite (not). About 35 or 40 sets of turkey feet prominently displayed in my garage. This includes a few Jakes and hens.

 

[Renny28]