How to care/clean turkey mounts?

[mullis56]

What is a good way to clean and care for a turkey mount? Big game head?

[dadfsr]

Yup-I'm in the same boat...the only place my wife will let me hang Danf's and my prized mounts is in the basement. Had to move them for a cable update and found that the antlers felt they had a mold on them. What do I do? (with the mold not the wife ;D)

[danf]

dadfsr said:

the antlers felt they had a mold on them.

You sure it was mold??? Not just a major build-up of dust? I know I never cleaned either mount while I was still at home, and I somehow doubt they've been cleaned much (if at all) since I moved out!

Antlers I think just wipe down with a damp cloth. I think I remember seeing BSUTravis say something about using WD-40 when he's mounting a set... As for the hide, I dunno. I think a damp cloth is all you should use, but I'm not sure.

Turkey's, I have NO idea!

[bsutravis]

For turkeys I've always heard the best way (especially on a strutting mount) is to take the mount into the garage and use an air hose to blow the dust off. Make sure you regulate the air pressure down so that it's just enough to get the dust off. You can also use a duster that you would use to dust a shelf or TV. The old fashioned real feather dusters will also work.

I use the same duster to get the dust off my deer heads...... You can also take some pledge and apply to a cloth, then wipe the deer hair in the direction the hair is laying. I've never tried the pledge trick though..... so use with caution. My worry would be that the waxy substance might make the deer hair stick together, so you might try it on a small area first. You could just as easily spray some water on a cloth and it would make the dust stick to the cloth better.

Also..... I take very fine wire brush, like what you use to brush a cat or dog and I'll groom my deer heads after I dust them off. Just give them a nice combing to smooth out the hair after you hit it with the duster. Don't be afraid of your mounts...... after a year on the wall these things are like a rock..... so be gentle in the handling of the antlers and such, but you don't have to be afraid of touching the hide.

As far as the antlers, you can hit them with some pledge, or WD-40 to give them a little shine, and the same can be done for the nose to make it "wet" again. I use a q-tip with a little windex on the glass eyes.

[huxbux]

I dust my deer mounts off first with a feather duster, then I use a solution a taxi gave me (I'd have to check with him, but I believe it's lanolin) on the hide. I put it in an old scent killer spray bottle. Lightly spritz the hide and brush with a fine, soft-bristled hair brush. It cleans and shines them right up. Turkeys use the compressed air with just enough pressure to do the job. It's a good idea to use a water separator in your air system for this.

[mullis56]

Thanks, man....I am going to clean my turks but a little worried about using air....maybe a big make up brush and a duster too?

I need to get my bear skulls from you!

bsutravis said:

For turkeys I've always heard the best way (especially on a strutting mount) is to take the mount into the garage and use an air hose to blow the dust off. Make sure you regulate the air pressure down so that it's just enough to get the dust off. You can also use a duster that you would use to dust a shelf or TV. The old fashioned real feather dusters will also work.

I use the same duster to get the dust off my deer heads...... You can also take some pledge and apply to a cloth, then wipe the deer hair in the direction the hair is laying. I've never tried the pledge trick though..... so use with caution. My worry would be that the waxy substance might make the deer hair stick together, so you might try it on a small area first. You could just as easily spray some water on a cloth and it would make the dust stick to the cloth better.

Also..... I take very fine wire brush, like what you use to brush a cat or dog and I'll groom my deer heads after I dust them off. Just give them a nice combing to smooth out the hair after you hit it with the duster. Don't be afraid of your mounts...... after a year on the wall these things are like a rock..... so be gentle in the handling of the antlers and such, but you don't have to be afraid of touching the hide.

As far as the antlers, you can hit them with some pledge, or WD-40 to give them a little shine, and the same can be done for the nose to make it "wet" again. I use a q-tip with a little windex on the glass eyes.

[bsutravis]

Can't have 'em Don...... I've told too many people that I killed those bears. LMAO

[Ahawkeye]

I don't have a turkey mount yet but I will probably get one done soon. If you were to put the turkey in a "glass case" i.e. plexy glass or lexan or whatever, would this keep the dust off the bird or will you still have some sort of build up?

[bsutravis]

I would say a cased enclosure would protect it from dust and such.