Waterfowl care after the shot

Upon retrieval of the bird be sure to handle it carefully, holding it by the legs and not the neck. Place in a cool dry place laying it on its back (belly down will speed up spoilage rate). Once back to your residence, tuck the birds head under its wing and slide it breast first into a Ziploc bag. If there is blood on any white plumage, use a wet paper towel to clean the majority of it. Preparations for mounting include a through rinse which will remove most blood stains, however cleaning stains prior to freezing will ensure proper colors for your finished product. When sealing the bird in the zip loc bag press out excess air. Double or even triple bagging you bird is highly recommended.

What not to do

Do not put the bird in panty hose or wrap in newspaper. This will cause the bird to become dry and freezer burn much quicker. The quicker you can get the bird to me the better. Arrangements can be made for drop off, mail delivery, and local pick up under special circumstances.