Brodie Swisher
Aside from the memories in the spring woods, a hunter can also take home an abundance of wild turkey collectibles when the tag is notched each season. Deer hunters are blessed with the bone, but turkey hunters have far more opportunities to display the memories of a hunt from a single bird in their trophy room, office, or man cave.
In fact, there are 6 great ways to preserve the memory of a wild turkey every time you bring one home. If you’re looking for some fresh ways to add a little more wild turkey décor to your home or office, don’t miss out on keeping the items mentioned below.
Beard
The beard of a gobbler is one of the easiest ways to know you’re dealing with a mature bird. It’s the most noticeable turkey trademark that separates the toms from the boys. And for the hunters that collect the beards from their birds, a long string of long beards can be a sure sign of an avid turkey hunter, full of springtime memories to share.
The beard is honestly one of the least attractive features found on a gobbler. It looks more like a scrap yanked from a paintbrush than a thing of beauty. However, the beard will forever be one of several measuring sticks God built into the bird that hunters like to use to determine size, age, and their “personal best” bird.
So regardless of whether you proudly display your turkey beards strung up on the wall, fixed to a plaque, or tossed out of sight in a Swisher Sweets cigar box, there’s always a place for one more turkey beard in most hunters’ home.
Spurs
Many hunters believe the spurs of a wild turkey to be the truest sign of his age. Sure, you may find a young bird with long spurs. But not very often. Long-spurred turkeys have usually survived a handful of years. They are old, smart, and rarely come easy to the gun.
That’s why turkey hunters often place the spurs, particularly long spurs, in a place of prominence when it comes to the display in their home or office.
There’s a variety of options when it comes to preserving the spurs. Some hunters leave them on the leg, while others cut them off and string them up on a leather cord.
Fan
The tail fan of a gobbler is easily the most beautiful of displays on our list. It shows all the beauty of the tail fan in full strut. It’s a great addition to any wall space.
Fans are easily preserved with a little trimming and drying with borax. You can simply display the fan on the wall by itself, or with a plaque that allows you to attach the legs/spurs, and beard altogether.
Cape
If you have the wall space, and want to add even more feathers to your tail fan display, consider caping your bird. The caping process is fairly simple and includes the feathers running down the back of the bird as well as the tail fan.
Again, the process adds significantly more feathers to your display, but also requires more space on the wall.
Gizzard Stones
If you’re looking for a simple, yet colorful, conversation starter for the memories of your turkey hunt, the gizzard stones are the perfect solution. The take up minimal space on the mantle or shelf and are sure to draw questions from any guest in your home.
Collecting the stones is a simple task, easily accomplished by removing the bird’s gizzard from the body cavity in the butchering process. With a knife, you’ll cut open and remove the stones from the bird’s gizzard. Wash these colorful stones clean, place them in a tiny bottle or tube, and they’re ready for display. You can label or tag these bottles and observe their uniqueness as you hunt turkeys in different parts of the country.
Feathers / Shotgun Shell
Another great option if you’re looking to keep things simple and low-key in your turkey display is to include a single feather, or two, tucked down into the shotgun shell hull from your harvested bird. It’s a simple, subtle, clean and classy look that goes well with most any home décor. It’s a great option when having to compromise with a spouse member who is not interested in adding any more “dead critters” to the wall.
With a Sharpie marker, you can add the harvest date, location and any other note to help keep the hunt memory alive.
If your home, office, or man cave is in serious need of additional wildlife décor, keep the items mentioned above in mind this spring when you notch your turkey tag. No other critter on earth offers the beauty and bounty in display like that of the wild turkey.
