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Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers???

Posted By: Sniper John

Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 11/20/16 06:47 AM

Any tips, ideas, or how toos? I am saving three capes to experiment with. I am thinking if I can put two or three stuffers together to put on the downwide side of my 70 decoy spread, it would be the bomb.
Posted By: justinxxxz

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 11/21/16 02:51 PM

I bookmarked this thread below earlier this year to use as guidance for what you want to do. I'm sure there is a ton of info on that site if you look around.

http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,154914.0.html

You can buy the artificial eyes, main body, neck, & head here.

http://www.mckenziesp.com/Search.aspx?k=sandhill
Posted By: 8pointdrop

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 11/21/16 03:48 PM














Might be corny but I skinned out several and then stretched the capes over a quarter in plywood cut out. These 2 were my first 2 I made and look rough compared to the lat few I made. They work and way way cheaper than stuffers.





Posted By: nacgoat08

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 12/05/16 10:16 PM

I was really hoping this thread would get more traction....
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 12/06/16 01:34 AM

Not a lot of us that hunt these birds on our own and the outfitters naturally are often going to be less open to share their own design of doing such things. Thank you to those that did pass on some info. up I am considering mounting a skin on an older Higdon 5/8 motion goose decoy for my own design experiment. I could make it with a removable head that way. I took college taxidermy classes many years ago and from that experience I am probably going to use water/woolite to clean the oils from the skin and feathers after gently fleshing it. Borax to preserve it, and corn starch to help dry it out. Then a spray adhesive on the decoy and wires in the wings pulled through holes drilled in each side of the decoy shell. I want to keep it cheap and this is for utility not looks so my old school taxidermy methods should be suffice. I think.... Not sure when I can get to it, but that is where I am eventually headed with it. I think.....
Posted By: wal1809

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 12/06/16 01:37 AM

Nothing corny about the 1\4 plywood. I am sure that will kill birds.
Posted By: Fallen Feathers Taxidermy

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 12/06/16 02:28 AM

Originally Posted By: Sniper John
Not a lot of us that hunt these birds on our own and the outfitters naturally are often going to be less open to share their own design of doing such things. Thank you to those that did pass on some info. up I am considering mounting a skin on an older Higdon 5/8 motion goose decoy for my own design experiment. I could make it with a removable head that way. I took college taxidermy classes many years ago and from that experience I am probably going to use water/woolite to clean the oils from the skin and feathers after gently fleshing it. Borax to preserve it, and corn starch to help dry it out. Then a spray adhesive on the decoy and wires in the wings pulled through holes drilled in each side of the decoy shell. I want to keep it cheap and this is for utility not looks so my old school taxidermy methods should be suffice. I think.... Not sure when I can get to it, but that is where I am eventually headed with it. I think.....

sounds like your on the right track.
Posted By: justinxxxz

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 12/06/16 03:55 PM

Sniper,

How do you plan of gently fleshing it? Do you have a wire wheel or are you going to go about that with another method?
Posted By: Sniper John

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 12/06/16 07:03 PM

From the time I took taxidermy classes I still have a big tackle box of taxidermy tools including some for scraping and fleshing, both store bought for the purpose and made from other objects like a big spoon. I don't even know where that box is right now or I would look and take some pictures. Probably in the depths of my storage shed under piles of goose decoys. I have robbed tools from it for other uses over the years too, so not sure what is still in it to be honest.
Posted By: 8pointdrop

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 12/06/16 07:23 PM

Originally Posted By: wal1809
Nothing corny about the 1\4 plywood. I am sure that will kill birds.

They will we were 1 shy of a 5 man limit this hunt all with cut outs and skins. Just started seeing enough crane to hunt so I'll post results.
Posted By: justinxxxz

Re: Making Sandhill Crane Stuffers??? - 02/17/17 12:26 AM

Anyone ever attempt to make any of these stuffers this past season? These are some tough a%% birds! I finally got my first sandhill this year with a few more to boot. All I can say is you better drop these suckers dead if you are hunting in a really wet and muddy field. We winged one and chased that sucker for about 300 yards through a soggy field before we could get close enough to drop him. He seemed to walk just as fast or faster than us in that muddy field. It seemed like mission impossible but we finally got him. Ill never forget that day my 67 yr old man and I chasing that sucker. I screwed up my first attempt trying to make a stuffer and was hoping someone else was successful.
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