Hey guys

I deceided to get my mature eagle head blue goose mounted that killed a couple of weeks ago in Garwood. I'm thinking about getting it mounted in the pose below. Whatcha think? Got any better poses?

The Goose



The Pose (except I'm going to have his head turned to the right a litte)



Other shots of the goose

send it to Bird Works

Yeah that will be a nice mount.

I've had geese mounted in most every pose. Here is my eaglehead mounted by Ron Kelly in Emory, which was also taken off the Garwood prairie.

Pretty bird

I think a standing mount looks good. You just need to have a place to put it

Speaking of geese and Ron Kelly, he’s working on a sentimental masterpiece for me. Many of you that follow my photography and musings know that my waterfowl mentor was battling cancer for several years. In the first year that his illness was discovered, he decided that he was going to live his life to the fullest so we hunted through his pain.

My mentor could run 400 straight at skeet or trap before breakfast and when he called waterfowl it was as pure as the wind and as natural as any sound from the refuge. We were duck hunting in the twilight of the season that he first learned of his illness, when off in the distance he pointed out a pair of Ross’ Geese; it was my first time to cross paths with them. He worked his magic and called the shot. We were trophy hunting, loaded with number six Hevi-Shot because it has outstanding killing power on waterfowl but more importantly it keeps trophies in perfect shape for mounting.

When we recovered the pair of geese, they were magnificent and in perfect condition. My waterfowl mentor encouraged me to mount them as a special remembrance of our hunt and the time that we had spent afield living life in the moment.

That afternoon I made arrangements to deliver the pair to Ron Kelly. We met and I explained the grave situation and Ron assured me that he would have the geese mounted and back to me in time for my friend to enjoy them.

This was my first time to commission Ron’s service. My normal world class taxidermist was out of the country and couldn’t promise to get the mount completed in time as he said that it might take up to six or more months and Ron promised to get on it right away.

Ron had apparently won a few awards and was well known in the local area. He always had a booth at the Market Hall boat show where he showed off his work so when he asked me to prepay full price for the work so that he could get started right away, under the circumstances, I got out my wallet and paid cash as he requested. We shook hands on the deal as he looked me in the eyes and promised to have the mount completed so that I could share it with my friend.

Since we shook hands that winter afternoon, Ron has been working on my sentimental masterpiece. Every time I call Ron to check in, he assures me that he only needs a few more hours to put on the finishing touches. My friend continued the good fight and we hunted the following season and then another.

Overtime, months of catching up with Ron turned into years of catching up with Ron. This past year I called and told him my friend was on his deathbed and asked if it would be possible for him to finish that last hour or so of fine art that he has been laboring over for the past several years. All I wanted was to see my friend smile one more time as we remembered better days from our waterfowl journey.

We buried my friend last year. We celebrated his life surrounded by several of his favorite waterfowl mounts and other special bits and pieces of his life that were special to his family and friends.

Unfortunately something came up and Ron wasn’t able to manage to put in that last hour to finish the mount. Now yet another year has gone by and while some would perhaps be discouraged or maybe even lost hope as it has been so many years now since he first started the project, I remember shaking his hand and looking into his eyes so I’m still hopeful that one day he’ll man up and produce the masterpiece that I’ve been waiting years for. Besides, there’s still hope, every time I catch up with Ron Kelly he assures me that he only has an hour left to put on the finishing touches.

Blue Moon

I have one mounted just like the pic you have provided. I also have one standing. I like the standing pose alot better

Sorry I have terrible lighting in the house...had to move the goose to the brightest room by te computer. Doesn't give a good scene but you get the picture.

Unfortunate story BM, I hope everyhting gets worked out, and thanks for letting us know.

HOU, that is a great bird. You consider a landing/cupped pose?

I have considered that and would prefer that, but I want to show off the back feathers the most and those landing poses hide that.

What's the difference between Ross/blue/eagle head geese?

Are they a subspecies of snows?

I'm pretty sure I've seen several like that, are they rare?

Cool bird, nice mounts.

Ross is a different species.

Blues/Eagle head are just snows that are colored. Same exact species.

Every time I see a bunch of snows where I hunt down south there are a bunch of blue ones mixed in.

I always try to get the specks. I'm gonna try to get a blue one next year, I didn't know they were considered a trophy.

I shot these last January.

The little one is a Ross (about Mallard size) and the other is a Blue Snow goose.



Some more snow pics

All I know is, they taste worse than baloney snatchers.

In your last pic I count about 15 blue ones...

I agree, geese are pretty nasty.

Dad just got back from Knox City, asked if I wanted some geese. I just laughed at him and told him to try making jerky.

They usually aren't considered a trophy. But a fully mature Blue Goose is very hard to come by (just like a mature bright white snow) since they are so dang hard to decoy once they get that mature. Juvinile snows and blues are not near as pretty or appealing. I got lucky on this guy, as they started landing in a field behind me. So, I hid in a ditch and shot him as he made a low approach into the field.

Good to know, I learned something today.

I'm with you on the mature geese, them bastages have a sixth sense.