Grouse tail display

[zoli 16ga.]

Finally got around to it. Made my own shadow box. Top fan is my first 'Northern' grouse, bottom, my first 'Southern' grouse. Shells are 1950's 16ga. Win CF hulls, hand loaded. Should look nice over the fireplace. touched up the photo a little.

Attachment 24098

[impact]

Very nice looking display. It should look good over the fireplace but will the heat damage it?

[kickingfrog]

Nice. I like the contrast between the two. I did something similar this fall for my brother. What did you use to cover the base of the tails?

[TurkeyRookie]

Nicely done, you did a great job on them.

[bushman007]

looks great

[JMatthews]

Great and unique!

[zoli 16ga.]

Thanks guys. The top grouse has the 'ruff' feathers covering the bottom (top picture). The blue fringe did not come out that well, as I had to spread the feathers out a bit to cover the bottom. You can still see some blue in real life though, and the fan is much lighter in color, as in the picture. For the bottom fan I made a maple base, dyed, with a couple coats of tung oil rubbed on. The bottom fan is also a bit deeper in color then on the picture. It's a gas fireplace, so it does not get to hot that high up, but I'll check on it every now and then, and move it if I have to.

Attachment 24092
southern grouse.jpg

[Super_Nova]

Very nice mounts

[zoli 16ga.]

Touched up the photo a bit to make life like.

D.

[ninepointer]

Thanks guys, I never appreciated the striking colour variations between northern and southern birds until now.

Zoli, those fans take me back. I made a bunch as a teenager and still have one or two.


I also still have wings (don't know why I didn't think of keeping the fan) of the first grouse I ever shot, it was with an air rifle, at the age of 12 (let's just say I was an "apprentice"). I mounted those wings on a board as proudly as if they were antlers off a 10-point buck!