Straightening Feather on Mount?

[LanceS4803]

Downed an older bird this morning who was a fighter. Each time I saw him he was always squaring off with other toms. He had a bald patch on his back and loose beard hairs, with rough tail feathers.
The main tail feathers aren't all smooth along the edges, but kind of separated. I was able to hand smooth some, but others went back to their old position.
Any way to fix these while the tail dries out?

 

[catman529]

Just my personal opinion but I'd almost want to keep his "battle scars" in the same shape if I were going to mount it. Shows you got an old tom who fought and doesn't sound like an easy kill to me.

I guess there is the aesthetics part, you want a nice looking tail mount. But I would also like to preserve the uniqueness of the bird if it were mine.

But that's my 2 cents... decision is up to you. I still need to get myself a longbeard and I will mount his tail whether he's 2 or 5 years old.

 

[LanceS4803]

Good thoughts about keeping it the way it is.
I just see these "perfect" tails here and on TV, but who knows if the stars hairdressers didn't work on that bird for a long time before camera time. (Kind of like deer hunting shows that never show blood or entry/exit wounds.)

 

[Grizzly Johnson]

The bird I shot Saturday had some of his tail fan feathers bent/broken and roughed up..... some of his body feathers too. When I breasted him out, he had a puncture wound on one side with bruising in the breast meat.... he had a broken spur as well. It appears he was a down right, serious scrapper..... I am going to mount the fan as is for the character.

 

[kdxdude]

Way back when, I took a real soft brush, like the kind ya brush a baby's hair with. Sprinkle a little baby powder on the feathers & gently brush em with the brush.

Nowadays I give all my turkey feathers to some ol boys that tie flies for trout fishin.