Over the years I've known many turkey hunters who have a cigar box or a drawer full of turkey beards and assorted spurs. In most cases the beards have not been preserved in any form and many are in a dismal state. I have actually seen beards where the base disintegrated and all that was left was a handful of loose hairs. With a small amount of work this could have been prevented and the hunter would still have a fine trophy to remember. I like to preserve and mount my beards, spurs and shotgun shells together and have found a very simple method that works quite well. Along with your beard, spurs and shotgun shell, you will need the following items: 12-inch section o 2×4 Drill with 5/16 and 3/8 bits Old arrow or wooden dowel Salt Borax Hammer Nail Boot lace Silicone ealant Plastic clothespin Scissors Pencil Towels After taking your gobbler, grab the tom's beard at the root, where it meets the chest, and tug it out. Then, take a hacksaw and make two cuts as close as possible above and below the spur on each leg. Take a wooden match or similar object and push the marrow out of the bone. You should have two round holes running through each leg section. Put about one-half inch of salt in a styrofoam cup and add the beard and spurs making sure to coat each with salt. After a week or so, remove the beard and spurs and break off the ball of hardened salt that will likely be attached to them. Replace with a new salt/Borax mixture and let stand for at least two months. When you're beard and spurs are prepped, place a nail in the shotgun shell hull and position it over a 3/8-inch hole in your 2×4. Tap the primer out with a hammer. Next, cut a 26-inch length of leather boot lace and thread the lace through your spurs using the hole in the leg bone as a guide. Push both ends o the lacing up through the primer hole Pull the lacing through the hull and tie a knot. Completely cover the knot with silicone. Pull the lacing back through the knot. Now, cut a piece of shop towel about two inches wide. Fill the center of the towel with silicone. Fold the halves of the towel in half length-wise. Push the folded shop towel and silicone. Depending on the gauge and length of your hull, you may need more or less filler. I like to top my hull off with a layer of silicone stopping at the bottom of the crimp. Using a 2×4 and and arrow (or dowel), clamp the hull to the arrow with your plastic clothespins to hold it upright. Wait 48 hours and remove your trophy.
Turn your turkey beard into a trophy that will last a lifetime.
