What to do with a grouse tail?

[Brickbat]

I know, I know -- that subject line is crying out for copycats.

Nation, I have a question. My son shot his first grouse this weekend and kept the tail fan. Is there a traditional or cool way to preserve it as a memento? I posted in the Outdoors Group but it's pretty slow so I'd figure I'd ask you all too.

Om nom nom nom...

[petronius]

1. "Field & Stream" had a column a while ago about preserving turkey tails

to make decoys. It might work on a grouse... :shrug:

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/hunting/2010/03/make-fan-decoy

Congrats to your son!

[Brickbat]

3. Aw, that's just what I was looking for! Thanks!

And I'll pass on the congratulations. He's very, very proud.

[Kali]

2. how much "meat" is left on it?

feathers keep pretty well for a long time without any treatment but you want to get all the flesh off that you can and keep just enough skin to hold things together - or use thin wire like florists wire to make a display

if you start getting weevils or beetles eating them you can put it in a plastic bag with a few mothballs for a couple days
freezing will work too

[Brickbat]

4. Yeah, all the meat and fat is off, and there's a tiny bit of skin holding it all together. It's in

the fridge right now, but that description up in the first response about "curing" it with borax sounds like it might work. Thanks!