Shipping Birds
Shipping Prep
Contact me to schedule/notify me of intended shipping, I do not want birds to be sitting outside if I will knowingly be away or on vacation.
Place the highest R-Value Insulation on all sides of a sturdy cardboard box.
Place an ice pack (4”x6” from the dollar store are perfect) below and above your frozen bird.
Cover the top ice pack with another piece of insulation.
Place a piece of paper with all Contact (Name, Phone, Email) and Federal Migratory Tag information (as shown to left) along with your check for deposit made out to Walnut Ridge Waterfowl (unless paid electronically) in a separate ziplock bag within the box. Include any pictures of desired poses or habitats as well (these can be emailed or texted prior).
Ship only via UPS Overnight on Monday or Tuesday avoiding holiday weekends.
Provide me with the tracking number so I can know when to expect the package and get the bird back into the freezer asap. In the event your bird gets lost, spoiled, or ruined in transit I will notify you and return your deposit.
Return Shipping and Delivery
The return of your finished product can be through return shipping (customer responsible for shipping cost, will be added to total balance due) or potential delivery depending on distance from Walnut Ridge Waterfowl. Prior to completion of your mount I will email a “Balance Due” invoice with shipping or delivery estimate which will be included. The balance will need to be paid prior to completion of your mount. Mount will be shipped 3 weeks later (Necessary for drying time) after receiving final payment. Customer will be provided with tracking number or delivery ETA. Delivery by Walnut Ridge Waterfowl may be possible if it benefits both parties especially for larger displays.
Best poses for a shipped mount
Standing or swimming poses have a much better potential of arriving unharmed as well as being cheaper to ship due to smaller size. Open wing or flying poses run the risk of damaged flight feathers during shipment. If flight feathers do show damage, they can typically be fixed by holding a garment steamer under them to reattach the feather tracts. Mounts are packaged in reinforced shipping boxes attached directly to the bottom of the box to prevent any shifting or tumbling, the mount themselves are covered with a plastic bag and surrounded with foam peanuts. Large open wing birds such as geese or swans will have detachable wings with instructions for reinstallation. Walnut Ridge Waterfowl is not responsible for any damages which occur during shipping.