The sun is up, the bird is flopping, and you finally have a longbeard on the ground.
Once the adrenaline settles, the post-harvest decisions begin. You might be weighing the options of a full body mount or a simple fan display, but for many of us, that beard is the non-negotiable keepsake.
There are plenty of ways to handle a bird once it’s down, but if you want to keep that beard intact for the long haul, these are our two best methods for getting the job done.
Method 1: Using the Blade
One of the easiest ways to approach this is with a knife. However, there is one big caution to keep in mind if you take this route.
If you simply slice across the beard above the skin line, you are going to end up with a handful of loose bristles. Without the skin to hold them together, the beard will fall apart before you even get it back to the truck. It is a fast way to ruin a trophy you worked hard to earn.
To do it correctly, you have to get behind the hair. Feel for the small, fleshy lump at the base where the beard meets the breast.
Instead of cutting the bristles, aim your blade behind that hump to include a small tab of skin. This keeps the root of the bristles locked together so the beard stays intact for years to come.
Method 2: The Pinch & Pop
If you want to save time and skip the knife altogether, you can use the “Pinch and Pop” method. This is a favorite of veteran hunters like our very own Brodie Swisher because it’s fast and foolproof.
Simply grab the beard as close to the bird’s breast as possible. Get a firm, tight grip on the base, pinch it down, give it a little twist, and pop it right off the bird.
Curing the Beard
Regardless of which method you choose, you cannot simply toss a raw beard into a drawer. The bit of skin at the base needs to be cured to prevent rot. Dip the fleshy end into some borax to draw out the moisture and kill any bacteria.
Let the beard sit in a dry place for a few days until that skin tab is hard and completely dried out. Once it’s cured, it’s ready for the shelf, a shadow box, or the traditional cigar box.
If you want to see this method in action, be sure to check out the video below.
