Getting ready to try and mount my first struuting Tom, how many of you use the caulking method ? What do you think of the balloons for the chest, I am against it right now in fear that they may deflate? Aby comments?

I only do gameheads.......but, if I were to do birds, I'd do what Cally Morris does.......and he uses caulk.

There was a great article in Breakthrough Magazine (last year I think) about his techniques.

The balloons sure sound like a bad idea to me. Breakthrough had a three part series with Cally Morris, and a couple years later had another article on a shingled strutting turkey by Cally Morris. Issues 66-68 and issue 75. Well worth ordering.
http://www.breakthroughmagazine.com/back_issues.asp

here is the first turkey i ever mounted and i used the caulking method,

With caulk or anything else, the idea isnt to fill it, so much as it is to set the feather quill bases while the skin dries. Some guys use batting to fill, with caulk over the top to seat those feather bases. All Id say is, dont use too much caulk or itll sag and leak. Cally is one of the best turkey guys out there, along with Harry Whitehead, Rick Morris, Tim Jordan, and...wow, theres getting to be some really good turk guys out there! Mike Vernelson, Gregg Ielfield, Andy Cambell, Darren...

tim jordans brother marc is the one who taught me how to mount my strutting bird above at his school