European Mounts
- Thread starter dsdanger
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Cocked & Locked
Member
It's fairly easy to do yourself...even I can do it.
Remove all skin, meat, eyeballs, ears etc. from the head.
Sounds a little sick, but poke something like a straightened out coat hanger formed into a hook on the end in and out of the brain area to loosen it up. This is fairly easy to access thru the hole in back of the skull where the spine connects.
Boil the head in water (outdoors of course). Put a detergent in the water like Tide laundry, or Dawn dishwashing. Both of these are good grease cutters and will keep the grease suspended in the water and out of the skull. This step will take some time. Change water/detergent if it gets too yucky.
Remove the head periodically and zap it with a water hose to remove loosened tissue....scrape and gouge with a knife to loosen it up.
Once all tissue is gone, inside and outside, wrap the antlers in foil and tape. Mix a new batch of water with one quart of hydrogen peroxide...bring to a boil. Suspend the head in the water with the antlers out of the water. The peroxide in the water will bleach the antlers and change the color...don't want this to happen. The foil/tape keeps the rising fumes off the antlers.
The above step will bleach the skull and remove any remaining grease in the skull.
Rinse with clear water, let dry, and mount it on the board of your choice.
Remove all skin, meat, eyeballs, ears etc. from the head.
Sounds a little sick, but poke something like a straightened out coat hanger formed into a hook on the end in and out of the brain area to loosen it up. This is fairly easy to access thru the hole in back of the skull where the spine connects.
Boil the head in water (outdoors of course). Put a detergent in the water like Tide laundry, or Dawn dishwashing. Both of these are good grease cutters and will keep the grease suspended in the water and out of the skull. This step will take some time. Change water/detergent if it gets too yucky.
Remove the head periodically and zap it with a water hose to remove loosened tissue....scrape and gouge with a knife to loosen it up.
Once all tissue is gone, inside and outside, wrap the antlers in foil and tape. Mix a new batch of water with one quart of hydrogen peroxide...bring to a boil. Suspend the head in the water with the antlers out of the water. The peroxide in the water will bleach the antlers and change the color...don't want this to happen. The foil/tape keeps the rising fumes off the antlers.
The above step will bleach the skull and remove any remaining grease in the skull.
Rinse with clear water, let dry, and mount it on the board of your choice.
Muzzy_B
Member
another suggestion
If you have any good sized fire ant mounds in your yard, can work quickly, and can keep the dogs away from it; you can skin and flesh out the head then bury it up to the base of the antlers in a fire ant mound. Let it sit a week or more and it will be picked pretty clean. After that you can bleach the skull once you've rinsed all of the ants away.
If you have any good sized fire ant mounds in your yard, can work quickly, and can keep the dogs away from it; you can skin and flesh out the head then bury it up to the base of the antlers in a fire ant mound. Let it sit a week or more and it will be picked pretty clean. After that you can bleach the skull once you've rinsed all of the ants away.
NRA4LIFE
Member
I use almost the exact method as cocked and locked, with some minor exceptions. I use 20 mule team borax in the boiling water as it seems to turn all the schmang on the skull to a soft jelly-like consistency. And yes, it does stink a little, but I do it outside. DO NOT use an aluminum pot for this step, trust me. For the soaking, basically the same, but I don't boil it, just leave it in for a couple days in a 50-50 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide. Skulls come out snow white. Don't use bleach as it will yellow them some. I also take a large boring bit and drill into the underside into the brain cavity, it makes it easier to get all the gunk out.
Muzzy_B
Member
You're right NRA4LIFE, by bleaching I meant by using a hydrogen peroxide solution and not actual bleach. Good point.
NRA4LIFE
Member
One other thing, don't let the skull in boiling water too long, as the joints in the skull will start to deteriorate and can make the whole skull a little flimzy. I do it for 15-20 minutes, and then cool it and remove as much stuff as possible and then repeat until it's clean, but not more than about 3 times like this.
One interesting thing about bleach. One of the first I ever tried was a bear skull that I used regular bleach on. It did turn out a little yellowish pale, but the skull is very smooth and real shiny. Kind of interesting, but I do prefer the whiter skulls, I guess.
Anyway, I do encourage you to try it. It is not very difficult, and you can then say you did your own taxidermy (kind of). To me it's very gratifying to do my own.
One interesting thing about bleach. One of the first I ever tried was a bear skull that I used regular bleach on. It did turn out a little yellowish pale, but the skull is very smooth and real shiny. Kind of interesting, but I do prefer the whiter skulls, I guess.
Anyway, I do encourage you to try it. It is not very difficult, and you can then say you did your own taxidermy (kind of). To me it's very gratifying to do my own.
.41 magnum man
Member
Here is another option, just in case anyone would like to do it. You can get replica skulls from McKenzie Taxidermy Supply that are easy to put your antlers on. You can get two different kinds: One has the pedicals on the skull and you cut the antlers off at the base, drill a hole in the bottom, glue in the provided rods, and put each antler on the pedicals. The other type has a slot in the skull. You simply cut a section of skull out, keeping your antlers attached, screw the skull plate into the slot, apply some Apoxie Sculpt (also from McKenzie) to blend in with the fake skull, and paint it white to match.
The replica skulls do not have teeth in them, but they are very realistic. It is much easier and less burdensome than boiling the skulls, cleaning and bleaching them. The skulls cost around $40.00, and a 1/4 pound of the Apoxie Sculpt should be plenty to do one. Many prefer the original skull, but this is an option some may want to do. McKenzie has an online catalog.
I have a set of my own antlers on one of these skulls, and I will try to get a picture posted tomorrow.
The replica skulls do not have teeth in them, but they are very realistic. It is much easier and less burdensome than boiling the skulls, cleaning and bleaching them. The skulls cost around $40.00, and a 1/4 pound of the Apoxie Sculpt should be plenty to do one. Many prefer the original skull, but this is an option some may want to do. McKenzie has an online catalog.
I have a set of my own antlers on one of these skulls, and I will try to get a picture posted tomorrow.
.41 magnum man
Member
dsdanger, that is a good looking buck. Congratulations!
Cocked and Locked, those are some nice looking European mounts too.
Cocked and Locked, those are some nice looking European mounts too.
.41 magnum man
Member
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