Euro skulls

[Bmcox86]

Does boiling make them loose the teeth?

 

[Randle]

Well if you boil to long the teeth will loosen, but they do reset once dried. I usually don't do euros because I too impatient , my son in law has done a few for me, but the buck I shot this year I did my self, It turned out pretty well. I am still trying to decide on a full shoulder mount , I did save the cape. I may try painting the skull but nothing gaudy.

 

[Wileycoyote]

No, but they can get a little loose. Just use elmers glue along the jawline and they don't rattle anymore. Glue dries clear enough you can't tell its on there.

 

[Bmcox86]

Thanks I looked into getting my two blacktails done by beetles but the taxidermists all want $250 each and I'd like to save that if I could for a new rifle and see if I can do them myself

 

[Randle]

Cory has a video on his 101 site that walks you thru it , I had already winterized my pressure washer so I used air pressure, just keep your mouth closed while blowing the brains out , don't ask why I know this tip .

 

[ShowMeBowHtr]

The drum idea looks like a winner for the larger animals...nice.

 

[stump06]

I love a euro mount. It would take a very special critter to shoulder mount

 

[gdc23]

Just dropped off a buck I shot to be done, substantially less expensive than mounting the head and you still get a nice trophy to go with the memories

 

[30338]

I've done maceration only for 5 or 6 years now. Works well if you have a detached barn or garage to work in. Bone structure remains in place nicely.

 

[butcherboy]

Just so everyone knows, the peroxide you buy at a beauty salon is not 50%. It’s not 40% either just because it says volume 40 on the bottle. 50% is combustible and has burned down many Taxidermy shops. I bought mine as 35% in 55 gallon barrels then diluted it with water but it will still burn the hell out of your skin! I did the maceration method, degrease, then soak in the peroxide. I’m actually glad I’m not doing Taxidermy anymore fulltime.

 

[vectordawg]

You can buy the beetles and do it yourself if you have a shed or a detached garage with a small closet. I think my local shop owner bought his through Amazon. He told me they will eat everything but the brains and eyes. They smell terrible though!

Thanks I looked into getting my two blacktails done by beetles but the taxidermists all want $250 each and I'd like to save that if I could for a new rifle and see if I can do them mysel

 

[WCB]

Am I the only one who doesn't like the bleached skull look ? My beetle cleaned head hasn't been bleached yet and I don't think I'm going to bleach it. I like the yellowish natural patina. I'll probably soak it a few days to help get anything left out but no bleach. I'm sure the smell will fade away as it dries and ages.

I'm not a bleached fan either. I boil mine then throw in dawn dish soap or oxyclean to degrease. but do not peroxide. I don't like the yellow as that is grease but my skulls just look like one that has sat outside for a year or two.

 

[Gutshotem]

I boiled one whitetail and it came out fine but was a complete pain in the a$$. I've since found a guy who uses beetles and charges $110 so its a no brainer as far as that goes.

 

[HighUintas]

I was working on cleaning up my bull skull and my dog got to it she ate about 3 inches of each main beam tip.

Does anyone know if a taxidermist can recreate the tips of the main beams well enough to not obviously be fake?

 

[WCB]

I was working on cleaning up my bull skull and my dog got to it she ate about 3 inches of each main beam tip.

Does anyone know if a taxidermist can recreate the tips of the main beams well enough to not obviously be fake?

A good taxidermist can no problem.

At least the neighbor dog didn't eat the nose off a buck skull you had drying or take an antelope horn sheath.

 

[HighUintas]

A good taxidermist can no problem.

At least the neighbor dog didn't eat the nose off a buck skull you had drying or take an antelope horn sheath.

Yes that would be a lot harder to fix! My dog also chewed the nose off the skull too. So I was just planning to ditch the skull and have the antlers put on a wood mount

 

[dtrkyman]

Just did my first, the burner I used did not seem to get the water hot enough, cooked it for probably 4 hours, got it pretty clean and am waiting for the peroxide solution I ordered, kind of a pain in the azz.

Though about burying it at the archery club and let the ants work it over, but figured coyotes would move it or someone would find it.

I got the brains out with a 20 guage bore brush on my cordless, prior to cooking it.

 

[chadcharb]

I'm lucky and have a buddy that has beatles and does euros for a side job. Beatles definitely look the best since all the sinus bones stay in tact. If your going for the bright white the degreasing step is super important!

 

[rclouse79]

I shot a couple of smaller whitetail bucks last year and it was so cold here last year they froze. I waited til spring and buried them in my garden. Dug them up this September, washed them off with a garden hose. They come out perfect nasal passages are good also, just need to bleach. Mother nature did all the work for me, they turned out so good that may be my go to method.

Did you bury the antlers as well? I hung a dead head I found on my back fence and the squirrels kept knocking it off and chewed parts out of the antler.

 

[ColeyG]

Maceration or beetles are the way to go if you want to preserve all of the delicate features in the nasal cavities aka the turbinates. It is pretty hard to be delicate with the pressure washer, although I've been able to keep everything intact on some of the more robust skulls I've done like Dall sheep, etc.

I rarely have the time and/or patience for maceration so I usually find myself doing the quick and dirty version of boiling, degreasing and peroxide whitening.

I keep my peroxide solution in 5 gallon fuel containers and reuse it for a few years. No need to toss it after one session. I've probably run 10-12 skulls through my current batch and it is still working well.

The process I use takes 6-7 hours from start to finish, but I usually have to spread it out over a few evening sessions after work.



My recipe including gear list is attached.