Euro skulls

[Wileycoyote]

I just boil my skulls for around five hours or so. I add some laundry soap when it starts to boil good, helps strip some fat off and to whiten the skull up. Then I take a pressure washer to blow out the the the meat and nasal passages. Yea face shield needed, but doesn't cost anything and don't have to worry about beetles hitching a ride home to eat you're mounts. I don't think it's common but I've heard stories of beetles eating people's taxidermy. Anybody heard of that happening?

 

[Shrek]

Beetles ate my only shoulder mount deer. Naturally occurring beetles not from a cleaned head.

 

[Touchdown88]

I pre-soak mine for a couple of days before I put them in the pot. I don't like to boil because it will make the bone soft.

I also hit them with a pressure washer for 10 minutes or so them back in the pot for another 10 minutes and keep the rotation going until they're all clean

 

[Touchdown88]

I pre-soak mine for a couple of days before I put them in the pot. I don't like to boil because it will make the bone soft.

I also hit them with a pressure washer for 10 minutes or so them back in the pot for another 10 minutes and keep the rotation going until they're all clean

Here's a picture of the 3 i did yesterday. This is before bleach.

 

[Shrek]

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.

 

[Wileycoyote]

I guess beetles can eat a mount yikes. Apparently not so much the dermestids. Boiling will soften it up and you have to watch the nose pieces or they can fall apart on you. I have never bleached mine either but I have found the laundry soap whitens them quite a bit more than nothing at all. So I have some more yellow and some mid white I guess. If you do over boil elmer's glue works good to re assemble the nose piece. Good to know the no boil method might have try that one.

 

[Touchdown88]

The best way to bleach is 130 volume developer and hair bleach from a beauty supply shop. Mix then together, paint it on, and wrap it with clear plastic wrap for 24 hours. Wash and then your good to go. Good luck.

 

[MuleyFever]

I just did my first deer and don't think I will bleach it. I have had the stuff for a while but I like the natural look. As far as the nasal cavity I just cleaned it all out so I didn't have to worry about any flesh caught up in there.

 

[Gumbo]

Those look great! I prefer euro heads to shoulder mounts and have always thought beetles were the way to go. Looks like I will have to try this method and save some cash.

On a side note, a guy I know said he once got up at 3:00 am and boiled an antelope skull on the kitchen stove with his wife's stew pot. The stench woke her up and she flipped. He is now single, although the skull incident was likely only a minor contributing factor.

 

[archery bum]

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.

 

[Art Vandeley]

What is the best set up for boiling skulls? Can you post your set up Wileycoyote?? I could go for saving a few hundred bucks each fall in taxi fee's...

 

[rayporter]

a metal 5 gallon bucket and a fish cooker is all i boil with.

i have not bleached one yet. may do it some day.

 

[Cripler]

Got a 45 gallon drum that is cut in half. Use a tiger to heat drum. I add costic soda ash to my boil close to the end of the boiling process. Then pressure wash skull. For bleaching using better quality hair dresser bleach dilooted with water works the best for me. To save on bleach with larger skulls I place the skull into a large basin and only put a couple inches of bleach and water mix in bottom of bleaching basin. Cover rest of the skull in paper towel and soak it with extra bleach in bottom of basin.Takes little extra effort to keep the paper towel moist.

 

[Wileycoyote]

I cut a 40 gallon drum in half and boil it outside with fire. Looks like there are a lot of ways to do this, but I don't recommend the pot on the stove method, divorce is sure to follow as it is stinkeeee. Here's a winter kill I restored.

The smaller pot you can get away with is better, as you'll have less water to dispose of.

 

[Silentstalker]

What tip are you guys using on your pressure washer? Does it matter? That seems like a great way to go. Beats picking at them for hours!

 

[rayporter]

i have just shook them after boiling and all the meat fell out. never had to pick at them-yet.

 

[Cripler]

Don't need Nothing to crazy for the pressure washer tip. More for washing brain matter out and the tight spots

 

[Cripler]

What did you use Wiley to bring colour back to the winter kill horns? Looks great and natural

 

[Wileycoyote]

Well this is where it gets interesting, I've tried wood stain, usually looks like crap and no horn buyer wants them after that also. So I spent hours trying to figure it out, go figure. But an elk will go wallow get mud and water on its antlers and then go demolish a pine, cedar, quicken aspen, mahogany ,etc. that covers the stained antler with natures sealant tree saps and resin. Then the tips get polished off from constant rubbing. So I usually darken with dirt I collect from the forest floor, or under cedar trees. Then once it's dark enough I start sealing it by rubbing pine bows up and down the antler. Then some aspen, I usually use cedar for the final shine and polish. Whamo there you have it, just don't let you're neighbor see you polishing you're antler! It takes hours and hours so be prepared. Elk can color them up awesome in about thirty days, so I'm guessing they work on them about every day once they strip there velvet. I've also read potassium permagranite, but I've never tried it. Supposed to turn purple then brown so it could be much easier than the polisher method.

 

[ffparamedic]

I euro all mine, I much prefer the look of them and it does save a lot of money.

I skin them, clean as much fat off as I can. Boil them until clean using borax in the water to help cut the fat. Then I paint of the 50% peroxide stuff you get at the beauty shop.