Moose Euro question

[JPD350]

I have done quite a few Euro mounts but I see an issue when it comes to moose skulls.
How do you submerge the whole top of the skull without submerging the antlers and loosing the color?

 

[bigsky2]

I usually do my own Euro mounts too, but I got my moose beatled for the same reason you are asking about. It didn't seem worth making a special setup for something I would have likely only used once.

 

[ColeyG]

With a wide pot and some wire to hold the skull at just the right angle, I can get all but the very top of the skull plate under the water without bleaching the antlers out in the degreasing and whitening phases. When whitening, I soak a rag in the peroxide solution and set it on the exposed part of the skull. This gets it pretty close to as bright as the rest of the skull. I like the cream form of the peroxide in this application also. Slather it on any parts that need a little more whitening until you are happy. The U50 makes pretty quick work of it.

 

[SaltySailor]

i had a pot long and deep enough to fit skull, but the antler beams touched the rim and kept the top half out. I flipped it upside down and boiled the top half when the bottom was done, worked fine, still a pain in the ass though. lots of shims to hold the head at the correct angle.

 

[JPD350]

What about the color on the antlers, it seems as if a lot of the antler will need to be in the water and I really don't want to lose the color cause these are really dark.

I haven't picked the skull up from cargo yet but looking at the pic makes it look like the antler base is way down on the side of the skull

 

[SaltySailor]

I haven't ever noticed a difference in the color on the parts of the actual antler that were in the water.

 

[ColeyG]

I dip antlers and horns in the water when doing the initial boils. Keep them out for degreasing and whitening boils.

You'll get some fat and scum on them from the water during the initial boils but it wipes off easily when warm. I think boiling the antlers and horns actually sort of bakes the color on and makes it more durable. I've taken to dunking ram horns entirely in the water for the initial boils/plain water stages. They pop off quicker that way as well.

 

[AKHUNTER]

I just boiled a moose skull. I kept the base of the antlers out of the water and covered the top of the skull with paper towels to help absorb the warm water. I routinely spooned hot water onto the towels. The non-submerged parts of the skull required me to use a knife to peel away the remaining tissue. Kind of a pain, but it worked. I did not want the antler bases discolored by being submerged. It sounds like others don't mind submerging the bases.

BTW - I cut the side out of an old propane tank and used a dual burner outdoor cooker that has a lot of BTU's for boiling.

 

[wytx]

Use an oblong pot and put some foil over the top of the skull while simmering.
Antlers can be colored naturally if they loose some color.
You can wrap the bases in foil too.

 

[jruff002]

plastic and duct tape antler bases really good, get all the skull you can in boiling water with detergent ONLY but keep antlers outta water, power wash the remainder, then paste on the peroxide like others have noted

 

[Jim2914]

Mine were wrapped in foil.

 

[JPD350]

I got home with the meat and antlers last night so today I will get a good look and see if one of my tubs will work, I'll get a pic up soon.

 

[JPD350]

I guess there is a shortage of galvanized tubs around Abq so I ended up using what I had which was too darn small and it took to darn long. I still may have to find a deeper tub and give it another soaking if I can't get the top of the eye sockets white.
I screwed up and put a few holes in the sinus bones and that center sinus cartilage is a "bone" not a bone on an elk! All in all it was a royal pain in the butt, dang antlers and skull weigh 64 lbs, I just about knocked the water over 3 or 4 times taking them in and out.

Any great suggestions on wood bases for mounting, I am thinking this is the way I may want to go instead of a skull hooker but I could be swayed if there are any awesome ideas.

 

[Catchfish]

My peroxide doesn’t seem to whiten as well as I was hoping. I have the 40 volume in a cream base and a powdered whitener from the hair salon. Not sure if I’m applying correctly but I mix them and paint on. I haven’t bagged the skull is anybody wrapping it or just letting it sit in on a table.

 

[JPD350]

My peroxide doesn’t seem to whiten as well as I was hoping. I have the 40 volume in a cream base and a powdered whitener from the hair salon. Not sure if I’m applying correctly but I mix them and paint on. I haven’t bagged the skull is anybody wrapping it or just letting it sit in on a table.

I buy the 40 volume and a bottle of the liquid 40, first I paint on the liquid one and pour it into the places I can't get a brush in, i'll let it sit for 2 hours then I paint on the 40 volume and let it sit for another two hours then rinse and repeat the 40 volume one or two more times. I use to put it on and wrap it up then let sit all night but not any more, I had read that the peroxide will be used up or severely weakened within a short period so I only let them sit for 2 hours rinse and repeat, the stuff is dirt cheap and I haven't noticed any difference.

I think the degreasing is the most important thing to having a good white skull. After skull is clean I do a good long soak with clean water and Oxiclean powder

After sitting for a day my skull is looking really white! I was a little worried at not being able to get the top of the skull in the pot, like AKHUNTER I used a cotton towel on top of the skull and kept putting the hot water on it.

 

[JPD350]

I brought the antlers inside the house yesterday and my goodness the antlers have that rut stink coming off of them, any ideas on how to neutralize that smell without having to wash the color off? It's not the skull that stinks, definitely the antlers.

 

[cnelk]

Spray with febreze

 

[bigsky2]

I guess there is a shortage of galvanized tubs around Abq so I ended up using what I had which was too darn small and it took to darn long. I still may have to find a deeper tub and give it another soaking if I can't get the top of the eye sockets white.
I screwed up and put a few holes in the sinus bones and that center sinus cartilage is a "bone" not a bone on an elk! All in all it was a royal pain in the butt, dang antlers and skull weigh 64 lbs, I just about knocked the water over 3 or 4 times taking them in and out.

Any great suggestions on wood bases for mounting, I am thinking this is the way I may want to go instead of a skull hooker but I could be swayed if there are any awesome ideas.

I don't like Skull Hookers for bigger species like elk and moose since they stick so far off the wall. I would check out the mounts by Dead On Display USA.

 

[JPD350]

I don't like Skull Hookers for bigger species like elk and moose since they stick so far off the wall. I would check out the mounts by Dead On Display USA.

I'll be getting one of those, it will work for the wall or a plaque!

 

[JBrown1]

JPD350, your cleaned skull came out great!