european mount question
 

i shot a deer last fall and when the grounf thawed i buried the whole head, antlers and all, i am going to dig it up today, i bought 5 bottles of 3% peroxide from the dollar store and wondering if this is strong enough to soak the skull in to get it white, after i get it white to i doanything else to preserve it or finish it? never done this before. any help is appreciated

The 3 percent wont be strong enough to get it completely white. Go to a beauty supply store like SAlly Beauty supply and get 40% peroxide. This will bleech it white overnight. Good luck and post some pictures if you can

do i just soak it or what and how do i finish it??

3% is plenty strong enough! Don't waste your money on expensive, dangerous peroxide when the cheap Walmart stuff does the exact same thing. Wrap the skull in peroxide soaked rags, then cover with plastic to prevent from drying out. Give it about a week. However, because the skull has been in the dirt for so long it will be stained and it isn't ready for whitening yet. Try a long soak in water/soap and see if that pulls some dirt out.

so i just soak it in soap and water? like a week or how long? do i have to scrub it? do i clean with borax and water too ( i heard you do this to clean it well)? i haven't dug it up yet, but do you think there will be an meat left on or in it? then i wrap with the 3% peroxide soaked rags and saran wrap? can i just soak in a pail, or will it do a better job, i have 5 bottles i picked up for a buck at the dollar store. i have never done or seen this before, any help will be appreciated.

european trophy preperation.
 

Hi,
I read that you buried your deer skull and antlers in the ground,was this done to let the skin and flesh rot off the trophy.
Over here in england we do it a different way,if we are just going to skull it,i put a big dixie on a gas ring and bring the water to the boil,i then add 2 handfulls of washing soda and put the head in with the skin and flesh still on it.After about 30 minutes i take it out and start cutting the skin off it,this comes off pretty easy,i then put it back in the dixie for another 30 minutes,checking to see how the flesh is looking, and is it ready for the last of the flesh to be taken off.Once the skull is free from flesh,remove the bottom jaw,and then lay the skull on its side and with a sharp handsaw cut throughthe skull just below the eye cavity and carry on right to the end of its nose.This is called the long nose trophy,i think it looks better than a short cut nose.After boiling it will be fairly white,but to make it really white,i use white acrylic primer in a spray can this really looks great,this is what the english taxidermists use,the antlers all i do to them is to mix boiled linseed oil mixed with a small amount of turpentine,apply it with a rag to the colour required.
The last job is to fill the open part of the skull with plaster of paris,select where to drill hole through trophy shield,marking the plasterfix raw plug in plaster and screw skull to shield.
I hope the above will be helpfull for you.
regards,
Chinese Water Deer.

European skull mounts


In my shop I use 35% peroxide. First take off most of the meat and brains, cover the skull not the horns with the peroxide, use rags around the base of the horns so the peroxide can leech up to the underside of the burr. After a week or two (depends on how well you cleaned it) rinse it in dawn dish detergent and water till it comes out clean, place it in the sun to dry. If it is the way you want it, then cover it with modge-podge high gloss and it will be sealed and stay clean forever. If you used bleach the modge-podge will seal the skull and stop the flaking that can go on forever. You can put the skull back into the peroxide as many times as you like, but if you notice the skull is falling apart take it out, you have left it in too long. You will have to glue the teeth into the skull. Never use bleach because it will continue to breakdown the bone forever. We do not boil the skull as most of the time it will fall apart if kept in too long. To restore the color to the horns, use Potassium Permanganate available from Research Mannikins or Jonas Bros Co.

Rich

It really don't matter what type of peroxide you use or how long you soak it for if you don't degrease it. It will yellow over time.

how do you suggest degraseing it??

I do the same as RG, except I degrease the skull ( Coleman Lantern Fuel or Taxidermy degreaser)then I use the 40% peroxide and mix with Whiting ( both can be purchased at Sally's Beauty Supply), and make a paste. I spread this over the entire skull and place it in the sun to dry. After all is dry ( about 1 day), I wash all the paste off and dry the skull and seal it with clear matte sealer.