deer skulls
12-09-2004, 06:37 AM
#2
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Bowling Green, KY
Posts: 295
RE: deer skulls
Heard about beetles? i've never tried them. There was a thread on here at one time about the European Mount and it had a link to a website. I'll try and find it. It worked this year for me. All you need is fire and water in a large kettle.I used a 55 gal drum cut down.
12-19-2004, 12:39 AM
#4
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Central KY
Posts: 49
RE: deer skulls
Just last year I shot an 8 pointer, but it was a little small for a shoulder mount, so I saved the head (with skin) until spring in the freezer. Then I hung it off the roof of the house (could not be seen by passers-by). My wife was not happy about that at all, but I wanted a way to observe the changes without worrying about dogs or something getting into it. Around late July I took it down and bought a large pot (calderon, Wal-Mart $12) and boiled the skull to get remains off. I didn't bleach the skull like most people do because I wanted the more natural off-white color to accentuate the cracks and crevices of the skull. Also the bleaching agents eat away at the bone making the bone structures between the eyes and nose even more fragile than they already are.
Then I bought an oak plaque specifically made for skull mounts. It cost 25 bucks (www.vandykestaxidermy.com, item # BL-106797). Then I ran heavy fishing line through the holes in back of skull to make a loop that extended over the back of the oak base and hung it from a small nail that I attached to the back of the base. My thinking here was so that I could take it off with ease and because the suggested way to mount it involved running a screw through the inside base of skull. I didn't feel comfortable with that, so I opted to the fishing line thing.
ONE DRAWBACK TO "Letting Nature Take Its Course" - The antlers were sun bleached. I did not want that, but live and learn. I figure if I do it again, I can cover the antlers in something to prevent this from happening.
I read a thread about beetles on here last year. Sounded like it would work, but seemed a bit exotic to me. I also read about a guy that skinned out head, removed as much as possible after that, and then placed the skull in the fridge in a large pot of water. He changed the water every so often. After about three or four changes of water, he boiled and removed remains. I can not recall how long it took him, but I know it was quicker than what I did. Wanting to say it took him about 3-4 weeks. I've also read of people skinning out skul and boiling repeatedly until all remains are removed.
Then I bought an oak plaque specifically made for skull mounts. It cost 25 bucks (www.vandykestaxidermy.com, item # BL-106797). Then I ran heavy fishing line through the holes in back of skull to make a loop that extended over the back of the oak base and hung it from a small nail that I attached to the back of the base. My thinking here was so that I could take it off with ease and because the suggested way to mount it involved running a screw through the inside base of skull. I didn't feel comfortable with that, so I opted to the fishing line thing.
ONE DRAWBACK TO "Letting Nature Take Its Course" - The antlers were sun bleached. I did not want that, but live and learn. I figure if I do it again, I can cover the antlers in something to prevent this from happening.
I read a thread about beetles on here last year. Sounded like it would work, but seemed a bit exotic to me. I also read about a guy that skinned out head, removed as much as possible after that, and then placed the skull in the fridge in a large pot of water. He changed the water every so often. After about three or four changes of water, he boiled and removed remains. I can not recall how long it took him, but I know it was quicker than what I did. Wanting to say it took him about 3-4 weeks. I've also read of people skinning out skul and boiling repeatedly until all remains are removed.
12-21-2004, 09:06 AM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Anchorage,Alaska
Posts: 512
RE: deer skulls
Here is a link to the Beetle works. This guy has done several projects for me. I will suggest that you NEVER go there in person. The place has a stench that would gag a maggot.
http://www.treasurestate.com/beetleworks/
Here is a Bear he did a few years ago.
http://www.treasurestate.com/beetleworks/
Here is a Bear he did a few years ago.
12-21-2004, 06:14 PM
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: La Grange, TX
Posts: 324
RE: deer skulls
Beetles work really well but have their downfalls. Send it off if you want beetles. I've seen a bit here and there mentioned on boiling. It definitely has its negatives. Its quick, but it also opens the pours, liquifies the fat and allows it to penetrate deep into the bones. Leaving a rancid smell a lot of the time later on. And a yellow stain you cannot get out. You can only color over.
One of the preferred ways to do skulls for museum quality work(besides beetles) is to simply rot the meat off in a bucket of water. I wait till its hot out in the summer. Keep changing water every other day and it'll be clean in a week or two. Little chance of bleaching the color off the antlers that way. Its a stinky job though. And don't let water develop a stain to it as it'll get in the bone permanently.
Once rotted off I rinse and let dry for a few days in the sun and then soak in a 50% bleach/water mix for 2 hours to eat away any excess cartilage. No longer or it attacks bone and antlers. Keep antlers out of the mix.
Then rinse really well, let dry a few days. And use hair bleach on the skull. Hair bleach has to have heat to activate it but it does a really good job. 1-3 coats, rinsing and drying between will usually have it really white. I use a heat lamp type setup to activate the paste bleach.
Other methods may work, but besides beetles this is the only way I am aware of that produces a white skull, no loss of antler stain, and no chance of yellowing or rancid smell later on. And no need to use any type of paint etc..... to get really clean looking(whiter).
Should add that a good way to attach skulls to backboards is to run a few sheet rock screws into the panel from the front where the first vertabrae goes into the skull. So that they go into the brain cavity. Play with it a bit. Then just mix up bondo, and put a good size dollop(highly technical term used to quantify an amount....) into the brain cavity and smear some around on the screws, heads, and a bit on the board. Set skull down and let harden. Its almost impossible for it to come off that way and very easy way to attach them. The heads form a reverse footing and its pretty solid.
Best, Jeff
One of the preferred ways to do skulls for museum quality work(besides beetles) is to simply rot the meat off in a bucket of water. I wait till its hot out in the summer. Keep changing water every other day and it'll be clean in a week or two. Little chance of bleaching the color off the antlers that way. Its a stinky job though. And don't let water develop a stain to it as it'll get in the bone permanently.
Once rotted off I rinse and let dry for a few days in the sun and then soak in a 50% bleach/water mix for 2 hours to eat away any excess cartilage. No longer or it attacks bone and antlers. Keep antlers out of the mix.
Then rinse really well, let dry a few days. And use hair bleach on the skull. Hair bleach has to have heat to activate it but it does a really good job. 1-3 coats, rinsing and drying between will usually have it really white. I use a heat lamp type setup to activate the paste bleach.
Other methods may work, but besides beetles this is the only way I am aware of that produces a white skull, no loss of antler stain, and no chance of yellowing or rancid smell later on. And no need to use any type of paint etc..... to get really clean looking(whiter).
Should add that a good way to attach skulls to backboards is to run a few sheet rock screws into the panel from the front where the first vertabrae goes into the skull. So that they go into the brain cavity. Play with it a bit. Then just mix up bondo, and put a good size dollop(highly technical term used to quantify an amount....) into the brain cavity and smear some around on the screws, heads, and a bit on the board. Set skull down and let harden. Its almost impossible for it to come off that way and very easy way to attach them. The heads form a reverse footing and its pretty solid.
Best, Jeff
12-21-2004, 07:46 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: deer skulls
I've seen a bit here and there mentioned on boiling. It definitely has its negatives. Its quick, but it also opens the pours, liquifies the fat and allows it to penetrate deep into the bones. Leaving a rancid smell a lot of the time later on. And a yellow stain you cannot get out. You can only color over.
first off your first boil is in water with dish detergent mixed in, the detergent cuts all the grease. the second boil is with peroxide which turns the skull a powdery bone white. Bleach will deteriorate bone, I dont recomend using it.
Other methods may work, but besides beetles this is the only way I am aware of that produces a white skull, no loss of antler stain, and no chance of yellowing or rancid smell later on. And no need to use any type of paint etc..... to get really clean looking(whiter).
12-22-2004, 06:19 AM
#9
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: La Grange, TX
Posts: 324
RE: deer skulls
Detergent cannot cut all grease. It'll bite you sooner or later. Even if you can't see it or smell it, its there if you've boiled a skull. Having been in the business for over 20 years its just a fact that it'll get cha when you least expect or need it too. Museums I've done work for will specify no boiling due to the above and will not accept any work that has been boiled.
As to the peroxide paste, if you will have looked I mentioned hair bleach. Thats exactly what peroxide paste is. Its called skull bleach and a few other things in catalogs. Its cheap through a local hair styler and very easy to use. Plus you can get it strong, weak or in between from a hair salon. In fact what is often not mentioned with the peroxide paste is that you need to heat it also to have it work better than just sitting there.
Jeff
As to the peroxide paste, if you will have looked I mentioned hair bleach. Thats exactly what peroxide paste is. Its called skull bleach and a few other things in catalogs. Its cheap through a local hair styler and very easy to use. Plus you can get it strong, weak or in between from a hair salon. In fact what is often not mentioned with the peroxide paste is that you need to heat it also to have it work better than just sitting there.
Jeff
12-22-2004, 05:24 PM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: deer skulls
Detergent cannot cut all grease. It'll bite you sooner or later. Even if you can't see it or smell it, its there if you've boiled a skull
I dunno but I have a dozen or so heads I have done this way in my house, from Hog to deer to javeline and they all look very very good ! I'm smelling one right now and it actually smells fresh.
