Deer eating Beetles,Where??????
01-16-2002, 06:03 AM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: erie pa USA
Posts: 509
RE: Deer eating Beetles,Where??????
Cardeer,On another post Kshunter mentioned that some taxidermist have them or they send the rack off somewhere to get it done.Maybe if you know a taxidermist well enough you can find out from him.I have no idea myself.
I usually try to get rid of beetles not buy them.IF you know what I mean.
I usually try to get rid of beetles not buy them.IF you know what I mean.
01-16-2002, 06:52 AM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Northern, VA
Posts: 163
RE: Deer eating Beetles,Where??????
I did three European mounts this year and I used Sodium Carbonate to dissolve the meat on the skull. Here's how it works:
Mix two teaspoons of Sodium Carbonate in a steel container. (You can get this from most taxidermist or check out some of the on-line taxidermy suppliers).
Fill the steel pot with water and emerse the skull up to the base of the antlers. (Do not use a stainless steel pot). Be sure to skin and clean as much meat off the skull as possible.
Boil the skull in this solution for about 4-6hrs, depends on how much meat is on the skull.
After about 4hrs start checking the skull, Usually you can just get a water hose and with a solid stream you can just knock the meat off. Be sure to shoot a stream inside the skull cavity to get the brains out.
Note: After you pour out the solution be sure to check for teeth that may have fallen out. These can easily be super-glued back in the upper jaw.
After you get all the meat off the skull, soak it in peroxide for a couple of days. BE SURE TO NOT LET THE PEROXIDE TOUCH THE ANTLERS! I soaked a rag with peroxide and layed it across the top of the skull.
Nezt, Dry the skull in a ventilated area and do not let direct sun-light touch the skull. You will be surprised how quickly the sun will bleach the antlers.
The last step is to spray the skull & antlers with Polyurethane to keep it from drying out.
One of the deer I did was with an 8ptr. I mounted the skull on some old barn boards and it looks pretty cool! It's also a lot cheaper than a standard mount.
Also, a taxidermist will charge you on average $150 for this euro mount process.
Mix two teaspoons of Sodium Carbonate in a steel container. (You can get this from most taxidermist or check out some of the on-line taxidermy suppliers).
Fill the steel pot with water and emerse the skull up to the base of the antlers. (Do not use a stainless steel pot). Be sure to skin and clean as much meat off the skull as possible.
Boil the skull in this solution for about 4-6hrs, depends on how much meat is on the skull.
After about 4hrs start checking the skull, Usually you can just get a water hose and with a solid stream you can just knock the meat off. Be sure to shoot a stream inside the skull cavity to get the brains out.
Note: After you pour out the solution be sure to check for teeth that may have fallen out. These can easily be super-glued back in the upper jaw.
After you get all the meat off the skull, soak it in peroxide for a couple of days. BE SURE TO NOT LET THE PEROXIDE TOUCH THE ANTLERS! I soaked a rag with peroxide and layed it across the top of the skull.
Nezt, Dry the skull in a ventilated area and do not let direct sun-light touch the skull. You will be surprised how quickly the sun will bleach the antlers.
The last step is to spray the skull & antlers with Polyurethane to keep it from drying out.
One of the deer I did was with an 8ptr. I mounted the skull on some old barn boards and it looks pretty cool! It's also a lot cheaper than a standard mount.
Also, a taxidermist will charge you on average $150 for this euro mount process.
01-16-2002, 08:43 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 555
01-16-2002, 11:22 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
RE: Deer eating Beetles,Where??????
Cardeer
Go to a taxidermist shop and buy some Sal-Soda. It is a powder that you mix with water and it will eat off all the meat off the skull (boiling). (Assuming you skun and cleaned it fairly well beforehand). It works great and only takes about 20 minutes. It's very cheap too. I think I paid about $10 for about 5lbs of it. And it only takes about 1 cup to do a skull. I've done a few and they came out great. Make sure to do it outside though because of the smell. Also try not to let the antlers get down in the pot as it will bleach the color out of them as well.
Go to a taxidermist shop and buy some Sal-Soda. It is a powder that you mix with water and it will eat off all the meat off the skull (boiling). (Assuming you skun and cleaned it fairly well beforehand). It works great and only takes about 20 minutes. It's very cheap too. I think I paid about $10 for about 5lbs of it. And it only takes about 1 cup to do a skull. I've done a few and they came out great. Make sure to do it outside though because of the smell. Also try not to let the antlers get down in the pot as it will bleach the color out of them as well.
