Do what Jimbo said.

I have boiled it and sometimes just leave it soak in salt/water overnight to remove the final bit of meat/hair. I will soak it in a bleach/water solution overnight and then let it dry(just keep the antlers out of the bleach) for skull cap mount. You really don't need a bleached white cap if covering it with a mounting kit or fabric, just have to make sure the hide and meat is removed so it won't rot and smell over time.

Congrats on your first buck!!

cutting the top of the skull off with antler's attatched is a "skull plate"

OUTSIDE- for sure, smell is deffinatly "odd", I did mine outside and when wife smelt it she told me good thing i was, other wise we'd (skull n me) would be outside-[]--and its cold outside--

i had it in salt but i dont think i like it so i wanna boil it but im curious is there a chance it might melt? ive never heated up antlers before and im picturing it like putting plastic in and then my antler melting down the sides of the pot while its not a huge rack its my 1st so im attached to it and i dont wanna ruin it so any info ya`ll can give me on the boiling it would be great
thanks,sean

no the horns will not mely, boil it for a while and check the softness with pliers, the ant thing works when its not winter

i got the hair and everything off theres just some small portions of meat will the boiling just make it all fall off? thanks,sean

Ranger, the boiling will do the trick and not effect the antlers. Try and keep them out of the water though so it doesn't fade them, you can wrap them in alum. foil as a precaution measure. Just bring & keep the water at a gentle boil, it will cook the meat off of the skull or at the very least will allow you to pull it off.

Boil in water with a little dawn dish soap as will. Helps with the smell. Keep checking the horns every 15 minutes or so after I'd say the first 30-45 minutes.

How do you get right up under the antler bur w/o letting the antlers get in the water?