Cold Water Maceration

[chukar hunter]

Anybody tried or have any luck with cold water maceration?  I've read articles online between warm and cold water methods and both seem to work fine, just cold water takes longer.  I've got a big bull skull that I'm trying it out on and want any helpful methods for a euro.  Time is not an issue for me. 

[bugs n bones]

You need heat to do it properly

[chukar hunter]

Will cold water work?  What's the drawbacks besides speed? 

Only thing I could find to fit the skull was a 45 gallon plastic tote.  Recommend a heat source?  I've heard fishtank heaters, with mixed results. 

I dreading trying to degrease that thing, is going to be $$$$!

[Pygmy]

I've always used cold water.   Works great.  About two weeks for deer, elk and bear skulls.  Pulled periodically to pick the yuck off.  Brief boil, final pick of tiny danglies and 35% peroxide bath for @8hrs.

[bugs n bones]

 

[Jason]

Cold water is how I do it. Works good, I put the skull in a plastic box and fill it up to its eye sockets with water, then slip a garbage bag over it to keep the moisture in. If its a deer or elk I also put another black garbage bag over the antlers. I put it out back away from the house under my pine tree and then its ready in 2-4 months.

[pat2bear]

Only done a few myself but heat definitely speeds up the process and gets it cleaner. It's summer time so you could get away with just leaving it outside in the heat. But as it gets cooler I used a fish tank heater.

[chukar hunter]

Only done a few myself but heat definitely speeds up the process and gets it cleaner. It's summer time so you could get away with just leaving it outside in the heat. But as it gets cooler I used a fish tank heater.

That's exactly what I've done, using the solar heat gain to my benefit

Anyone use a paste or rub with peroxide in lieu of submersing and/or boiling?  Given the volume of the container I'm using for the maceration, submersing is out of the question. 

[Pygmy]

Cold water is how I do it. Works good, I put the skull in a plastic box and fill it up to its eye sockets with water, then slip a garbage bag over it to keep the moisture in. If its a deer or elk I also put another black garbage bag over the antlers. I put it out back away from the house under my pine tree and then its ready in 2-4 months.

That's a great looking rack!  Nice work.