How to do a European Mount. . . Maceration.

[JPhelps]

I tried the fly larva and wait method    I about puked.  I had maggots crawling on me and the meat and brains turned into a grey mush.  Worst part is I have to do it one more time    I cut my finger while doing it.  I was sure I would die. 

I also had to wash everything 10 times.  The worst part was when I was hanging them back in the tree some of the sweet smellin' juice ended up in my hair.

[kentrek]

this seems like a pretty gross way to do a euro mount..

[JPhelps]

this seems like a pretty gross way to do a euro mount..

Agreed!

[sirmissalot]

It's really not that bad if you do it right. I've had beetles before and they stink too.

Grundy have you stuck a thermometer in to see what the temp is? It goes way faster at 90 degrees or so. I usually use a couple big fish tank heaters on their highest setting.

[kentrek]

idk.. saw above the ear below the eye an the to the corner of the lip..remove meat..boil half hour ish..spray paint bone white.. like an hours worth of work tops an no smelly tub of water hanging out in the garrage for a few weeks ??

idk i have a bull i might try this out with..at my brothers house 

end results look pretty good tho 

[Lenvw]

Son of a batch of cookies!!! I'm about five days in, and my gag reflexes have never had a workout like this before. That gets rank! Anyways, I actually wanted to ask, after the maceration, I degrease first and then peroxide, am I right? Also how long roughly for each step? And also would I be able to use hydrogen dioxide instead of peroxide?

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yes.  After it macerates you will degrease it and than whiten it.  I use dawn dish soap and water 1 tbls per gallon of water.  Chage every 2 to 3 days.  How long depends on the amount of grease in the skull.

I don;t know anything about hydrogen dioxide.  So I'd say don't use it. 

[crazysccrmd]

I did one this year to try it out. I just boiled it for a couple hours in a mix of baking soda and water, sprayed it off with high pressure garden hose nozzle and then soaked it in hydrogen peroxide for a day or two. Not as professional looking but faster and not quite as gross.

[Lenvw]

Ok, thanks for the info Michelle. So did you ever manage to get pics of the rest of the process?
Nice skull crazysccrmd, last time I boiled a skull, I cracked off the nosebones just like yours, and I want to keep those on this time.

[boneaddict]

I am waiting for my neighbor to piss me off again, then the stinky thing goes into the pot.  Next to his place of course.

[rock]

We had 2 deer skulls and we left them outside all winter and beginning of summer, then in August we put each in a 5 gallon bucket and left them outside in the heat, all the skin fell off within a week.  Is there anything I should watch out for? Like rotting or pieces falling off?

[Pathfinder101]

Ok, thanks for the info Michelle. So did you ever manage to get pics of the rest of the process?
Nice skull crazysccrmd, last time I boiled a skull, I cracked off the nosebones just like yours, and I want to keep those on this time.

Nosebones usually fall off if you overboil it.  If you macerate they won't, but they also stay intact if you don't overboil.  I have found that a good rolling boil for 2-3 hours will take everything off that you need it to (yes, you still have to do some "picking") without the bones falling apart.  For bleaching I go to the local beauty supply store and buy Salon Care 50 Volume Creme.  It comes in sort of a gooey cream/paste that sticks well to the bone and is easy to apply.  They were a little reluctant to sell it to me (they are only supposed to sell it to licensed beauticians) but when I told them that I wasn't putting it on my head and that I was just bleaching bones with it they let me buy a couple of bottles.  I have found a bottle will do two skulls with some to spare. 

[Lenvw]

Alright, so my skulls been soaking at around 85 degrees for six days, and I haven't pulled it out to check it yet, should I be checking it every couple days? Also, when some scum forms on top, do I just freshen up the water, or completely replace it?

[fishngamereaper]

I feel sorry for you guys..I used to do mounts this way, got tired of the mess. Now I just buy Mountain Mikes reproduction skulls. Easy, clean and no bad smelly....

[Bean Counter]

I feel sorry for you guys..I used to do mounts this way, got tired of the mess. Now I just buy Mountain Mikes reproduction skulls. Easy, clean and no bad smelly....

Can you post up a few pics of how your mounts have turned up? Thanks.