How to do a European Mount. . . Maceration.

[JoeVon]

I'm not trying to jack your thread either, I find it very informative.   Also, I just ran out and looked at the tote of peroxide and it is 35%, smarty pants.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Water Treatment.   Call it overkill, but i've never had to soak skulls in water prior to peroxide...

The water isn't a treatment.  Water is used to remove the flesh and membrane from the skull.  Prior to degreasing and whitening.

[huntnphool]

Okay Michelle I thought it would be easier to show you a pic. How do I get these cracks, nasal cavity and teeth clean from this point?

[Michelle_Nelson]

I pulled the Skull out today (December 15th) to check on it's progress.  This is what it looked like right out of the bucket of water.









I spent approximately 3 minutes pulling off the loose flesh from the bone.  Most of the flesh, membrane and tendons should just fall off the skull.  It is important not to force the flesh removal. 

I did not remove the nose cartilage at this point because it is not ready.  Do not try to pull it out because it will more than likely break off and than it is a pain to get the rest out.

This is what the skull looked like when I got done pulling off the meat that was ready.









At this point it is time to 'freshen up" the Broth.  Dump out 1/4 of the water in the 5 gallon bucket and refill it with warm (over 90 degrees) water.  Replace the skull, thermometer, and Fish Tank Heater.  You will leave the skull in this water for another week.

*Broth is a word used to describe the water in the 5 gallon bucket once the skull has started macerating.  The broth is nothing but a bacteria soup.

The reason we dump out 1/4 of the water and replace it with fresh warm (over 90 degrees) water is to improve bacterial activity.  Bacteria is what is cleaning the skull.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Okay Michelle I thought it would be easier to show you a pic. How do I get these cracks, nasal cavity and teeth clean from this point?

The way I have done it in the past is Macerate it.  Get a 5 gallon bucket fill it with water and put the skull in it with a heater.  Than drop in about a 1/4 lbs piece of meat or some scraps off another skull.  The meat will get the bacteria activated.  One week should do the trick with your skull. 

[huntnphool]

Thanks Michelle

[smurfer643]

When I was a kid my dad would find skulls from various animals in the woods and he never did all this. He left in near ant hill or in the path of a line of them and they stripped it clean. Is there a down side to this if you want to mount it?

[PolarBear]

Sal soda in plain water will loosen meat and get rid of those hard to reach spots as well as bleaching a little bit.  I've soaked heads in sal soda for a week or two and then hit them (carefully) with a pressure washer and the meat comes right off.

[grizzlygibbs]

this is a neat way to do it, a little longer, but if you dont have a whole afternoon a lot cleaner!  So are you done yet Michelle?

[Michelle_Nelson]

Nope.  Has atleast 1 more week in the broth.

[Jason]

this is a neat way to do it, a little longer, but if you dont have a whole afternoon a lot cleaner!  So are you done yet Michelle?

 

Quality work takes time!!

[Schmalzfam]

Has anyone heard of using beetles for this process?

[rougheye]

Guy down the street has beetles , he charges 100 bucks i think for a european with no plack

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yes, Beatles and maceration are IMO the only 2 safe methods to clean a skull.

[bucklucky]

Great post Mich! Im just glad I cant smell the pictures 

I know , it doesnt smell right