How to do a European Mount. . . Maceration.

[Michelle_Nelson]

You mean electrical tape on my skulls?  That is Electrical Tape over 2 or 3 layers of a strip of paper towel so the glue doesn't get on the skull.  Mostly I use it on young animals and a few areas on other animals to keep the mseam together while the final drying.  Not that the seams seperate a great deal I just prefer it.

During maceration most of the teeth on Bear and only a few on deer will fall out.  I only replace the teeth after the skull is completely dry.  Never had a problem with them flling right into place.

I hope that after Elk Season I will be able to start a new Maceration thread from start to finnish.  I got busy in the middle of doing this one and never finnished in.  I will more than likely be doing a Bear Skull.

[elkaholic]

grizz looking at vandykes thank you. has started smelling bad.. weather has been cool and now raining in spokane.

[grizzlygibbs]

Hey guys and gals, so I am macerating a couple buck heads right now.  Started the last week of general season so about a month ago.  I have been dumping half the water and replacing with new every two weeks.  One head that had about a week head start is almost complete but all the joints where the bones meet are loose.  Even the top plate where the skull comes together.  So my question is will it always be loose after its completed?  the nasal bones are all in tact and have not fallen out but all the teeth and the bones near where the nose would be are very loose.  Should I be worried?  I don't want to ruin my buddies trophies.

[Michelle_Nelson]

No, no don't be worried.  That is completely normal.  That is how you know ALL the meat and soft tissue are cleaned away.  Just remember superglue fixes everything.  Seriously.  After the skull has been whitened you will tape it so all the bones dry together and than a little bead of super glue will hold them.  I have one right now that is taped I will take a pic for you later and post it.

Has the nose cartlige fallen out on it's own yet?  Do you have a fish tank heater in the water with the skull?  It makes a world of diference.  For maceration I like the water to be between 80 and 90 degrees.

[Michelle_Nelson]

FYI.. . . . I am waiting for a member to drop off a bear and than I will start a new thread on Maceration from start to finnish.  I never got a chance to finnish this one.

For all those wanting to do a follow along make sure you have everything on the supply list on page 1.  No you don't have to use the exact same fish tank heater but it is the one I have found works the best.  I bought it at PetCo or PetSmart.

I hope to start this new thread in a week or 2.  YES you can use other skulls.  Your not limited to Bear Skull even though that is what I am going to be doing.

[grizzlygibbs]

Yes i actually have 2 200 watt heaters in there but I do not have a thermometor.  I have probably 8 or 9 gallons of water in a 55 gallon brute garbage can with 2 skulls macerating at the same time.  it is outside with the lid on so there has been no evaporation. Thanks for the reply michelle, Will I need to superglue all the joints where the bones come together or only where bones fall out?  No the nasal bones have not yet fallen out.  

[KNOPHISH]

Does the heater just speed things up & can it work with no heater just taking longer time?

[Michelle_Nelson]

I just glue the sections of bone that are loose.  Such as teeth, you will be able to tell.

Yes the heater just speeds things up. It will work without but it will take a LOT longer.

[Todd_ID]

Ok, so I figured I could do this as well as the next clown, so I decided to do my Kansas buck this way.  Let me tell you.....it takes only 4 beers to get past step one of skinning the skull.  The brains part was another 2 drinks.  I really can't remember anything not sexual related that was more disgusting than removing brains from a skull.  Thankfully, once the brains are out it's ready for the bucket.  I got a 200 watt aquarium heater from WalMart today that should work fine.  I covered the top of the bucket in aluminum foil for evaporation and wrapped R-10 insulation around the bucket to help with the cold.  I'll be able to check it in a couple weeks to see how it's doing.  I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[Michelle_Nelson]

On deer sometimes it will take 2 - 3 weeks for the center nose cartlige to fall out.  Don't force it or it will break off, it should practically fall out on it's own.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Here is my next project for the maceration tank.  The smell wasn't pretty.  Probably a pound of maggots on the skull.





Well I got most of the maggots.  Went out this morning and they had taken reffuge on the antler burrs.  Atleast the ones that hadn't drowned.

[royalbull]

I hope you are charging this person double

[bucklucky]

I'll stick to beattles, thats gross 

[huntnphool]

 

[Michelle_Nelson]

LOL, not charging the guy double.  The skull will hopefully clean faster and I can get another skull in the tank started.  Doesn't even come close to grosing me out.  Hubby wanted absolutly no part of being around it. 

Though my husband made chicken, steamed veggies, and rice for dinner.  I made the coment did this rice come off the skull I just got done with.  It was almost enough to ruin dinner for him.