How to do a European Mount. . . Maceration.

[Pathfinder101]

Probably not bad luck Mich, more like lack of attention to detail.  You are probably right, that first heater killed my whole operation, but with the second heater, it seemed like the water was pretty warm.  I don't know, maybe not warm enough..   There were still chunks of fat clinging to the underside of the skull that I had to pick out around the earholes. 
THe two bear skulls I had in the same soup both came out nicely, and only required a little scrubbing with a toothbrush to finish.  I did have an interesting game of mix and match trying to put the bear teeth back in.  Both skulls were just about exactly the same size...
Thanks for all the advice.     I am sure that the buddy I did these for is going to be a happy camper.  I think I am going to deliver them tomorrow..

[Michelle_Nelson]

You forgot to degease the Bear Skulls.  Did you whiten them already?  If so can't you see the grease leaching out of the skulls?

[bobcat]

I think when I need a skull done I'll just pay Michelle to do it.  I don't have the patience for that.

[whacker1]

I think when I need a skull done I'll just pay Michelle to do it.  I don't have the patience for that.

 

[Skyvalhunter]

 

[grundy53]

I'm planning on making a batch of stinks skull soup next year. I have fallen in love with euro's.

[Pathfinder101]

You forgot to degease the Bear Skulls.  Did you whiten them already?  If so can't you see the grease leaching out of the skulls?

No, I degreased them.  I put them in a bucket with dawn while I was in Ohio at the National Finals Shooting  Match.  Was only supposed to be 4 days but we got snowed in at the Cleveland Airport, so it wound up being over a week.  

Here's a picture of mine.  My buddies' deer and bear are in the truck, but I'll get a pic of them before I deliver them.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yeah look at the back of your Bear Skull and on the underside.  See where it looks wet?  Thats grease.  It takes months to degrease a Bear Skull. 

[Pathfinder101]

Yeah look at the back of your Bear Skull and on the underside.  See where it looks wet?  Thats grease.  It takes months to degrease a Bear Skull. 

Oh, didn't know it had to degrease for so long.  It's not doing it yet.  Oh well...if it starts leakin' I'll just hang it up higher on the wall...

[sdwwaverider]

I have 3 deer & 2 elk done with the maceration. Now I will degrease them, does the tank heater still need to be used while degreasing?

[bucklucky]

I have 3 deer & 2 elk done with the maceration. Now I will degrease them, does the tank heater still need to be used while degreasing?

Yes.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Yes

[sdwwaverider]

Thanks! BTW very informative thread. This is the kind of thing I love about Hunting-WA.

[rebal69972]

Thanks! BTW very informative thread. This is the kind of thing I love about Hunting-WA.

[grundy53]

Michelle, I screwed up! So I've been wanting to try this for some time. So I decided to try it with the little raghorn bull I shot last week. I skinned the head out and cut off the neck meat and then put it in a tub of water and turned on the aquarium heater. Well tonight I was thinking about it and decided to re-read this post. Yeah I should have re-read it first. I failed to cut out the eyes, remove the brains, while I did cut off the neck me I didn't remove the facial muscles. My question to you is. How bad did I screw up? will it eventually work but just take longer or do I have to take it out (it's already fairly ripe  ) and remove the eyes and brains, etc...? Thanks for the help.