European mount techniques

[MagKarl]

How well does masceration work this time of year with no heater?  I was thinking I'd try soaking a deer skull in a black 5 gallon bucket, hoping the black bucket might get warmed by the sun each day. 

[Tbar]

I believe maceration works best if you keep a constant temp of 90-100.

[stevemiller]

I was thinking about this edition of monster quest I saw.If this is true I would think burying it might be slowing the process.  there is a video. monster quest bigfoot skunkape deer decomposition time lapse.

[Band]

Status update:  I dug a hole in the back yard 2 months ago, lined it with sand, put in the skull, and covered the skull with more sand so only he antlers are sticking out of the ground.  To protect from mice, raccoons, opossum, and such I covered the whole thing with a wheelbarrow.  It has been a bit stinky in the area and there has been a constant swarm of bees for weeks, and I mean A LOT of bees.  I'm hoping the swarm subsides by the first of November because that's when I want to take my first peek under the wheelbarrow.

[blindluck]

You could drop the head in a bucket of water with an aquarium heater and put a garbage can upside down over it like you are doing with the wheel borrow and it would be done in a week.

[MagKarl]

I have been experimenting with the cold water maceration technique for the last month or so.  I have been hanging a black 5 gallon bucket in the trees so that nothing will mess with it.  I'm not using a heater, just the summer weather.  It's probably been about 5 weeks now.  I check on it and top off the water about twice a week.  Internet info is all over the map about how long it should take, and what to do with the water/soup.  I just checked it last night and it's getting close to losing all the fleshy stuff.  I'm trying to resist pulling it off and let it fall off by itself.  Some teeth are loose but none have fallen out yet.  It's a little stinky but not that bad now.

[Jonathan_S]

I believe maceration works best if you keep a constant temp of 90-100.

10 days in a white bucket in ambient temperature did it for me.  Bacteria is pretty persistent.  It doesn't need any help 

[lamrith]

Status update:  I dug a hole in the back yard 2 months ago, lined it with sand, put in the skull, and covered the skull with more sand so only he antlers are sticking out of the ground.  To protect from mice, raccoons, opossum, and such I covered the whole thing with a wheelbarrow.  It has been a bit stinky in the area and there has been a constant swarm of bees for weeks, and I mean A LOT of bees.  I'm hoping the swarm subsides by the first of November because that's when I want to take my first peek under the wheelbarrow.

Chances are the bees made a nest under the wheel barrow so I would not mess with it at this point!  Can you tell if they are bees or maybe Yellow Jackets?  Yellow Jackets love meat and are nasty when bothered.

Look forward to seeing your results though!

[Band]

Status update:  I dug a hole in the back yard 2 months ago, lined it with sand, put in the skull, and covered the skull with more sand so only he antlers are sticking out of the ground.  To protect from mice, raccoons, opossum, and such I covered the whole thing with a wheelbarrow.  It has been a bit stinky in the area and there has been a constant swarm of bees for weeks, and I mean A LOT of bees.  I'm hoping the swarm subsides by the first of November because that's when I want to take my first peek under the wheelbarrow.

Chances are the bees made a nest under the wheel barrow so I would not mess with it at this point!  Can you tell if they are bees or maybe Yellow Jackets?  Yellow Jackets love meat and are nasty when bothered.

Look forward to seeing your results though!

I didn't consider that there may be a nest under the wheelbarrow but I know there has to be one somewhere very close to the skull.  There are yellow jackets and at least one other variety of bee as well, maybe two.  I put up a trap yesterday to try to kill some of them so I can maybe venture in a little closer for a look.

[Bean Counter]

I've tried the dirt and forget it method but the fastest method is the bucket of water, someplace away from the house.  Further the better. Secure the antlers in a way so nothing can chew on them run off with them like a yote or neighborhood dog  and refill the water or address when needed.  It's much faster but very stinky

[Band]

I emptied the dead bees and refreshed one trap this morning with more sugar water and watermelon and already have some new visitors.

[Band]

And I put this trap out yesterday afternoon.  What can I say, bees love watermelon.

[Johnb317]

Those are yellow jackets, not bees.
Yellow jackets will visit your bbq, bees visit flowers.

[Band]

Those are yellow jackets, not bees.
Yellow jackets will visit your bbq, bees visit flowers.

Since I am dealing with more than one species, you'll have to excuse my generized term "bees" for any critter that flies around looking to sting me if I get too close.  Yes, the ones in the yellow trap all look to be yellow jackets.  There were a few yellow jackets in the other trap but most in that one look a lot like those bald-faced Hornets people were talking about in the elk hunting section.

[Band]

Update:  I removed the skull from the ground (after 3 months), hosed it off and here is what it looks like.  The lower jaw came apart - not sure whether that is to be expected.  But I'll probably remove it for mounting anyway.  Looks to be mostly cleaned of tissue.  I set it on top of the ground under the wheelbarrow and will leave it another month or so and see how it looks.  My idea of surrounding the skull with clean sand to keep the skull relatively white didn't work quite as I had hoped so I'll have to figure out a way to clean that up at some point.