Antler Plaques

[Michelle_Nelson]

I spent part of the day putting few antler plaques together.  Decided to take a few pictures of the different types of plaques I can do and have done.

Roosevelt Elk.  This is one I did with the Elks scalp.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Roosevelt that I wrapped in Leather.

[tmike]

Those are nice, do you have any bear skull plaques you could show? 

[Michelle_Nelson]

Not yet I don't.  Most people that I clean Bear Skulls for don't want a plaque. 

[tmike]

My bad I thought LongTat had one.

[LongTatLaw]

This one Tom?



Michelle can get these done all day long folks! In any state that ya want!

dave

[LongTatLaw]

ps- that hair one looks pretty neat in person

[Michelle_Nelson]

Sorry tmike I completely spaced it on the Bear Pannel question.  My mind was on antler plaques.   I will post some pictures of Euro Pannels in another thread.

[elksnout]

Just finished browsing the entire 22 pages of posts trying to find one concerning antler plaques. I got a pretty nice blacktail three weeks ago and am thinking of mounting it myself on a plaque. What type of preperation work is there to do ? Clean all the skin and flesh ? How long do you let skull " dry " before finish work ? ie, adding skull filler {?} and covering with leather ? Man I'm a rookie.....

[Michelle_Nelson]

All the antlers that come for plaques get simmered in the dawn to degrease and remove the meat.  Than I put powdered borax on the skull plate to dry it out.  They set around for about a month or so.  Than I knock off the borax and set them on the form.  Than smooth with mapermache.  Let dry for a few weeks and than wrap in leather.

[elksnout]

Simmerd ? As in boiled ? I thought { from reading all those 22 pages } that boiling was a no no. Or is that just for skulls destined for Euro mounts ?

[Michelle_Nelson]

Good eye!  Mostly skulls destined to become Euro's.  It honestly only takes about 5 minutes to get the meat off of a skull cap.  Not enough time to do any real damage.  Euros take a lot more time to clean and their are really delicate bones.  Such are the nasal cavity.  It only takes about 20 minutes to do real damage to those.

[elksnout]

Thanks Michelle

[180-GRAIN]

That bear skull mount is nice looking I got a book bear this year in washington seams fitting to put it on a washington state plaque. The skull is already back from the beetles was wondering what you would charge for the plaque?

[Savage3006]

Those are all very nice!