trouble with a deer skull

[bowman]

My dad and I found a large 2-point skull last hunting season.  We let it soak for about 3 days then were able to pull off the hide.  But are having trouble with getting off the flesh from the skull.

The deer carcase must have been left in the sun for almost a year baking its flesh on it.  Which has made it almost impossible to pull anything off.

We were going to do a European mount.  We don't want to boil it because that would cause its teeth to fall out.  So any advice would be nice.

[boneaddict]

You know of course its illegal to pick the skull up and have it in your possession right, assuming its in Washington. 

[Gobble]

No kidding, When did they make it illegal, and why? so the little creatures can eat the calcium? It's still legal to pick up sheds isn't it?  Nothing surprises me anymore.

[boneaddict]

definately not trying to be the internet police here, just don't want folks to be admitting to breaking the law on the internet........

It happened a couple of years ago.   They did it to try to disuade poachers from capping a buck and coming back and picking up his antlers later.   Its in many states.    Naturaully shed antlers are ok.

[Gobble]

Gottcha!  I,ve heard of people shooting animals and hoisting the head in a tree and let it sit for a few months while the flies do their thing then come back and get it at a later date. My wifes uncle is a gammie and has seen just about everything you could imagine

[Coasthunterjay]

Boil then scrape with a small wire brush.......the wire brush wont break or bother anything.....

[Michelle_Nelson]

Boiling is the worst way to clean a skull.

[Houndhunter]

i have always boiled skulls and it works great, i dont boil at a extreme high heat and i think thats what makes the teeth and such fall out. guess just diferent opinions but from my exp boiling then peroxide it'll look like it came back from the taxidermists

[Coasthunterjay]

i have always boiled skulls and it works great, i dont boil at a extreme high heat and i think thats what makes the teeth and such fall out. guess just diferent opinions but from my exp boiling then peroxide it'll look like it came back from the taxidermists

X2

that what i do also....

And that is true hound,  We all have different opinions and ways that work.....

[Michelle_Nelson]

  Why are you afraid of the teeth falling out?  I've heard this remark from several people.  Slide them back in the holes when you set it out to dry.  Once dry couple drops of super glue and the teeth won't fall back out.  When the teeth fall out you know all the gum tissue is gone and that area is clean.

Boiling is hard on skulls.  It breaks down the smaller bones inside the nasal cavity and on the side of the skull in front of the eye socket.  It can also set grease inside the bone.  It can also cause teeth to crack!

Boiling is a quick and cheap method.  I can boil a skull clean in a matter of an hour or 2.  I could have 5 or 6 done in a day if I run 1 pot.  I use to simmer all my skulls when I first started doing taxidermy.  They turned out pretty good.  I'd do 20 or so whitetail skulls in 3 or 4 days.

I don't boil any skulls in my shop!  I use maceration, a method that is much easier on skulls.  It doesn't cause bones to break down so all those tiny delicate bones remain in tact.

I know a lot of people clean their own skulls because they can't justify paying a taxidermist to clean it.  Their is more to cleaning a skull than just boiling and getting the meat off.

[billythekidrock]

Boiling is hard on skulls.  It breaks down the smaller bones inside the nasal cavity and on the side of the skull in front of the eye socket.  It can also set grease inside the bone.  It can also cause teeth to crack!

+1

[boneaddict]

Still an effective way to clean skulls.   I've done more than I can count that way and it works.  The only reason I wouldn't recommend it is shrinkage in regards to Boone, for cats or bears.  Also bears tend to be a bit more greasy, and also it has implications in regards to wives or mothers when you use their pots.

[cascademountainhunter]

ive heard that if you barry the skull then dig it back up in about 2 months then it will be good.
my teacher who is a trapper told me about that. i would think that he's probably done it alot also.

[Michelle_Nelson]

Sure, boiling will get a skull clean.  It will still cause bones to break down, teeth to crack, skulls to shrink more than they normally would, grease to be set into bone which will surface later.  

Than again if you regulate the temp of the water and chemicals you put in it, it will reduce the amount of bone break down and some shrinkage to a degred.  Though it wont prevent the posibility of teeth cracking (teeth are temperature sensitive).  Grease is still going to set into the bone.  

I guess my point is boiling is toward the bottom of my list of effective ways of cleaning a skull.  Their are better ways out their to clean skulls.  All it takes is a bit of reasurch.  

[Michelle_Nelson]

ive heard that if you barry the skull then dig it back up in about 2 months then it will be good.
my teacher who is a trapper told me about that. i would think that he's probably done it alot also.

If he is a trapper than he's probably doing small mammal skulls.  Yeah that will work.  You still have to degrease the skull and whiten after you dig it up.  The minerals it the dirt can also stain the bone.

[bucklucky]

 


  Sorry Michelle your not stupid, I agreee with Michelle 100%