Euro Mount Question

[stormin85]

I am attempting at doing a euro mount with the white tail i shot this year, i had printed off a set of directions on what to do, however they are not extremely detailed.

I am at the point i believe, of where i can start boiling, but i don't know for sure as there could be more that i need to do before i can start boiling.

So far i have removed all of the skin from the skull, a small section of the spine and wind pipe is still attached, as well as meat around there. The bottom jaw is still attached eye's still in along with pretty much everything else.

According to the instructions i printed it says to skin the head and then start boiling with water first, then Hydrogen peroxide. My question is can i start boiling the skull at the point I'm at? As i understand it each time a boil the rest of the stuff will start falling off/I pick it off.

Or do I need to remove the bottom jaw, the rest of the throat, spine, all surrounding meat, the brain, and eyes first and then start boiling?

I'm sure I can technically do it either way but i would like to do it the right way, i have already learned a couple things i should have done differently as far as making it easier on my self, but i do not want to take any short cuts.

Any info/help would be really appreciated.

I can get pics of where its at within the next day or so if that would help.

[HornHoarder]

I have done several european mounts myself. That said I'm no expert, but have always been happy with the results. I would remove the lower jaw, eyes, and spine before boiling. After boiling a pressure washer works great to remove the remaining meat from the skull. Also I dont try to bleach the skull white, I just paint it. Make sure to use a flat white though, dont want it shiny. I should have two done today I'll post a pic here when finished. Hope yours turns out.

[stormin85]

Awesome, i didn't even think of the pressure washer, i wasn't planning on bleaching it, because i don't want to have the possibilty of messing up the antlers, painting it sounds like a good idea though and if done right i think i could make it look natural.

[lokidog]

   You'll get a nicer finished product if you have someone use bugs on it or just put it up in a tree for the winter and spring.  The problem with boiling is that it makes the bones very brittle and you usually lose all the cool little frilly bones up inside the nose.  Personally, I would not want a painted skull, natural bone looks much more, well, natural.  You can buy high strength hydrogen peroxide from beauty supply places and just make a paste that you spread where you want it.  Good luck and take this for what it cost. 
 
       You can wrap something around the antlers to keep them from bleaching in the sun.


Pics are of 1.  Skulls from the island, all natural bug cleaned with no follow up cleaning, they've been sitting on the deck.  2.  One of this year's from early archery, was not skinned before putting out.  3.  This is what happens to poorly prepared ones, boiled and brittle.  The fine bones of the front of the face and inside nose did not even make it to here where it shattered.

[stormin85]

how do you make the paste? that seems like a good way to go, like i said its my first so i would like to do it the best way, i have heard of burying them in the ground, hadn't heard of leaving them in the tree, i could try that, i don't want the bones to break down, or hopefully not much at all, at this point i guess i could take the jaw off eyes out and brain out and then put it up in a tree?

what do ya think?

[lokidog]

The critters will eat the brains and eyes.  When you try to remove that stuff you will leave knife marks on the bone.  I think you can buy the HP as a paste or just mix it maybe with baking soda, not sure as I have not used it on any of these skulls yet, they are all naturally bleached.  Some are a little green from sitting out.  The reason for hanging versus just leaving on the ground is to keep them from being taken by dogs or coyotes.  You might also want to wrap a plastic bag around the skull as the natural bugs seem to like it kept moist whereas dermestid beetles (what taxidermists and other professional bug keepers use) seem to like their meat dried out.

[stormin85]

yeah that was my first reason for not burying it, we have dogs and they would love to make it their chew toy, and coyotes as well.

i could put it up in a tree at my parents, i have kept it frozen and in a plastic bag and just thaw it out each time i work on it, should i just leave it in the bag its in and set it up in a tree branch like that?

[PolarBear]

The easiest and best (IMO) way is masceration.  It is stinky and takes a little bit longer but the results are much better than boiling or even beetles.  Michelle has detailed instructions somewhere on here. 

[lokidog]

yeah that was my first reason for not burying it, we have dogs and they would love to make it their chew toy, and coyotes as well.

i could put it up in a tree at my parents, i have kept it frozen and in a plastic bag and just thaw it out each time i work on it, should i just leave it in the bag its in and set it up in a tree branch like that?

That would probably be fine.  It will take a while longer for the bugs and bacteria to get going on it this time of year than when it is warmer, but I would guess by May it will be pretty cleaned up.  That is on the west side.  East side will take longer since it is colder over there.

[Prime Time]

how do you make the paste?

My cousin and I have done quite a few skulls over the years and we've been using a mixture of 40 volume peroxide and magnesium carbonate powder, just combine the 2 and make a pretty thick paste and lather it on the skull. Let it work until its dried and then I just rinse the mix off and let it sit in the sun (if possible) or just in a well lit room. Have had good luck and get a white, more natural look than paint 

[stormin85]

The easiest and best (IMO) way is masceration.  It is stinky and takes a little bit longer but the results are much better than boiling or even beetles.  Michelle has detailed instructions somewhere on here. 

cool i will do some research, thanks guys.

[PolarBear]

Here is the link
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,16008.0.html

[stormin85]

awesome thanks for looking that up!!!!

[Michelle_Nelson]

Maceration and Beetles are far better than boiling or hanging them up in a tree. 

Maceration is very easy.  I can have a Deer skull Clean in about 7 days and an Elk in around 8 or 9.

[stormin85]

Maceration and Beetles are far better than boiling or hanging them up in a tree. 

Maceration is very easy.  I can have a Deer skull Clean in about 7 days and an Elk in around 8 or 9.

Awesome, yeah i think that is the route i'm going to go, do the Maceration, i'm not in a huge rush to get it done but of course can't wait to have it up.

thanks again for all the info.

[sirmissalot]

I would definitely macerate. I have bugs and they are a pain for just a few heads every year. The biggest pain is degreasing them to get them to whiten... I hate degreasing, its worth it to preserve your trophy though.

[lokidog]

Leaving them sit out is a lot less work as it is a combination of bugs and maceration, just the natural way.   

[PolarBear]

It may be the "natural" way but the results are far less desirable imo.  You wind up with lost teeth, brittle bone, grease stains, discoloration   loss of fine bones, degradation of the antlers  etc.

[Bean Counter]

How do you guys get the meat out of the nasal cavity? I have been able to pick some out with twigs and what not but it seems like I've either got to let it soak for a loooong time or be willing to break some of those nasal bones to get it all out 

[longstevo]

How do you guys get the meat out of the nasal cavity? I have been able to pick some out with twigs and what not but it seems like I've either got to let it soak for a loooong time or be willing to break some of those nasal bones to get it all out 

What I've done is let it sit inside the garage and then work at it with a knife once everything is dry.

[grundy53]

If I ever get a really nice buck then I will either masurate it or have Michelle do it for me. That being said I boiled out on of my whitetails this year and while boiling I added dawn for grease and some oxy clean powder. When I was finished (haven't peroxided yet) the skull was super white. It looked better then the ones that I have peroxided. So if your just going to boil a head I would recomend addin oxy clean...

[longstevo]

If I ever get a really nice buck then I will either masurate it or have Michelle do it for me. That being said I boiled out on of my whitetails this year and while boiling I added dawn for grease and some oxy clean powder. When I was finished (haven't peroxided yet) the skull was super white. It looked better then the ones that I have peroxided. So if your just going to boil a head I would recomend addin oxy clean...

 

[stormin85]

Awesome info guys, of course if i had money i would have got it done proffesionally, but i dont and i like to learn things myself.

At this point i am going to get everything together and just macerate it that seems to be the concensus of the best way to go.

[lokidog]

How do you guys get the meat out of the nasal cavity? I have been able to pick some out with twigs and what not but it seems like I've either got to let it soak for a loooong time or be willing to break some of those nasal bones to get it all out 

My "natural" way I have never had to deal with any left over meat in the nose or skull or anything.   

[Michelle_Nelson]

If I ever get a really nice buck then I will either masurate it or have Michelle do it for me. That being said I boiled out on of my whitetails this year and while boiling I added dawn for grease and some oxy clean powder. When I was finished (haven't peroxided yet) the skull was super white. It looked better then the ones that I have peroxided. So if your just going to boil a head I would recomend addin oxy clean...

Oxy Cleans main ingrediant is Hydrogen Peroxide. 

There is Oxi Clean and Oxy Clean.  Don't get the 2 confused.  Make sure you know which one your using.  They have a different chemical coposition.  If you ae unsure of what is in a product look up the USDS Sheets online.

[Bean Counter]

How do you guys get the meat out of the nasal cavity? I have been able to pick some out with twigs and what not but it seems like I've either got to let it soak for a loooong time or be willing to break some of those nasal bones to get it all out 

What I've done is let it sit inside the garage and then work at it with a knife once everything is dry.

So is there really a lot of flesh in there that needs to come out, or am I just imagining things? It seems as though its pretty brittle in there, fresh or dry. I don't want to bring it inside the house with rotting meat still hidden in some cavity 

[Bean Counter]

If I ever get a really nice buck then I will either masurate it or have Michelle do it for me. That being said I boiled out on of my whitetails this year and while boiling I added dawn for grease and some oxy clean powder. When I was finished (haven't peroxided yet) the skull was super white. It looked better then the ones that I have peroxided. So if your just going to boil a head I would recomend addin oxy clean...

Good call. I have visited Michelle's studio a few times and I can tell from the materials on hand and the processes she puts into them that they will be well degreased and preserved for years to come.

I'm mainly doing mine right now for the learning experience. As in, learning what a  it can be and how good a value it is to leave it to the pros. 

[sirmissalot]

If I ever get a really nice buck then I will either masurate it or have Michelle do it for me. That being said I boiled out on of my whitetails this year and while boiling I added dawn for grease and some oxy clean powder. When I was finished (haven't peroxided yet) the skull was super white. It looked better then the ones that I have peroxided. So if your just going to boil a head I would recomend addin oxy clean...

I've had oxy clean whiten the bases of antlers when I added it to my degreasing solution. Works great but I only use it on antlerless skulls now... I hate having to re-stain antlers

[grundy53]

If I ever get a really nice buck then I will either masurate it or have Michelle do it for me. That being said I boiled out on of my whitetails this year and while boiling I added dawn for grease and some oxy clean powder. When I was finished (haven't peroxided yet) the skull was super white. It looked better then the ones that I have peroxided. So if your just going to boil a head I would recomend addin oxy clean...

I've had oxy clean whiten the bases of antlers when I added it to my degreasing solution. Works great but I only use it on antlerless skulls now... I hate having to re-stain antlers

Yeah that was the one thing I was worried about. Definetly wouldn't use it on a monster buck. But it didn't mess up the one I used it on.