Post by: cougforester on September 06, 2016, 08:39:32 PM
Mods, please move this to the taxidermy section if you need to. Thanks
Post by: sumpnz on September 06, 2016, 09:03:37 PM
Post by: cougforester on September 06, 2016, 09:09:17 PM
I would thaw it first. Never tried to boil a frozen skull, but I'd think you'd be risking cracking the bones. If you don't want to let it thaw on the counter first I'd at least drop it in while the water is still cold and then put the heat under it. That will at least allow it to come gradually up to boiling rather than shocking it from 0F-212F all at once.
Yeahhhh that's what I was thinking too. Better safe than sorry I guess.
Post by: buglebuster on September 06, 2016, 09:49:29 PM
Post by: cougforester on September 06, 2016, 09:55:02 PM
I wouldn't boil it. Look up maceration :tup: boiling a bear skull is a sure way to lose all the nose bones and get cracked teeth.
Yuck. I've done that before for a coyote skeleton in high school, used poop to get the necessary bacteria. Smelled so bad I think that I'll take my chances with boiling. Think I'm scarred.
Post by: sumpnz on September 06, 2016, 10:13:29 PM
I wouldn't boil it. Look up maceration :tup: boiling a bear skull is a sure way to lose all the nose bones and get cracked teeth.
Yuck. I've done that before for a coyote skeleton in high school, used poop to get the necessary bacteria. Smelled so bad I think that I'll take my chances with boiling. Think I'm scarred.
I buried my elk's skull up to the base of the antlers for about 2-3 months in the back yard. A little smell when I pulled it out, but not bad. Zero soft tissue. Looks dirty, but if I wanted to bother with borax or peroxide it would whiten up nicely I'm sure. Granted I've got 5 acres, but even my kids said that, as long as the dirt was still over it, they couldn't smell anything. Upshot is, very little effort on my part (I did skin the skull first). Downside was it took almost 3 months. I did not do anything special to keep scavengers/predators out. Yard is unfenced and I didn't put anything around/over the site to protect it. YMMV on that issue.
Post by: buglebuster on September 06, 2016, 10:19:46 PM
I use an old crock pot for bears. Put it on warm. Only takes about a week and literally no smell. Especially if you change the water every 2 days. I can literally handle the bone and not get stinky hands.I wouldn't boil it. Look up maceration :tup: boiling a bear skull is a sure way to lose all the nose bones and get cracked teeth.
Yuck. I've done that before for a coyote skeleton in high school, used poop to get the necessary bacteria. Smelled so bad I think that I'll take my chances with boiling. Think I'm scarred.
Post by: cougforester on September 06, 2016, 10:29:05 PM
I use an old crock pot for bears. Put it on warm. Only takes about a week and literally no smell. Especially if you change the water every 2 days. I can literally handle the bone and not get stinky hands.I wouldn't boil it. Look up maceration :tup: boiling a bear skull is a sure way to lose all the nose bones and get cracked teeth.
Yuck. I've done that before for a coyote skeleton in high school, used poop to get the necessary bacteria. Smelled so bad I think that I'll take my chances with boiling. Think I'm scarred.
Hm, that's not a bad idea at all. Do you put any degreaser in there? I've seen that original Oxyclean works pretty well. Then I would think you soak in a peroxide mixture to whiten it up?
Post by: cougforester on September 06, 2016, 10:30:28 PM
I wouldn't boil it. Look up maceration :tup: boiling a bear skull is a sure way to lose all the nose bones and get cracked teeth.
Yuck. I've done that before for a coyote skeleton in high school, used poop to get the necessary bacteria. Smelled so bad I think that I'll take my chances with boiling. Think I'm scarred.
I buried my elk's skull up to the base of the antlers for about 2-3 months in the back yard. A little smell when I pulled it out, but not bad. Zero soft tissue. Looks dirty, but if I wanted to bother with borax or peroxide it would whiten up nicely I'm sure. Granted I've got 5 acres, but even my kids said that, as long as the dirt was still over it, they couldn't smell anything. Upshot is, very little effort on my part (I did skin the skull first). Downside was it took almost 3 months. I did not do anything special to keep scavengers/predators out. Yard is unfenced and I didn't put anything around/over the site to protect it. YMMV on that issue.
I wonder if you had covered it in cheesecloth or something if that may have kept it a bit cleaner? Good to know though.
Post by: tgomez on September 06, 2016, 11:12:44 PM
Post by: Machias on September 07, 2016, 04:43:59 AM
Post by: buglebuster on September 07, 2016, 06:00:55 AM
Post by: Molon5labe on September 07, 2016, 10:23:17 AM