Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Taxidermy & Scoring => Topic started by: Wendego716 on November 24, 2021, 11:23:37 AM

Title: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: Wendego716 on November 24, 2021, 11:23:37 AM: I shot a small blacktail this year with a dropped antler, and I'm not sure the best way to clean it. I usually just skull cap my deer and mount that, but the dropped antler will make that difficult. So I thought I'd try my first Euro mount, which would look cooler anyway. However, I'm afraid that boiling the skull will damage the antler, since there's no way to keep it out of the water. Is my only other option to bury it and wait?
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: johnbmyersii on November 24, 2021, 11:31:08 AM: cut off as much meat as possible, soak it in a bucket of water for a few weeks then pressure wash. Once the skull is clean then tape off the antler and spread on the whitening paste
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: hunter399 on November 24, 2021, 11:33:55 AM: What exactly is a dropped antler,started to shed it. Or broke off or what.
Let's see pic.
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: Twispriver on November 24, 2021, 12:11:34 PM: For that deer I'd just buck up and take it to someone and have it beetle cleaned - you might hate the cost but you'll like the result
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: huntnphool on November 24, 2021, 01:22:32 PM: Quote from: Twispriver on November 24, 2021, 12:11:34 PM
For that deer I'd just buck up and take it to someone and have it beetle cleaned - you might hate the cost but you'll like the result

+1
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: Wendego716 on November 24, 2021, 01:32:31 PM: Quote from: hunter399 on November 24, 2021, 11:33:55 AM
What exactly is a dropped antler,started to shed it. Or broke off or what.
Let's see pic.
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: HillHound on November 24, 2021, 01:36:04 PM: We always triple wrap or more the bases of the antlers with aluminum foil. Even if they are submerged or the steam is hitting them during the process they do not lose color. I think you could completely wrap the drop antler multiple times making sure the foil is very tight around the base and you should be fine. Remember you’re going for a slow simmer not a rolling boil. Just maybe cook it longer at a lower heat then you would normally and then pressure wash.
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: hunter399 on November 24, 2021, 03:54:51 PM: I see now .
Surand wrap,foil,electric tape,whatever,all of the above and when you think you got enough add a little more.
That's pretty cool.
Maybe bug tank.
I'm not really sure.
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: Caseknife on December 06, 2021, 07:03:12 PM: Simmer it in water with baking soda and dawn dish soap. Will not discolor the antlers. The baking soda kind of dissolves the tissue rather quickly. Normal process of trimming as much off as possible and get the brain out first, simmer, change water solution, trim and repeat process. Then to really whiten the skull just brush on the paste peroxide.
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on December 07, 2021, 09:07:30 AM: I really don't know why you need to bury or boil it.
.
Unless you go the beetle route, just put it in a safe place and let nature do its thing.
.
Some bailing wire to a tree so nothing takes it, and let the bugs and birds clean it.
.
After a few months tied to a tree, use spray cleaner on it.
.
Boiling will soften the bones, and if you hard boil it will float out the nasal passages (almost the most fascinating part)
..
Only issue I have had is sometimes losing teeth.
But put something under it to catch them, and you are set.
.
Boiling might be faster, but cost/benefit...
.
Cannot tell the difference between a deadhead you find in the woods, and the average boiled skull.
.
Burying it just keeps the real bugs from doing their job, and makes the process longer.
Title: Re: Cleaning a deer skull with a dropped antler
Post by: GASoline71 on December 07, 2021, 09:13:52 AM: There used to be a huge ant hill behind my Grandpa's place in Kapowsin. We used to stick the skulls in the anthill and it was picked clean in a few months.

Gary