Latest Euro mount

[Iluv2hunt]

Here is my little archery spike, killed second week of bow season. Literally cut the head off and chunked it in this old cooler I use for macerating, and filled with water. Closed lid and put a couple concrete blocks on it. I checked it last week, and it wasn't quite ready. It was ready over the weekend, but I just didn't have time to get to it
Today i drug it over to the creek and let the out of the cooler, flushed with water and made sure all the teeth were accounted for. When I had all the parts accounted for, I rinsed the cooler out really well, and flushed the skull out really well




Back in the cooler with some Dawn dish soap and ammonia, for the degreasing stage. This euro should be ready to put on the shelf with the rest of his cousins in a week or so. Very little grease in the skull at all



So far, time involved: 10 minutes
Money involved: $2.49 for dawn soap, $1.09 for bottle of ammonia. I will have less than $10 and less than 30 minutes labor when this is all said and done

[karlyk]

nice job,, just gotta remeber not to ask to borrow one of your coolers

[Iluv2hunt]

nice job,, just gotta remeber not to ask to borrow one of your coolers

Yeah this one is dedicated to skull rotting. It doesn't even get a spot on the floor in my shed

[swampboy]

Lookin good!

[Iluv2hunt]

Another euro mount complete!

[Kortsman]

That bright from just soaking and amonia? Looks good! Did the antlers lighten up a bit? They look darker in the first pic. Hopefully not a stupid question, but did you skin the head before you let it soak the first time? I hope to do this "if" I ever kill a buck!

[Iluv2hunt]

That bright from just soaking and amonia? Looks good! Did the antlers lighten up a bit? They look darker in the first pic. Hopefully not a stupid question, but did you skin the head before you let it soak the first time? I hope to do this "if" I ever kill a buck!

Ammonia is used in the degreasing stage. The bone is full of grease, oil, and fats that have to be leached out. Ammonia is supposed to help, but I didn't find it did any more than good ole fashioned soap and water did, with a splash of Wal mart degreaser. The antlers bleached out due to operator error. I had the skull propped up in the degreasing stage with the antlers out, but my wife decided to move the bucket, not knowing it was one of my redneck concoctions scientifically placed in there. Just needed a dab of good ole MinWax to recolor. Once its degreased completely, then you have to whiten it. Can't give away all the trade secrets....

They look much darker in the first pic above because they were wet. if you look at the pic I took when I shot him, its almost a perfect match now after re-staining. I did hit them with a piece of steel wool after I snapped these pics to knock the sheen off

To answer your question...No I did not skin the head out. No need to. Nothing is sped up by skinning them out. Maceration is a bacterial deal, more than a rotting deal. The more bacteria, the better. You will truthfully be surprised how all the gunk breaks down to almost nothing if done right. Just cut the head off, toss in a container, fill with water, and forget it for a while

[DONY1]

Looks good Allen. I decided to give it a try myself. I donated a cooler to the cause and have a gator skull soaking for the last 2 weeks now.

[Iluv2hunt]

Dang Allen, I really need to get my bear skull to you,that looks great. My stepdad made me a table top display plaque for it,just need to get it done now.Awsome job

I thought you gave up on me

I'm ready to do that skull when you are

[Iluv2hunt]

Doug, don't rush that gator. Haven't personally done one, but heard they are full of grease and take quite a while.

Now it is cooler out and I don't have the hot sunshine to heat the water, I bought an aquarium heater. Got this one at Pet Supermarket for like $15.99
http://www.petsupermarket.com/Products/ ... 03467.aspx

[fishindad]

Very nice! I boiled my gator head and might do this instead next time.

[Iluv2hunt]

My Muzzleloader 7 point, killed Halloween weekend

Here it is after I took it out of maceration, and after initial cleaning





And here it is all degreased, and starting the whitening process. Should be ready to hang on the wall by end of the week

[bodysnatcher]

You do great work.

[MOSSYNUT]

Those mounts look great. I just wish you would let us in on the secret to whiten them up.

[Iluv2hunt]

Didn't mean to come across like it was a trade secret or anything. Here it is...