Skull cleaning for euro mount

[48down]

This is what I've been doing for several years now and it is very easy, although takes some patience to let mother nature do her part.

I cover the antlers with a heavy duty trash bag and tape using waterproof tape. You do NOT have to skin the head at all. You can just leave the skin, ears, everything as is. Then I bury the skull just up to the base of the antlers and let mother nature so her thing. This will take 3-4 months.

Dig the skull up. Clean and let dry - then apply an off white satin spray paint. As you can see, I should've put a little more tape around the bases on this one. Unwrap and you are ready to put on the wall or a plaque or whatever.

I usually bury in the spring time and dig them up July or August.

Also watch out for unwanted guests on the trash bag when unwrapping the antlers.

[jim p.]

I did something similar to this - staked the head to an ant hill. It didn't take long for them to take care of everything except the hide. You talk about turning hard due to baking in the sun (basically rawhide). I never did get it all off.

[Hook Em]

I just boil it...much quicker

[Daniel Boone]

Few days the meat falls off.

Off course you remove the hide first.

Would love to have a Beetle colony.
DB

[ozzy]

Feed the poor.

http://www.dermestidbeetlecolonies.com/

[jim p.]

Word of caution - boil it outside if you want to keep the boss happy