anyone ever bury a skull for a european mount?

[thehairlessone!]

i was thinking about doing this but i didnt know how much trouble it was,etc.

anyone ever do it?


rick

[BJOHN]

I buried some shark jaws one time and I forgot where I buried them at and couldn't find them.

bjohn

[bobo]

I have and the skull rotted out from underneath the antlers. I guess I left it in their too long. Plus it colors the skull depending on the color of the dirt.

I just boiled three heads in two afternoons a total of about 6 hours. And now my daughter can show off her antlers and I can show mine off without the stink...

I've seen taxi's use cheap metal pots from lowes in the painting area where all the buckets are sold.

I use Borax Soap and Dawn Dish detergent about 1/4 cup of each per gallon of water.

[Deer Tracks]

I put a deer head in the back yard two years ago. I was considering digging it up the other day but I'm a little afraid to.

If I ever unearth it, I'll let you know how it turned out! lol

[Texastaxi]

In China they bury eggs for later consumption, but burying a head is not anywhere close to a good way to clean it.

[cj7zrcool]

I put a head in a huge fire ant mound and covered it with a cattle supplement bucket and staked it down with rebar. It stayed there for nearly a year and all the meat and soft tissue was gone. There was still some kind of tissue on the back of the skull, so I soaked it in water for about three months. All I need to do now is peroxide the skull to whiten it and stain the antlers. It's a huge PITA and I'll never do it again. BJ (Two Racks Taxidermy) is in Weatherford and just charges $55 for doing Euro mounts....worth every penny!

[M.E.B.]

That is how I normally do mine. I bury the skull for about 3 months. If you do not bury the antlers keep them protected from the sun and animals by covering with a bucket.

After about 3 months uncover carefully so that you do not bust the skull with the shovel and do not try to pull it free if it is stuck in the dirt.

Hose it down. You may have to do a little trimming but usually not too much. Next I set it in some bleach for a day just in case of smell then bleach the skull with peroxide.

[glen]

Put it in a bucket with water and close the lid--- open it up after a few weeks and pour most of the water off and fill it back up and let it sit another few weeks. Goto car wash and clean it up.

[Texastaxi]

You guys that bury your deer skulls ... do you tan the hides with anti-freeze too?

[BrandonA]

You guys that bury your deer skulls ... do you tan the hides with anti-freeze too?

Texastaxi

What would you recommend?

[thehairlessone!]

I would like to do one of these kits but I cant find much info on them. It says it is very easy,etc. but they dont show or tell you how it works.

http://www.mountainmikesreproductions.com/

anyone ever done one?

rick

[bobo]

They look fake when used if next to the real thing.

[Texastaxi]

Texastaxi

What would you recommend?

I recommend that you take it to a taxidermist. I've said this many times before ... it blows my mind how some people can spend so much money on a place to hunt, a new bow, an ATV, corn, etc. but when it comes to taxidermy, they want to cut corners how ever they can.

If you still insist on doing your skull yourself, all the information you need is on the web. When I started doing taxidermy, all of the taxis in my area wouldn't give me the time of day, much less teach me their secrets. I learned a LOT by reading on the internet. Do a search, you'll be surprised what you can find. If you're still not successful, shoot me a PM and I'll give you some key words to help your search.

I would like to do one of these kits but I cant find much info on them. It says it is very easy,etc. but they dont show or tell you how it works.

http://www.mountainmikesreproductions.com/

anyone ever done one?

rick

I agree with bobo on this one.
By the time you get this kit and get the antlers on it and looking good, you could have already cleaned your skull. Besides that, it defeats the whole purpose of a SKULL mount! I have used those on some skulls that were picked up. The customer liked the end product, but they looked hokey to me.

[BrandonA]

Kevin

I agree 100%. I have always used a taxidermist. Like you said I wouldn't trust myself enough knowing how I could screw just about anything up.

[bowhuntertex]

Beetles do the best job of cleaning, but if you don't have access to beetles I recommend that you use the method mentioned by Glen. or read this thread and it will tell you what to do..........
http://discussions.texasbowhunter.co...ad.php?t=58634