Blackbuck Taxidermy.

[bobo]

Over the weekend I boiled the head of Blackbuck. It took me twice as long as a White-Tail. Primarily because of a cusion of cartilage on the head of the Blackbuck, but also because of the brain cavity and nose cavity being different. Has anyone boiled a blackbuck and experienced this?

I also thought that it may have been the colder weather lately that kepth the water at a cooler temp. (Maybe)

Here is the finished result but I still think something was different what do you guy's thing was wrong...

[Tuffbroadhead]

Looks good , did you remove the horns and clean them out?????

[Texastaxi]

From the pic, it looks fine.
Like Tuff said, did you clean the horn cores?

[bobo]

I boiled that thing for 15 hours and not once did the horns give sign of coming off. I was told by a txidermist that they would. Other than cutting them off I don't see how it would happen. The horns got soft and squishy a few inches from the base.

What has your experience been? I cured as much of the cartilage in the horns as I could and sealed it off. I hope for the best....

[bobo]

Please help me if there is something I can do. When it dries will I be able to unscrew them and continue cleaning?

[Texastaxi]

That's not good, Bobo! You MUST get them off or they're gonna start stinking.

Sometime you have to put more of the horn underwater, and simmer, to get it to come off. You're gonna have to reboil it and get the horns off. If you don't, you'll regret it in a week or so!

I think you did a good job on the skull, otherwise, but this is one of those reasons why Chance says "take it to a taxidermist".

[bobo]

I have a keg cut in half so I can get at least 10 inches of the horns in the water. Is it OK for the horns to get soft?

[Texastaxi]

Yep, they'll harden back up when it dries back out.

[bobo]

great news. I will work on them some more to get'em off. +15 hours you guy's have my respect. I've done 10 or so white-tail no problems but this blackbuck is a PITA....

[Chance Love]

Well, how did you "cure" the horns and how did you seal them off? Just an FYI, I have never boiled blackbuck horns to get them to come off the cores. Boiling them makes them turn black. They are not supposed to be black.

[TxTechBowhunter]

Definitely get the horns off. Everything I have done with the horns pops off real easy, but then again my beetles crawl up in there and eat a bunch away before I pop them off.

[nsbowhunter]

The easy answer is to put them in a tub or bucket big enough to completly put the horns in. Fill it up with water and walk away for about a week or two or three.

[Knife2sharp]

I've done multiple horned animals and never came across one I couldn't get the horns to come off of. Even a gold medal Catalina goat that was left outside for 2 years and the horns were fused on.

Soak the entire skull and horns in water. The horns will expand like wood, you can try pulling them off in a couple weeks or, poor some of the water off, place a piece of raw meat between the horns and set outside. Flies will lay eggs, the maggots will eat the meat, then go for the soft tissue between the horn caps and bone. Keeping the water level just below the horn bases and touching the meat is key to keeping the meat from drying out before the maggots hatch.

Typically with a fresh skull you don't nee to add meat, but you've already boiled yours.

[Knife2sharp]

Forgot to say that black buck horns twist off.

[bobo]

Thanks guys for the information. I will get back in a week to let you know how it goes.

Jason