boiling a ram skull questions

[skeeter]

or any animal with horns... Horns not antlers.

how would I remove the horns? what do I do after I get the horns off? fill me in with all the do's and dont's.

Thanks

[maglite]

Skeeter, after a little while you can slide the horns off the cores. You may need to assist them with a rubber mallet also!! After that cut the cores that go inside the horns about 5" long depending on the sheep type and horn size and continue the process. After head is clean and bleached then bondo the horns back onto the CUT CORES and your set!

[DoubleGProstaff]

just make sure you get all the junk out of the horns before they get bondoed back on, that stuff will really smell if you dont get it out.

[Navajo]

Are you boinling the horns also? Try maceration.

[skeeter]

Are you boinling the horns also? Try maceration.

u mean soak em? how long do ya soak em? soakin em wont mess up the horns?

[Navajo]

Go to Taxidermy.net and do a search on maceration. It might help you. I really don't like it because of the smell and I'm a taxidermist (but sometimes it works well). Have you ever tried beetles?

[skeeter]

Go to Taxidermy.net and do a search on maceration. It might help you. I really don't like it because of the smell and I'm a taxidermist (but sometimes it works well). Have you ever tried beetles?

dont have any beetles. what about boiling the head, then stick the head in an ant bed. will the ants eat all the junk out of the horns?

[Navajo]

You don't wont to boil the head, just simmer it. I don't know about the ants, iv'e never tried that. As far as cleaning out all the junk and matter, I use an air commpressor to blow it out, just be careful around the septum as it is fragile.

[maglite]

Skeeter, Get as much as meat off as you can around the base of the horns and skull and put the skull in a BIG plastic bag and spray with some water and tie the top and set in the sun. In about a week or two the horns will be ready to pull off and then you can european skull as normal and add some BORAX inside both of the horns and set them aside till your ready to install them back on the skull after its finished and your done!

[Bucks&Ducks]

I did a boars head on an ant bed once. It was amazing...Picked clean in a couple of weeks. You need a way to keep any other critters away from it though. Something like a wire cage over the top.

[Texastaxi]

I like to cook mine in my bride's big crock pot. Taters and onions optional!

[Jmh05]

I've done several rams now. What I do is soak the head in water for a few weeks. With a rubber mallet you can bang the horns off the cores. Cut the cores down to about 5inches like somebody else said. Then boil the skull and put it in a light bleach water solution for about 30mins. I fill the inside of the horns with bleach and let it sit for about ten mins then rinse with water. I put quick white and peroxide paste on the skull and put it under a heater for about 8hrs. Brush of the bleach powder, then put the horns on you are done. I'll try to post pics. I just finished mine.

[Tex_Cattleman]

I do many many skulls a year. Be careful putting your bleach paste on and then putting in front of a heater. I am well aware that this is the gospel by some on taxidermy.net. However, while turning the skull very nice and white, this heat method will also turn the bone "chalky". I paint on the paste and let it sit for 24 hours. No noticable difference in the whiteness. The heat simply speeds up the process. If you're not going for the "5 hour euro" it's unneeded.

Good luck with your ram!

[Huntin Addict]

Call Dad and ask him, I'm sure he will give you some pointers.

[Texastaxi]

... If you're not going for the "5 hour euro" it's unneeded.

I read that article after someone posted it on here.
Although it did (seemingly) work, I still firmly believe that skulls are one thing you can't rush. I'll still do mine nice and slow!