[sthrnby1886]

Just wondering if it could be done at home and what do you use to clean off the skin, brain, ect. Any advice would be helpful. I am thinking about doing it to this buck, but don't really want to spend the money at the taxidermist.

 

[buckfeverben]

It's very easy to do yourself, and there are several different methods you can use.

Just clean off as much as you can, start by skinning, remove as much meat/flesh as you can.

Some guy's like to burry them and let nature take it's course....others like to sumerge them in water until it all rots off.....some like to simmer them in a pot of water mixed with dish soap, and or borax to help break down the fatty tissues. You don't want to boil the skull....or use bleach.

If you simmer the skull....and pick away all the meat etc as you go....once it's clean, just pick up some peroxide paste from a local beauty supply shop, and leave that on a couple hours and rinse off. Whalla...you're done.

If you do a search, there is a ton of great info on this site.

Ben

 

[TopOfFoodChain]

Look on the internet. There are a ton of sites about this. I would not bury it. I have never seen very good looking results from that. The best results I have had were from boiling in arm and hammer laundry powder until totally clean, soak in peroxide, and then varnish. DO NOT SOAK ANTLERS!! That will bleach them out badly. I wrapped aluminum foil tightly around them.

 

[Lien2]

I bought one of those kits from Cabela's and did it myself. A little disgusting, but pretty easy. I sprayed it with a can of clear laquer and it came out great. $20 for the kit and you can do at least two deer.

Lien2

 

[Fulldrw]

Here is a great site for European skull mounting....
http://www.mucc.org/SkullMounts.htm

 

[2nd Nature]

I've done 2 myself. Take's about 1 day. Some people use Beetle's. If you know of someone who has some that's a good way to go. I did not so this is what I did. Skin the head out. Cut the head off the neck where the first vertebrae is. Get a metal bucket and a turkey fryer heater. You should do this OUTSIDE! Fill metal container with water and add some Dawn dishsoap. This will help cut down on the smell and also help getting some of the meat off. Wrap the horn's in aluminium foil. All the way down around the base. This will prevent them from darkening from the heat and steam. Submerge skull until the water is just below the horn's. Then for tool's I used a brass brush, knife and putty knife to scrape off the meat. A needlenose plier's is also good for getting the stuff out of the inside of the nose. Where you seperated the head from the neck there should be a hole to get a screwdriver up into to pick some of the brain's out. Boil long enough to get the meat off but not too long where the skull begin's to soften. On top of the head there is some vein's or something like it that is hard to get off. I just scrubbed them off as good as I could. Once complete get a airblower and blow it good. MAking sure you get inside the skull, Brain's, nose membrane's (these will be long slimy strand's). There are alot of natural hole's in the skull so make sure you blow them all out. Be Careful around the front of the nose. This is a very brittle area. I broke both of mine. Just glued them back in and you can't even tell. Also some people glue the teeth in. You'll have to see if they loosen up and decide. Once done I take a very little bit of Comet and water and lightly rub the skull. This will help to make it a little whiter. Then I get some PH40 from the local hairdresser. About a cereal bowl full is plenty. Then paint the PH40 on the skull. Set in sun for a hour or so. Wash off and reapply as needed to get desired result's. Then when finished I seal the skull with flat clear spray bomb finish. I'll post pic's of mine soon. I mounted mine on a piece of wood that I burned the ring's with a torch. Then finished it by using a gloss spray bomb.
Hope this help's. Any other ? just ask I may have left something out.
Shawn F.

 

[bow addict]

 

[2nd Nature]

My first one.

This one isn't quite as white as I wanted but it was my first one.

 

[2nd Nature]

2nd one.

This one turned out better.

 

[sthrnby1886]

Thanks for all the suggestions and websites

 

[ExitPupil]

Although not do it yourserlf...I think these are cool and If I ever get a big buck I am considering having it done with the metal! Check this out

http://www.skulltaxidermy.com/

 

[Stephan C]

The beetles

Check with your nearest university. I have a friend who knows the professor that "manages" the beetles for the entomolgy dept (is that the right "-ology"?) and the said the prof. is always looking for beetle food. He said it would take about a day--no fuss,no muss. I will let you know after IF I shoot a buck this year

 

[Sask Riverrunt]

Hello. I have done about 25 of these in the past few years. The description that 2nd nature gave you is a good guideline. however you have to be carefull during the boiling process not to cook it to long or you will lock in the oil in the skull and will sooner or later show up as yellowish spots on the skull. Try putting some sal soda mixed with your dawn. Get as much meat off after boiling 30-45 min. If you have to put back in pot just simmer but not too long. Once it is clean let it dry a day. Then degrease it. Put it in a container with a cup of dawn with water and let sit 3 days then change the water and soap and do it again for a week and then do this another two times. A total of a month of degreaseing. Rince it good and let it dry a day. The easiest way to bleach the skull is to boil in a pot of water with 2 bottles of 3% peroxide for two hours. Then remove and let dry for several days if possible leave in as much direct sunlight for 3-5 days. This should help whiten the skull. Now is the time to glue in any teeth or nasal pieces. Spray with laquer and touch up the base of horns that may have gotten bleached. Alittle black and brown paint with a touch of dirt do well. These are some of the tips I can give you better quallity finish, don't take short cuts or may be sorry. If you aren't sure of something or need more advice just sent a PM. Good Luck.....

 

[BigBucks125]

beetle tanks! the beetles will clean that thing better than anything. all you have to do is wash it and possibly paint it to get that nice white shine.