[Pingstar1975]

This is my plan, tell me if I'm off base. I will build a box, put the head in it, then bury it, kinda like a grave. leave it for about a year then check on it. will coyotes dig it up?

I'm not in the mood to boil and pick etc...

 

[Greg Krause]

Build a cage out of wood and chicken wire. That will keep out mice and other critters. Bury it in a mulch pile and keep it covered with leaves or hay. try not to let the sun bleach it out.

 

[JHOArrowslinger]

send it off to get 'bugged', it will be a cleaner appearance and the cost is minimal compared to other taxidermy work.

 

[Midlife Crisis]

I built a terrarium 18" tall, 24" long, 18" wide - out of window pane glass, spare plywood bottom and plastic liner for bottom - epoxy glued glasss, wood scraps to hold glass sides onto plywood base, wood frame and window screen top. Costs were about $25.

Bought dermestic beetles for $35 delivered (100+ bugs). They reproduce. I just keep one section of the terrarium dry with Gravy Train dog food, styrofoam blocks and wood shavings for reproduction habitat and the rest for food (pork and steak bone scraps from dinner) and a paper towel I partially soak with water to supply water to the little buggers. Been doing this for about 3 weeks now. I'm getting more bugs - they're reproducing! I have an old skull I started to boil in there, too. They'll clean off all the meat and leave me with a nice skull. I plan on a European mount this fall and will process for a neighbor or two, also.

Local folks charge $100+ for a European mount. I'll do my own for a lot less. I keep it in the basement where it is 73 degrees F. Just about the perfect temp for them (they can fly at temps higher than 80 degrees or so. I also keep a glass top (old storm window) across most of the top of the screen (not all as they need to breathe) to keep the smell (hardly any) contained.

When the bugs have done their stuff I'll just dip a while in diluted peroxide solution to kill off any eggs and I'll be set.

Google dermestid beetles for more info and where you can buy them. I bought from [email protected].
He has info on a website, too.

 

[BTLL]

stupid question but what is a eueopean mount???

 

[perchjerker]

the post above is one,it just isn't mounted on a board yet.

 

[huntaholic]

For those who are wondering about pricing and where to send one, here's one place for ya:

http://www.skullsunlimited.com/

Check the list on the left side of the page and it has "Skull Cleaning" Link.
Click on it and scroll down and they have a price list for all types of animals.

Not that I have any affiliation with them, I just saw an episode of "Dirty Jobs" on Discovery the other day, and remembered checking out the site.

 

[capt ray]

You can do it yourself with little time invested. Skin out the head as best that you can. Use a deep turkey pot and a box of kosher salt. Boil the head for approx. 5 hours, be careful not to boil it to long or the teeth and nasal bones will fall out. Remove the head and flush it out with a water hose. Use a coat hanger to scramble the brane, nasal cartlidge and remove. Flush again with a hose and you done.

 

[muckster]

Has anyone heard of putting the head in a creek or river?? I have heard second hand that this works great also.

I am thinking of doing this myself but am not sure yet. Has anyone heard of this????

Pete

 

[kunegos]

If you have access to a nice ant hill they will clean it off for you in a couple of days. Then soak it in a peroxide solution and you've got a beautiful mount.

 

[Mike Trump]

For those who are wondering about pricing and where to send one, here's one place for ya:

http://www.skullsunlimited.com/

Check the list on the left side of the page and it has "Skull Cleaning" Link.
Click on it and scroll down and they have a price list for all types of animals.

Not that I have any affiliation with them, I just saw an episode of "Dirty Jobs" on Discovery the other day, and remembered checking out the site.

I highly recommend Skulls Unlimited. They did both of these skulls below. IMHO, dermestid beetles are the only way to go for a truly professional looking european mount.

 

[outdoorsman91]

Has anyone heard of putting the head in a creek or river?? I have heard second hand that this works great also.

I am thinking of doing this myself but am not sure yet. Has anyone heard of this????

Its called maceration, where a bacterium degrades the tissues. Works great, especially in the summer, but you have to be careful becuase all non-bone tissue will be destroyed, which will cause the teeth to come loose and maybe even fall out. Not a big deal, just epoxy them back in, but if the teeth are lost in the creek...

All you need is a bucket to fit the skull in, (5 gallon usually works because the antlers dont need to be submerged) fill it with creek water (or lake/pond... but it has to be this type of water becasue it has the necessary bacteria in it) Cover with a trash bag and duct tape to contain the smell, and set it in the sun in your yard or driveway. Let it sit for a week, change the water out and let sit for another week. Remove skull and degrease with dishsoap, and then repeat with 10% peroxide soak. Be careful to plastic and tape the antler bases so you don't bleach them, but if you do a little bit, normal wood stain to match the antlet color (usually not needed if you are careful).

Total cost $10-$15 for bucket, track bags, duct tape, and peroxide (most of which you probably already have!)

 

[deerhunter3241]

Have it bugged...Its the "ONLY" way to get a complete bright white skull in which all other color from even the tiniest cracks in the skull plate is removed...It's amazing and relatively cheap...Not to mention their is "NO" chance of the rack being damaged, bleached, or otherwise altered in any way...

 

[outdoorsman91]

With the beetles, don't they still peroxide it after to whiten?

 

[Midlife Crisis]

With the beetles, don't they still peroxide it after to whiten?

Hydrogen Peroxide can be used to degrease and also bleach the bones. It will make them a very bright white and remove all of the oil, but will also decalcify them if soaked too long. Alternatively some use a 3 to 1 water to bleach solution for about 2 days.

 

[JeffreySlayR]

Do your own for crying out loud.

Skin out the head, pressure wash off most of the tissue and meat. Boil for about a half an hour, just enough to soften the brain for easier removal.

100% peroxide 2 tablespoon or so mixed with baking soda, just enough to make a moist paste. Coat the skull with this paste, let it sit for 24 hours. Brush the now dry powder off, and viola, a brilliant white skull.

Here is mine...I made the mounting boards also.