My First European Mount

[KROY]

I wanted to post a few pictures of this bull I killed last year and mounted myself. My friend Darrel Wilson and I had a bear he killed and cougar I killed cleaned by a beetle guy in 2000 and he raised his prices significantly so I decided to try it myself. The plaque was the hardest part but I think it turned out pretty good. I now have to help Darrel with a bear and a 5x5 bull he killed this year. I'm also helping two other friends with a buck and a bull.

Ken

[Don Becker]

Kroy, please give me some detail re how you cleaned the skull. I did my first "european mount" a number of years ago by boiling and bleaching . . . and, it's not very good . . . 'skull is turned nearly to chalk. I have a blacktail spike and 2x3 to do from this year's hunt. Thanks! Don

[Bait O' Eggs]

My buddy did 2 bulls this year and he boiled and bleached them both. I have not seen them but he said they look good

I have heard of some people who have beetles/bugs to clean the skull and think it would be an efficient method and work well.

Your work looks good and I like the mount. My next mount will probably be a european mount.

I would like to do another full shoulder typical mount but the foam head, eyes, tanning etc.... are not the cheapest method for display. Doing it yourself is still cheaper than the professionals, but the wife probably wouldnt allow me to put it in the house anyway [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

[KROY]

Don,

I found a ton of info on how to clean a skull. Everything I read said cleaning and scraping was a pain so I decided to bury the head in the back yard. I cover the antlers with black trash bags last fall and let the wild beetles do the work. I dug it up in May and couldn't believe how clean it was. I then hosed it off and boiled it in 1/2 gallon of hydrogen peroxide, 2 cups of Arm and Hammer soap and water for one hour. Make sure you don't boil the antlers. I did this to kill off any germs and get any dirt out of the inside. I hosed it off again and let it sit in the sun for a day to dry.

I next made a mistake and tried a hairdresser’s bleaching solution that a friend suggested. It turned some light stains really dark. Note: Don’t do this step.

I then bought some chemicals for whitening from http://www.skulltaxidermy.com/whiten.html

This stuff worked great and I would recommend it. Just follow the directions.

I copied the plaque from this same site.

The skull has a nice shine to it with no chalking and the web cartilage still in the nasal area.


BOE,

The domesticated beetles work great. I thought about buying some and trying them but I read they are pretty fragile and really stink bad so I tried the natural ones.

Ken

[Don Becker]

Thank you, Ken! That's GREAT information! I'll probably get started soon. Don

[tag-a-long]

Nice looking mount.

[MountainLion84]

I did this antelope in 2000. I actually ended up using some white paint on the skull and black paint on the horns. I did an elk and a deer as well, but the nose pieces came off, I think I boiled them too long. I have a bear skull I need to do next. I have heard that ant hills work well also.

[KROY]

That's funny you say that because I have a friend in Florida who put two deer heads on ant hills after looking at this mount. He heard red ant hills work good too.

Ken

[Fish Hawk Adventures]

I have a friend that does skulls for a living here in Portland, I have had my 5X6 elk and my 4 point Blacktail done by him this year. I have not ever seen another skull come out so clean and white. His dermistered beetles and degreasing process is perfected and the skulls come out almost looking like fakes because they are so clean and white. They are very economical an elk is $200. and a Deer is $150. I will post some pictures of the mounts.
Joe

[STGRule]

Those mounts are so cool. I would even let the husband hang those in the house. They don't pretend the animal is still alive and shows all the "biology" of the animal. I like 'em.

[KROY]

Thanks STGRule.

Talons,
Your right, the beetles do a better job. When you add the skull price to the plaque price and it's over $300. I just wanted to try it myself.
Post your pictures; I would love to see them.
Thanks,
Ken

[ 11-11-2003, 11:04 AM: Message edited by: KROY ]

[dlgobeavs]

Anyone have a link or information on where to get the beetles?

[talk2elk]

Ken, that turned out real nice.
How's your boat did you get it fixed ?

Bruce