I just got 2 euro mounts back from taxidermist. He uses beetles. They look great but they still have a strong antelope odor to them. It's bad enough that they will have to hang in the garage for a long time I think. Every time I walk past them I can smell them. Anyone have any remedies to put on them to take that strong musky smell away?
Euro mount stink
- Thread starter Muskeez
- Start date
MKotur325
New member
Did he boil them, or just give them to the beetles? If he just beetled them, it may be worth boiling them...
It's most likely the sheaths that stink. I have a couple euro's that have some sort of sealer or varnish on the sheaths, and they don't stink. My first euro didn't have anything put on the sheaths, and it had to sit in my garage for about a year before the stink went away. Not sure what it is they put on the sheaths, but hopefully there are some taxi's here that can chime in.
Not a taxidermist but just did my own european mount on an antelope.
Had the sheathes filled with borax for about 5 months and haven't had any stink. If they weren't dried properly before putting back on the bases they will stink considerably.
Had the sheathes filled with borax for about 5 months and haven't had any stink. If they weren't dried properly before putting back on the bases they will stink considerably.
Big Sky
Well-known member
I own a beetle skull cleaning company. That musky smell as others have stated is from the horns/sheaths. That is what antelope smell like. You cannot completely eliminate that smell, but you can reduce it by spraying them down with Lysol. After they dry they seal them inside and out with a matte acrylic clear coat finish. You can buy it at pretty much any hardware store or Walmart. The smell won't be 100% gone but it will be reduced considerably.
Beartooth83
Member
I don't see a problem with the Antelope smell. 60% of the time, it works every time.
Outdoor Junkie
Active member
Agreed with the other guys. There is flesh on the horn, under the sheath . I am sure the Beatles didn't get in there and the smell you have is rotting flesh. You'll need to pull the sheaths off, clean ( boil) the horns and then treat the inside of the sheaths with Borax or a clear coat. I used a can of spray clear coat and sprayed it inside the sheaths then stood them up so the clear coat couldn't run out and let them dry for a week or so in the garage. Did 3 coats and the horns don't stink at all any more.
Good luck. I've done 2 euros on antelope before and they are definitely more of a pain than Mulies or white tails.
Good luck. I've done 2 euros on antelope before and they are definitely more of a pain than Mulies or white tails.
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Duck-Slayer
Well-known member
I've done 3 antelope euro's, non stink, I washed them in the sink with dawn soap, took the smell right out, never too stink again...
Matt
Matt
Muley Crazy
Member
The horns HAVE to be removed before the head is put in the beetles. If not 2 things happen 1 you get that rotting smell from inside the sheath. 2 once the beetles eat everything on the head they move onto the horns. I had Bare Bones European Mounting (Boise Idaho) do a 14.5 inch goat for me, and 2 YEARS later I got back and he had left it in for to long and all but 4 inch's of the horns had been eaten. They tried to rebuild them and it turned out like crap. You can pull the horns very easy. Either place the head in a black trash bag and leave it out side in the sun for a few days and try pulling them and wiggling them every day until they pop off. Or if your in a hurry you can microwave them and they will pop right off (that is if the wife will let you, and the head will fit) I have pronghorn 7 euro's and none of them have any smell and I don't boil them but I do put Borax in the horns to dry them out.
brownbear932008
Well-known member
I got an euro mount back in Dec. of a whitey and it stinks something terrible and I can't get rid of it either put it outside a few months now its in the garage and still smells pretty bad to where I couldn't hang it in the house if I wanted to. Smells like rotting flesh to me in the nose area but those bettles cleaned every bit of flesh off. Any one have any ideas as to the issue on this one? Mount looks great awesome job except the stink. I have seen boiled skulls and no issues on those that I know is it the bettle process that's bad or what looking for info?
Big Sky
Well-known member
Muley Crazy, those horns should of NEVER been on the skull when it was put in the beetles. They should have been removed before they ever saw beetle one. That tells me they were clueless and didn't know what they were doing. I'm sorry to hear that happened to your trophy, that would tick me off a 100 shades of PO'ed!
brownbear932008 I will try and PM you a suggestion that will hopefully help you get rid of that smell.
brownbear932008 I will try and PM you a suggestion that will hopefully help you get rid of that smell.
Outdoor Junkie
Active member
I've made 6 euro mounts at home by simmering the skulls in baking soda and dawn dish soap and there hasn't been any smell after I'm done. If you have a turkey deep fried base and a. Pot big enough, I would simmer the skull for a couple hours to get any remaining flesh and film off of the skull. The other thing I do is spray a clear mat finish on the skull ( cover the horns with a bag and tape ) . This adds strength to the skulls and would probably seal any residual smell into the skull. The last idea is to spray a garden hose into the brain cavity and into the nostrils after simmering. There may be a little flesh in there that needs to be washed out.
Is there usually a difference in the plaque on the animals teeth if they were boiled versus beetles? Reason I ask is I had a skull cleaned with beetles and the plaque is still on the teeth and I don't ever remember seeing that left on boiled skulls.
flyfishmadison
Member
X3 or X4 the suggestion of pouring borax into the horn sheath.
putm2sleep
New member
Did the dog wizz on em prior to hanging??
Thanks for all the suggestions. I have left a message with the taxidermist to see if he removed the horns or not. No answer yet. I will likely try to remove them and look for meat. Then try boiling the skull and using borax on the horns. My daughter also had a WT done by another guy with beetles and it has an odor also. I will likely try boiling that one. I don't think the WT smells too bad but she hung it above her bed and couldn't sleep because of the smell 
I don't know how well the beetles get the inside of the nose, i would assume pretty good but no idea. Regardless, every time I do a euro I tear out all of that nasal cavity. You'd be shocked as to how much crap comes out of there.....plus I think it makes a better looking mount to have a hollow nose cavity.
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