European Mounts: Why you don't boil skulls...

[SaskHunter]

... especially why you don't over boil skulls. I was asked by a buddy to finish a couple of mule deer skulls his dad and him shot in 2018. He had started working on them but gave up due to inexperience. One skull was close to being done and had been boiled with some damage, the other had been clearly over boiled and never finished. This second skull had lots of meat left on it (base of the antlers were wrapped in hide, lots of meat on the back of the skull, meat inside the nose, etc) and had been stored in a shed on the dirt floor. Before cleaning it up, I could already tell it would end up with a very rough finish, to say the least.

The first cleaner skull went well, I simmered/degreased it for 30 minutes or so and pressure washed the gunk off. It bleached fairly well with some minor stains that are deep in the bone most likely from being boiled too long with no degreasing.

The second skull took a lot of careful work, low heat, constant monitoring and low pressure washing, and still came out looking pretty shitty. The bone was now extremely brittle and stained hard due to the lack of previous degreasing. Three days of bleaching did barely anything to it and it is now missing several pieces of skull, especially around the nose, that dissolved or broke into tiny fragments. I sifted through the pot and did a sweep on my washing area to find pieces to try and find a few missing pieces and the biggest chunk of bone that I found was no bigger than a dime,

Bottom line, this is far from my greatest work, but I still managed to "fix" them. This was a good lesson learned for my buddy and I hope it serves as a "warning" for guys who want to get into making their own European mounts. This by no means is meant to scare guys away from doing their own euros, this is just a good reminder to be careful. When it comes to boiling, don't, simmer and monitor your progress regularly, use a degreasing agent like Dawn dish soap and/or Oxi.

 

[Taylord9]

Does anyone hear have beetles?

 

[WyoDoug]

I kinda want to find an authoritative video on how to do Euro mounts I want to do my own this year. I have never done one and don't have the funding to pay for all those extras being retired at hunting time. I have always cut the skull cap and mounted them that way but this year, I want to do Euro mounts.

 

[p_ham]

I kinda want to find an authoritative video on how to do Euro mounts I want to do my own this year. I have never done one and don't have the funding to pay for all those extras being retired at hunting time. I have always cut the skull cap and mounted them that way but this year, I want to do Euro mounts.

Check out whitebone creations on YouTube. He has tons of content for doing them at home.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

I kinda want to find an authoritative video on how to do Euro mounts I want to do my own this year. I have never done one and don't have the funding to pay for all those extras being retired at hunting time. I have always cut the skull cap and mounted them that way but this year, I want to do Euro mounts.

There are lots of "authoritative " videos, and many ways to do it. Best thing to do is pick a method and give it a shot! I find it enjoyable and satisfying. Each skull turns out a bit better as there are always things you find to tweak. I would start on an average antelope or deer, one that you don't care too much how it turns out.

 

[Gellar]

Does anyone hear have beetles?

I have had beetles in the past. I do not currently maintain them.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

... especially why you don't over boil skulls. I was asked by a buddy to finish a couple of mule deer skulls his dad and him shot in 2018. He had started working on them but gave up due to inexperience. One skull was close to being done and had been boiled with some damage, the other had been clearly over boiled and never finished. This second skull had lots of meat left on it (base of the antlers were wrapped in hide, lots of meat on the back of the skull, meat inside the nose, etc) and had been stored in a shed on the dirt floor. Before cleaning it up, I could already tell it would end up with a very rough finish, to say the least.

The first cleaner skull went well, I simmered/degreased it for 30 minutes or so and pressure washed the gunk off. It bleached fairly well with some minor stains that are deep in the bone most likely from being boiled too long with no degreasing.

The second skull took a lot of careful work, low heat, constant monitoring and low pressure washing, and still came out looking pretty shitty. The bone was now extremely brittle and stained hard due to the lack of previous degreasing. Three days of bleaching did barely anything to it and it is now missing several pieces of skull, especially around the nose, that dissolved or broke into tiny fragments. I sifted through the pot and did a sweep on my washing area to find pieces to try and find a few missing pieces and the biggest chunk of bone that I found was no bigger than a dime,

Bottom line, this is far from my greatest work, but I still managed to "fix" them. This was a good lesson learned for my buddy and I hope it serves as a "warning" for guys who want to get into making their own European mounts. This by no means is meant to scare guys away from doing their own euros, this is just a good reminder to be careful. When it comes to boiling, don't, simmer and monitor your progress regularly, use a degreasing agent like Dawn dish soap and/or Oxi.

I over boiled one once. Turned out super white, but crumbled when touched. Bummer.

 

[SaskHunter]

Check out whitebone creations on YouTube. He has tons of content for doing them at home.

I was going to recommend the same!

 

[WyoDoug]

Check out whitebone creations on YouTube. He has tons of content for doing them at home.

I will take a look at these. I have seen a bunch where they teach methods that others in here say don't work. With the conflicting ideas, I don't want to run a good mount so prolly will start with does on the skull cap or the smaller bucks I can just toss if they don't work.

 

[SaskHunter]

I over boiled one once. Turned out super white, but crumbled when touched. Bummer.

His biggest mistake, in my opinion, was to over boil without any degreasing agent and leave flesh on the bone afterwards. I've seen lots of guys over boil skulls, they normally turn out alright, the nose bones separate or fall off but if they clean them well, the skulls will be fine.

 

[SaskHunter]

I will take a look at these. I have seen a bunch where they teach methods that others in here say don't work. With the conflicting ideas, I don't want to run a good mount so prolly will start with does on the skull cap or the smaller bucks I can just toss if they don't work.

Here's my "recipe" that I've concocted over the years, it works for me:

1. Flesh skull as good as you can but you don't have to go crazy;

2. SIMMER for 45 to 60 minutes with copious amounts of Dawn dish soap;

3. Remove the big chunks, I use a pressure washer (if you don't own one, go to a car wash, I may or may not do that in the winter );

4. SIMMER for another 45 to 60 minutes this time adding a scoop of OxiClean (it turns everything to jelly);

5. Pressure wash well one last time (I personally dislike the small nasal cavity bones so taking them out expedites the cleaning process);

6. Wrap the skull with 40 Vol Hydrogen Peroxide and strips of paper towel, wrap your skull mummy in plastic wrap and leave overnight; and

7. Final rinse, dry and then try to find a wall that still has space to hang it!

I use a large propane burner but you can also do it in the house if your wife has already given up on you (or if you don't have a wife)!

 

[WyoDoug]

Here's my "recipe" that I've concocted over the years, it works for me:

1. Flesh skull as good as you can but you don't have to go crazy;

2. SIMMER for 45 to 60 minutes with copious amounts of Dawn dish soap;

3. Remove the big chunks, I use a pressure washer (if you don't own one, go to a car wash, I may or may not do that in the winter );

4. SIMMER for another 45 to 60 minutes this time adding a scoop of OxiClean (it turns everything to jelly);

5. Pressure wash well one last time (I personally dislike the small nasal cavity bones so taking them out expedites the cleaning process);

6. Wrap the skull with 40 Vol Hydrogen Peroxide and strips of paper towel, wrap your skull mummy in plastic wrap and leave overnight; and

7. Final rinse, dry and then try to find a wall that still has space to hang it!

I use a large propane burner but you can also do it in the house if your wife has already given up on you (or if you don't have a wife)!

LOL thanks. I do have a propane burner. Just got to find one of the large pots which they sell at Sportsmans Warehouse.

Also for the others to suggested Wishbone Creations for videos. I saw those before, so I will focus on them for a bit until hunting is over and maybe I learn something.

 

[BuzzH]

1. Never boil.
2. Super washing soda in your water.
3. Never boil.
4. Dawn dish soap to pull the grease out.
5. Never boil.
6. 40 volume crème developer and basic white mixed into a paste, cover all the bone, wrap in a plastic bag, let stand for a couple/three days.
7. Rinse and let dry.

Oh, and never boil.

Stuff my wife and I shot in 2009, did the euro's using items 1-7 above.

 

[Ajax2744]

Does anyone hear have beetles?

I have beetles. They can pick a deer clean in about a day and and elk in 2-3. Beetles make a super clean euro. Since the skull doesn't sit in water with the meat and brains I have seen less grease and yellowing. Makes the bleaching process quick and easy.

 

[kwyeewyk]

you can also do it in the house if your wife has already given up on you (or if you don't have a wife)!

Oh man what a nasty smell, you'd better have given up on yourself if you try that!

 

[cahunter805]

A pressure washer to remove meat is a great tip. Much less simmering involved also.
Check your local goodwill for Big cheap pots also.

 

[Ajax2744]

A pressure washer to remove meat is a great tip. Much less simmering involved also.
Check your local goodwill for Big cheap pots also.

Be careful though because a pressure washer used incorrectly can break/disintegrate the nasal cavity

 

[devon deer]

1. Never boil.
2. Super washing soda in your water.
3. Never boil.
4. Dawn dish soap to pull the grease out.
5. Never boil.
6. 40 volume crème developer and basic white mixed into a paste, cover all the bone, wrap in a plastic bag, let stand for a couple/three days.
7. Rinse and let dry.

Oh, and never boil.

Stuff my wife and I shot in 2009, did the euro's using items 1-7 above.

That's similar to technique I use, I would just add, pierce the eyes before simmering, power wash, mix peroxide with climbers chalk (@mdunc8 gave me that tip) wrap base of antlers in cooking foil (protects them from hot water/peroxide), I use a dish washer tablet in the water.
Cheers
Richard

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Slow cooking is the way to go, and getting to them asap. I just did an antelope, about 4 hours on the cooker, about 15 min of pressure wash.

 

[Shangobango]

1. Never boil.
2. Super washing soda in your water.
3. Never boil.
4. Dawn dish soap to pull the grease out.
5. Never boil.
6. 40 volume crème developer and basic white mixed into a paste, cover all the bone, wrap in a plastic bag, let stand for a couple/three days.
7. Rinse and let dry.

Oh, and never boil.

Stuff my wife and I shot in 2009, did the euro's using items 1-7 above.

Just so I am understanding you correctly, do not boil the skull correct?