First Euro Mount - DIY

[wolfpup]

So I was a little intimidated in prior hunts but I decided "how bad could it be"? I watched videos by Randy, Eastman's, and a few other YouTube videos. If your hesitant, don't be! Turned out great. Maybe others have different ways but the best helper was a pair of pliers to pull the hid off especially around the antlers. So much easier than cutting off. Also, i used a power washer to flush the brains out. Easy peasy and the dog loved the smells and scraps leftover after.



First I needed a pot big enough. Wal-Mart had a "Tamale and Seafood Steamer Pot" that was perfect. Put the deer head in and filled water to the base of the antler and fired up the Camp Chef burner.


Second- Added some dawn dish soap and some oxi clean laundry detergent. Seemed fine but after it simmered a bit, the pot boiled over from the oxi clean as well as getting some suds on antlers, which basically turned them white. As the videos warned, add slowly, but I don't mind much and nobody else will care either, but for future reference it will boil over, so I recommend doing it outside.

Third - Let it simmer for about an hour.
Fourth - Strapped it to a spare tire and used my pressure washer to get the remainder of the meat.

Fifth - Didn't get as clean as I hoped.
Sixth - Boiled / simmered another hour.
Seventh - Pressure washer / scraped and it was nice and clean.

Eighth - Let it dry a day.
Ninth - Went to beauty supply store for the developer (bleach / peroxide cream)
Tenth - Lathered it on with a brush and hands and let is sit for 72 hours.
Eleventh - Rinsed off the remaining cream, let it dry and there you have it.

 

[TakeABreakAndTouchGrass]

Great job on your first one!

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Nice work, especially for your first time around. Took me a couple to get one that looked that good.

 

[noharleyyet]

You did a good job, thanks for sharing the sequence pics.

 

[30338]

Curious, how much time did it take after it was skinned out? Looks like it turned out nicely for you.

 

[wolfpup]

Curious, how much time did it take after it was skinned out? Looks like it turned out nicely for you.

I let it boil for 2 1/2 hours total and then 30 minute with the power washer and another 10 scraping... I would guess a total of 4 hours.

 

[Rzrbck918]

Looks good, If you want to avoid the bleaching on the base of the antlers, make sure they aren't submerged. The other trick I have used is applying some stain to the bases of the antlers after finishing. The white skull looks awesome.

 

[Losing_Sanity]

Nice mount! The antlers has a lot of character.

 

[SaskHunter]

I wrap the antlers in either alluminium foil or plastic wrap. Take off as much meat as you can. I simmer for 1-2 hours with dish soap and do a last 45 min with Oxi. Haven't had any discoloration on the antlers. That last 45 min with Oxi turns everything to jelly and wrapping the antlers protects them. Overall, great job, especially for your first!

 

[ashersdad]

Very nice job!

 

[wolfpup]

I wrap the antlers in either alluminium foil or plastic wrap. Take off as much meat as you can. I simmer for 1-2 hours with dish soap and do a last 45 min with Oxi. Haven't had any discoloration on the antlers. That last 45 min with Oxi turns everything to jelly and wrapping the antlers protects them. Overall, great job, especially for your first!

This is what I was thinking would be my approach next go round. I will hold off on the oxi until the second hour. Also I will probably wrap the antler bases. Thanks for info!

 

[wolfpup]

Nice mount! The antlers has a lot of character.

It might be as close to a drop-tine buck as I will ever see...lol

 

[wolfpup]

Looks good, If you want to avoid the bleaching on the base of the antlers, make sure they aren't submerged. The other trick I have used is applying some stain to the bases of the antlers after finishing. The white skull looks awesome.

I was going to stain the bases a little but I hung it high on the wall (in the kitchen.... my wife is pretty awesome) so you can't even see the discoloration at that height.

 

[Blaser270]

I was going to stain the bases a little but I hung it high on the wall (in the kitchen.... my wife is pretty awesome) so you can't even see the discoloration at that height.

No need for stain if you have brown shoe polish. I recolored mine just a tiny bit and they look great!