Slightly stinky Euro

[Dougfirtree]

I know this has come up before, but I'd really appreciate some experienced perspectives.

I tried my first Euro this Spring and I will admit that the head had been frozen for quite a while and then dried out for a while after skinning, so not a pristine start to the process.

I just finished the peroxide step and it looks great (maybe not as white as some I've seen, but not bad), but it still stinks if you stick your nose up against it. I have given it enough boiling and powerwashing attention, that I don't think it's stinking because there's a chunk of meat left in there. I think the smell is just in the bone. (It smells like the water did after I boiled the flesh off). I'm thinking I may peroxide it again, just to whiten it up a bit more and see if it takes down the smell, but I'd be interested in other opinions on how to cut the stink. My process below:

Thanks!

1. Skinned head
2. Boiled in water with a bit of dish soap
3. Power washed
4. Let it soak for a day in cool water because there was some pretty stubborn flesh left on it.
5. Boiled again in water to get the last of the flesh loosened up
6. Power washed again
7. Dried
8. Gave it a good rub down with warm soapy water
9. Dried
10. Painted on a bunch of 40v peroxide goop for hair, covered in saran wrap, let sit for 2.5 days
11. Washed off the goop, dried.

 

[Hunting Wife]

In my experience, that’s fairly normal. I can often smell a little something for a week or so after it’s finished, but it goes away pretty quickly. There is a small amount of tissue inside the various sinus cavities and such that you just won’t be able to get out.

I often spray the skull (not the antlers or horns) with a light coat of clear satin spray paint. That seems to help with minor odors too.

 

[Hem]

Been some years...I would submerge the head in liquid peroxide for a couple of days(up to the base of the horns).
Full penetration inside and out.

 

[TOGIE]

I’ll put in another plug for the hot peroxide/water bath

 

[Corn king 60]

I used to use the sally beauty stuff but have gone to this method.everything much the same way you did except I usually a lot enough time to go start to finish so as no drying out issues or I put them back in the freezer. But my bleaching process is boiling in hydrogen peroxide one part peroxide to three parts water for 20-30 minutes.very bright and no stink

 

[OntarioHunter]

I suggest making a paste from 40 vol beautician peroxide and Clairol whitening powder, painting it on, covering with plastic wrap, and leaving overnight before rinsing thoroughly. If you can set it out in the sun, that will greatly assist bleaching. As will painting on paste when skull is hot out of boiling bath. The beauticians 40 vol we use is scented with some kind of perfume which helps greatly.

I agree with above. Don't worry too much about it. Unless the skull stinks up the whole room, it should outgas fairly rapidly. And do be careful to remove as much of the deep nasal membrane as possible. Can be a real stink repository. This is especially important for moose euros. Incredible how much gunk can be stashed up their big schnozzes. Also, carefully inspect the brain cavity. Easy to miss some stuff in there (though power washer is usually very thorough).

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

In my experience, that’s fairly normal. I can often smell a little something for a week or so after it’s finished, but it goes away pretty quickly. There is a small amount of tissue inside the various sinus cavities and such that you just won’t be able to get out.

I often spray the skull (not the antlers or horns) with a light coat of clear satin spray paint. That seems to help with minor odors too.

I found some clearcoat that is chalk finish (flatter than flat) it turns out pretty nice.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Well, I finally finished my first Euro mount. I did some more peroxide baths and that seemed to help the stink. There are still places on the skull that are not pristinely white, but I suspect that may be tough luck, given how long I let the head weather before skinning and boiling. Not too bad for the first try. Hopefully, I'll have another chance to practice this year.

 

[pabearhunter]

Have you completely removed all the brain ?

 

[OntarioHunter]

Also check that honeycomb at the back of the nasal canal next to the brain. That stuff can be stinky if you don't dig it out. I see a bit of a dark spot between the eyes that kinda tells me maybe you didn't get it all cleaned out. As far as bleaching snow white, I think your skull is just fine the way it is. Looks more natural to me. I think you did a good job. Just gotta lick that stench.

 

[OntarioHunter]

Here's a tip for mounting whitetail euros to a plaque. If you attach the skull as is to the plaque, the horns will be tipped forward and down. Note how the G1s (brow tines) on yours are pointing out instead of up. You can adjust this somewhat by removing some of the two pointy bone projections on both sides of the spinal cord collar. File them down carefully until the collar just touches the plaque. That way the two pointy projections still provide support and keep the skull upright on the plaque. This will tip the nose out a bit but skull will still look fine on the plaque. For some really droopy racks I have actually ground down the spinal cord collar to tip the skull back even more. For mule deer a whole different approach is necessary because their racks will stick straight out into the room if skull is mounted flat to a plaque or the wall. The alternative is to have the nose sticking out into the room (see attached). Same problem with pronghorn euros. Whitetails are definitely much more euro friendly.

 

[Beignet]

Also check that honeycomb at the back of the nasal canal next to the brain. That stuff can be stinky if you don't dig it out. I see a bit of a dark spot between the eyes that kinda tells me maybe you didn't get it all cleaned out. As far as bleaching snow white, I think your skull is just fine the way it is. Looks more natural to me. I think you did a good job. Just gotta lick that stench.

Second this. I had a lingering smell on my first and only attempt thus far. I eventually knocked all those little nasal turbines out with a pair of long, thin needle nose pliers and was able to keep the stink at bay.

However, that did weaken up the “bridge” bones of the nasal area. I put a couple of dots of two part epoxy in selective spots on the inside of the nasal cavity that kept everything in place pretty well.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Second this. I had a lingering smell on my first and only attempt thus far. I eventually knocked all those little nasal turbines out with a pair of long, thin needle nose pliers and was able to keep the stink at bay.

However, that did weaken up the “bridge” bones of the nasal area. I put a couple of dots of two part epoxy in selective spots on the inside of the nasal cavity that kept everything in place pretty well.

Yes, the latter peroxide baths took care of the lingering smell. No odor any more.

 

[Dougfirtree]

Here's a tip for mounting whitetail euros to a plaque. If you attach the skull as is to the plaque, the horns will be tipped forward and down. Note how the G1s (brow tines) on yours are pointing out instead of up. You can adjust this somewhat by removing some of the two pointy bone projections on both sides of the spinal cord collar. File them down carefully until the collar just touches the plaque. That way the two pointy projections still provide support and keep the skull upright on the plaque. This will tip the nose out a bit but skull will still look fine on the plaque. For some really droopy racks I have actually ground down the spinal cord collar to tip the skull back even more. For mule deer a whole different approach is necessary because their racks will stick straight out into the room if skull is mounted flat to a plaque or the wall. The alternative is to have the nose sticking out into the room (see attached). Same problem with pronghorn euros. Whitetails are definitely much more euro friendly. View attachment 196576

Yeah, for some reason, I really like the look of the ones that are flat to the wall.

 

[manitou1]

Also check that honeycomb at the back of the nasal canal next to the brain. That stuff can be stinky if you don't dig it out. I see a bit of a dark spot between the eyes that kinda tells me maybe you didn't get it all cleaned out. As far as bleaching snow white, I think your skull is just fine the way it is. Looks more natural to me. I think you did a good job. Just gotta lick that stench.

This!
I'll bet there is some tissue/cartilage remaining in the back of the nasal cavity.