What to do with 'em?

[1_pointer]

Just curious, but how do you guys keep your horns off of bucks too small to mount? Do you cut the skull plate like many do on deer or do you keep the whole skull (ie euro style)?

I got a head in the freezer from 2yrs ago and I'm wanting to get it out of there. The one before that one, I just cut the skull plate and it's in a box somewhere. Thought about cleaning the skull on this one just for practice, but can't decide it its worth the trouble.

 

[fowladdict]

Better to learn and mess up on the small one instead of your next wall hanger. From experience it is not to hard to do a euro. My dad has several euro forkys.

 

[thecrittergitter]

Just curious, but how do you guys keep your horns off of bucks too small to mount? Do you cut the skull plate like many do on deer or do you keep the whole skull (ie euro style)?

I got a head in the freezer from 2yrs ago and I'm wanting to get it out of there. The one before that one, I just cut the skull plate and it's in a box somewhere. Thought about cleaning the skull on this one just for practice, but can't decide it its worth the trouble.

Keep them attached and let them grow a few more years and then just worry about where to hang the mount

 

[Dinkshooter]

Miracle Grow?

 

[Festus]

I get lots of practice with this due to exessive amounts of small critters!!

I bury the head (hide and all) up to the horns and put a 1/2 barrel over it with a cinder block on top to keep bears/dogs off it. The bugs eat everything but the bone in 2 to 3 months (this time of year). The barrel also keeps the sun off horns and they keep their original color.
Pull head out and boil in bleach to sanitize.
There is now a fire ant nest in and around where I always bury skulls and that really speeds things up!

I just leave them laying around the office, home, man cave - people like to pick them up and hold'em rather than just look at them on the wall.
Here's one I have in my offce...

 

[Festus]

I like Critters' and Dinks' idea better, though!!!

 

[pseshooter300]

You know anyone that has some Beatles?

 

[1_pointer]

Keep them attached and let them grow a few more years and then just worry about where to hang the mount

Ha! I do that occasionally, but sometimes I just can't help myself. It's the same way for me at Sizzler...

 

[dustinf]

We have a local guy with beetles. He charged me $35 for my antelope, unfortunately the horns still developed a stink. I'll probably try packing them with borax.

 

[noharleyyet]

pointer, was this a pronghorn query?

For deer, a skull section leather cover on a small plaque. Of course I've never shot a small whitetail.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

They make wonderful Cabinet Handles...................John

 

[1_pointer]

Yes pronghorn.

 

[BuzzH]

 

[putm2sleep]

That is not good table manners Buzz. Do you do the same with all your elk bone too?
Lets see that!

1_pointer - you have your answer.

 

[Big Slick]

Nice herd, Buzz!

 

[oldman357]

Pull head out and boil in bleach to sanitize.


View attachment 35564

you had me until you said bleach, please don't bleach bone it breaks the bone down and makes it chalky, instead use warm water (100 degrees) and liberal amounts of dawn to get the grease out, change the water every 3 to 4 days. After you think it's degreased take it out and set it in the sun or someplace warm for a while. when you find a grease spot degrease again. After that get some peroxide and make a paste with some basic white get none on the antlers let it set then clean it off seal with a non yellowing lacquer and hang it. Or better yet donate it to a local science classroom. I have a large collection of skulls that the kids love to look at.

 

[1_pointer]

Are you boiling them? If so, hopefully you didn't use the same pot you fried the fish in a few years back!

I've read guys having luck letting microbes doing it in a buck of warm water for a couple of weeks. However, I'm a bit worried, living in a subdivision, that the wife and neighbors will make a hassle.

 

[Festus]

you had me until you said bleach, please don't bleach bone it breaks the bone down and makes it chalky, instead use warm water (100 degrees) and liberal amounts of dawn to get the grease out, change the water every 3 to 4 days. After you think it's degreased take it out and set it in the sun or someplace warm for a while. when you find a grease spot degrease again. After that get some peroxide and make a paste with some basic white get none on the antlers let it set then clean it off seal with a non yellowing lacquer and hang it. Or better yet donate it to a local science classroom. I have a large collection of skulls that the kids love to look at.

When I pull my skulls out of the ground, they are totally clean of anything - except dirt. No mess, slime, brains, grease, hair, Nothing. I just bleach them to 'sanitize' because people like to pick them up and look at them.
Also, the antlers keep their color but the skulls tend to darken and the bleach lightens them up again. I like the paste idea better. Will try that next time I get a small one. Could be a while, though

 

[Festus]

Awesome picture Buzz!!!

 

[pa mt man]

My son in law got his first buck in Pa last year and I told him I'd boil his head out for him. I put it in the shed and did my usual procrastinating till a few months ago when I smelt something bad as I walked past. My brother said to put it in the pond. Smelled like a good idea to me. I hung it by a stainless steel wire off the dock about two feet down. Two days ago I remembered about it. It was completely covered with green slime. I try all kinds of soap and nothing took the green tint off the bones. I let it set out in the sun a day and that did the trick. No smell either.