This is just my luck! First year of archery hunting. I scouted, put up a camera, built ground blind so my wife could go with me. Last Saturday I hunted the other side of the property. When I was walking out I looked the field over and seen something white by my blind. Figured It was a piece of trash or a bag. I didn't go over there due to wanting to hunt it that evening. I didn't get back out the rest of the weekend. Yesterday was doing some scouting and found the buck I was after 20 yards from my spot dead. it was him that I seen a week earlier. I would like to bleach the skull and do a European mount. Its pretty bad and stinks. Is there a good way to clean the skull? Any info. or a link from past threads would be appreciated.
Dead head I found I took to the car wash and hosed with soap and degreaser as much as I could. The stench will linger for awhile. I managed to get it done, haven't tried to whiten it or anyhing, has that dingey yellowish look to it. Figured it's a dead head why not let it look like it. Main thing is getting the inner gray matter out, or you can bury it in the yard cover the antpers with an old tote or bucket depending on antler size and let nature take it's course.
I'm not sure on Kansas regulations. But here in Illinois as well as many other states. You are required to get a salvage tage from the DNR before moving the animal or keeping it. Just a heads up
I wouldn't bury it. I'd soak the skull, leave the rack portion above water change the water out every couple weeks. The length of time would depend on mostly the ambient temps. After a month or so I would power wash it (carefully) and then coat it with a hair bleach product and let that sit for a couple weeks. Tim is right. You need a salvage tag in KS.
There are lots of youtube videos on how to make a European mount. I boil the skull, antlers above water, and use a power washer to blast the meat off. Then boil again, then power wash again. Boiling should be done carefully, and not a rolling boil. More of a simmer. Power wash only as strong as necessary to remove the meat, being especially careful in the nasal cavity. I've had great results this way. Good luck and post a picture when you're done!
I found one last about 9 months ago and buried it and just pulled it up the other day (probably 6-7 months in the ground). Other than being dirty it was clean of any meat or fur. I washed it off with a hose and found it had been shot in the face with an arrow. The DNR guy and I thought it had been hit by the car at the time so I think it was living with the BH and arrow in its skull before it was hit. I'm going to get it whitened and see how it turns out. Will make a cool Euro I think.
i bury mine in a compost pile, don't have to worry about little brain pieces left behind and stinking up the joint. Just have to rinse well w/ peroxide to get all the worms out of the nasal cavity and cranium.
Whatever you do limit the time the antlers are exposed to the sun. A couple years ago I had one hanging outside for about a month before I worked on it and the natural antler color turned to white. After learning about the different ways to stain antlers I've learned that they all still look not nearly as good as the original color. I'm curious if the game warden will give you a tag since you've already moved the animal. Let us know what they say.
I don't know how he died. the body has had coyotes eating on it. Wished I would have went over there last weekend and seen him before they got to him.
