Self Made Euro Mounts

I have two deer that I'm going to make into euro mounts. My dad shot one and the other is mine. I've been researching about how to do it and seem to understand the idea of how to do it. Boil the skull with antlers out of water picking out remains of skull until clean. Then whiten.

I ran across a site that said you can dig a hole and put head/antlers in it with antlers covered. It said only drawback was it took a long time. Anybody ever tried doing an euro mount this way? I figured if this way worked it would be a lot easier if you aren't in a hurry. I'm sure you would still need to boil, but it might cut down the actual time in regards to hands on approach. Not sure if it would be worth the wait?

Any suggestions, please add. I've read a lot of links on boiling so no need for that information. Thanks.

 

Ive heard of burying the skull in a red ant pile. Never tried tho.

 

I read something about beetles too.

 

I just boiled my first. A bit messy, but easier than I thought. I didn't feel I needed to bleach it.

 

I boil mine as well but you need to be careful so as not to boil too long as you can start to get some discoloring and deterioration of the bone, especially around the teeth. Now I boil in water with borax and only long enough to get everything soft and gel like. I then take a pressure washer to it and spray all that meat off (you can go to a carwash but just be prepared for the odd looks!). Once it is clean I soak in peroxide for a day or two (protect your antler bases) and then let it sit out in bright sun for a few days. The drying of the peroxide in the sun really whitens them up. Do yourself a favor and get as much meat off as possible before starting this process to save time and hassle.

 

I just let mine sit in a pot of water for quite a while, eventually it basically just falls off. Be prepared for quite the stench though! After it has soaked long enough, I take the air blower attachment for the air compressor and have at it. Kind of messy, but it gets it done for me.

 

I used an old fryer. Brought it to just under a boil. You dont want a rolling boil! I let it boil for 2-3 hours stopping every hour to scrape some chunks of meat. Take a screwdriver and wiggle around in skull cavity. After that you can powerwash. Remainder of brains shoulf fall out.
Go to the beauty supply store and purchase volume 40 hydrogen peroxide. Put this on skull to bleach it. Be sure to use nitrile/rubber gloves as this will burn your skin and keep it off the antlers. Let it to desired whiteness. Please let me know if you need any clarification. Good luck

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ive done 2 whitetail and 2 mulies so far this spring and ive tried red ants twice. first shot i just took the head with hair and all and found the biggest red ant pile i could find, used a shovel to open up a hole, then put the head in and covered it back up. i checked on the progress twice a week. about 5 weeks in i lost patience and pulled it. results were kind of crappy - they didnt really do much. i ended up just boiling it. for the second try i first placed the head in water for 5 days to soften up the hide and removed as much as posible before putting it with the ants. left it in for about two weeks and they did okay but ultimately ended up boiling it to remove the remainder of the brain.

just in the few that ive done ive had the best results by boiling. i keep it to a simmer with borax and then bleach it with the strongest stuff the beauty salon has. ive never power washed mine but if you do after the boiling be careful around the nasal and sinus cavity because those bones are pretty fragile. i havent put any of mine on plaques yet but plan to. heres a shot of the first whitetail i boiled:

 

boiling works best. I boiled mine first for a few hours, got most of the meat off, then added dawn dish soap and oxyclean. the oxyclean worked great and the rest of the tissue just fell off, it also whitened the mount at the same time. No need for another step.

 

how do you skin the head ????

 

Sounds like boiling is the best idea. Need to find a pot to boil them in. I have a power washer so that should help. Thanks for the comments.

 

I simmered mine with the skin still on. A knife and my hands had the skin off in about 90 seconds.

 

The easiest/laziest method I've used, is to cut the head off, use some bailing wire, tie it to the base of the antlers and throw it in a deep creek. Come back in about 2 months and take it out and it is cleaned off, all you have to do now is wash it down good, let it dry, then bleach it. I've also tried domestid beetles/flesh eating beetles. Works pretty quick, you just have to order the beetles, and buy a big Tupperware.

 

My son uses the beetles and does them for friends/family/neighbors. We've had the beetles for 3 years now and have 2 bins going. Hard to get a way from the smell though. You also have to peroxide the bone after the beetles are done. Works slick.

 

does the water cause any damage or discoloration to the horns?

 

i have done the burrying deal then boiled for a short time afterwards and it worked really well. I have also used beetles and then soaked in hydrogen peroxide overnight for smaller skulls for school.

 

The only problem I've ever had with that is when I tossed it into really mucky/clay, and there was a black stain on the antler, it did come off though, so I would just find a cleaner creek that's all