European Mount

[xedge2002]

Hey just wondering how many of you guys have a skull mount of a deer? My dad shot one this weekend and is thinking about getting this done. Anybody know of a good place to go with it? Any idea's on general price range?

I'll post pics of the buck when he sends them to me.

Thanks for the help.

Here is the pics. We are guessing he is an older deer with all the gray on his muzzle and around his eyes. His whole muzzle was gray on the bottom all the back to his neck and all around his eyes. Don't know if it shows up good in the pics.

[harvey lee]

I have one.I really like these mounts as they are something different.You can buy a kit and do it yourself as it is pretty easy.Approx 30 dollars for the kit.

[Code-Man]

It's a lot of work and if your going to do it do it NOW instead of waiting. I waited and WOW that was bad. I got a kit from Cabelas. 30-40 bucks came with the chemicals to do 3 and the base to hold it. Suggestions to you if you have a Garage or a big yard to do it there and if you have a turkey deepfryer. You need to boil it to get so much stuff off of it so take that into effect. I used a MR. Heater and that didn't work too good. And you need a pot to fit the whole thing in. I know some taxadermists charge about 100 bucks for it but I think in the long run it might be a better deal. If you got the stuff and wana try it try it but it is a lot of work.

[gspman]

I have one and I think it looks really nice.

[LABS4ME]

Lucky 65 bear-bait in Cambridge has the dermicide beetles to strip the skull. I do not know the charge for this service. They have been advertising in the Outdoor news. This is much easier and insures a better end product as you will never stain the skull with this method.

If you boil it, use a degreaser or even a little dawn detergent to cut down the grease as the fat melts. I power wash them when they come out of the boiling pot. This really insures all the brain and nasal cavity matter is gone. Then use the bleeching powder and peroxide mix (my buddy works in a lab and got me 40% peroxide as opposed to the household stuff). Make a paste and let sit on the skull over night, brush off dried paste with a soft toothbrush and you're done.

Good Luck!

Ken

[joe_stack20]

What did is I Took the head skinned it got all the major organs out. then i hung it from a tree for the summer in the backyard...the bugs and sun just ate the rest of all the gunk away...the sun baked it to a nice white....and in the wall i quick boiled it with water and bleach! White and perfect!

[joe_stack20]

ooops and in the FALL...is when i boil it. I knew they had a preview option for some darn reason!

[LABS4ME]

You do need to watch out if you use regular chlorine bleach. I've been told that it breaks down the bone. You may not notice it right away, but if memory serves me right, it is years down the road when the issues show up. There are special powders out that you mix with peroxide to clean and brighten the bone with out breaking it down.

Good Luck!

Ken

[gorrilla]

they aren't the cheapest, but the best way to do it is have someone with the beatles take care of your skull. Its the least likely to damage the skull. I have a bull moose at a lady's in the cities right now my taxidermist sent down to be beatle-ized. I can't hardly wait to hang Bullwinkle on my wall.

[BeerHunter]

I do a little taxidermy on the side, In High school I did shoulder mounts of 2 deer that i had shot with kits out of Van Dykes which is Cabelas Taxidermy company.

I did my first European mount on a buck i got this year with the kit i purchased from Vandykes. It was like 21 shipped to my house.

Includes directions and the bleaching agent which what i really bought it for. Now i know what is needed and can get all the stuf for under $10 in bulk.

I am now doing 4 mounts for friends for a little fee of course, but after you do one you can nearly cut your time in half. Last night i completly removed all the skin and the lower jaws on all 4 in about an hour and a half.

The kit has you use Volume 40 peroxide along with another powder that does a hell of a job to bleach it over night.

I think it looks very nice and the first one took me 3.5 hours. But now i know what i can and cant do.

If you have any questions just ask. I probably could copy the directions for anyone also. pretty basic but gives you something to go by.

[slimngrizzly]

Ive got about 40 European mounts. They are great. They make a small to medium rack look very nice.

They are easy to do in a day. Its cheap(almost free) but I would not recomend it if you have a sensitive stomach! Its nasty, it stinks, your clothes will reek of boiled rotting brain matter.

Turkey burner, water in pot, propane, soap or detergant, baking soda, and a few tools. Cut off as much hair and meat as possible, boil skull and about every 45 mins take it out and start cutting and removing chunks. when its done let it soak in hot clean soapy water and scrub with toothbrush. Rinse- then when wet, soak for 15 mins in about 60/40 bleech/water mix. rinse- then let dry. thats it!

Peroxide is better, too much bleach will make the skull WHITER but it will be like a piece of chalk and shatter easily. And dont get the bleach all over the antlers either!

Hope that helps. Good luck. Ive done a lot of them, and im sure there are better ways , beetles, etc. but this works good for me and everyone i do them for seems to be happy.

[eyes']

I did the exact thing as bear hunter... It is easy and I have became quite fast at it... I second the Vandykes kit... Definatly the way to go!!!

[B mac]

You can get a big pot at W-mart for $20. Add some dawn detergent and boil on your gas grill for an hour. The meat and other dump will almost fall right off. The gross part is skinning the hide off the skull and then digging out the eyes and brain. That part is not good.

Taxidermists will air brush them white with some shading and then add a clear coat. That really looks nice compared to the bleach/peroxide method. They don't like to boil them either (costs about $120)...so just the paint job is relatively cheap.