Author Topic: a boys first deer, need advice for skull mount (Read 1173 times)

c mac · « **on:** December 07, 2003, 03:55:36 PM »

A close friends son shot his first buck this fall. I would like to make a skull mount for him for CHRISTmas. I cut off the bottom jaw and about an in. below the eyes. then simmered in my wifes turkey roaster in my shop. I got 95% of the stuff off.Don't tell my wife. I figure I can trim on the belt sander later. What I was wondering was, how can I get it white. Also there is alot to be said for a picture. Anyone know where I can get a picture of the finished product?
Thanks, cmac

grizzy57 · « **Reply #1 on:** December 07, 2003, 11:18:39 PM »

C Mac

Put some Clorox in the water and boil it!!! When you are done it will be nice and white!!When it is dry spray it with clear Lacquer.It will stay nice a long time..
Grizzy57 :lol:

Lee D. · « **Reply #2 on:** December 08, 2003, 02:05:02 PM »

Do not use chlorox!!!!
Go to the trapper sight and search for skulls. A fellow on there gave very good directions. About the first thing he says is "don't use bleach" it destroys the bone.

grizzy57 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 08, 2003, 11:03:33 PM »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Is this guy selling the STUFF??? I have used clorox for about 50 years
and still have the skulls!!!

Grizzy

Lee D. · « **Reply #4 on:** December 10, 2003, 03:06:43 AM »

He has been selling skulls(to museums and collectors) for a long time and is apparently quitting.

Bug · « **Reply #5 on:** December 14, 2003, 12:06:19 PM »

I, too, have used Clorox for bleaching skulls. Guess it's one of the many things I didn't know I couldn't do - beforehand

I will say that the mounts, done this way, have yellowed to a noticeable degree. That, and if you get it on the rack, it will discolor it pretty bad. The last couple I did, I taped off the antlers, and spray-painted the skull gloss white. It worked out okay, and gives a great contrast when mounting on a darker plaque. Just my $0.02>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bug.

smoky · « **Reply #6 on:** December 24, 2003, 12:11:35 PM »

I have had excellent results skull mounting many deer. Once clean, I place the skull in a bath of hydrogen peroxide, making sure not to cover above the skull, as it will take the color off the bases of the antlers. I put this in the sun for a few hours, then remove skull from the bath and allow to dry in the sun for a few more hours.

I have heard that bleach will sometimes turn the skull yellow.

Hope this helps.

Smoky

PaGuy · « **Reply #7 on:** December 31, 2003, 03:49:56 PM »

I've used watered down clorox over the years with good results, but it may be a bit harsh and does damage the bone somewhat. I've heard just recently to use hydrogen peroxide. Then instead of spraying it with anything use a mixture of 50/50 Elmers glue and water. The glue will dry clear and never yellow. A local skull museum uses this method. I'm going to try this with my latest buck. Good luck.

John

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2004, 05:04:58 PM »

PaGuy, you got it right about the Elmer's glue. I did a boar skull. First I cleaned all the meat off the bone, then put it in a mixture of water and very little bleach for a few hours. If you leave it in to long, the bleach will break down the bone and make it chalky. I use the Elmer's glue without adding water and brush it on the skull. I let it dry for a day and reapply the Elmer's glue and let it dry and it turns out real bright white and shiny. I got the tip from my taxidermist. But on a deer make sure you do not bleach the antlers, it will take the color out and turn them white. The boars skull I did still looks as good as the day I did it. It has been over a year and a half. Hope this helped.

rockbilly · « **Reply #9 on:** January 10, 2004, 04:59:33 AM »

I 've made a few skull mounts over the years and have found one of the simplest ways to get it done is to hack saw from about 1 1/2 inches behind the horns to 1-1/2 - 2 inches below the eye sockets. I trim off all meat/skin, wrap the anthlers in black plastic bag and duct tape it down as close as possible to the skull. I then take that puppy out back and look for the largest fire ant hill I can find, put it on the hill and move it around a little to make them mad, then leave it for two-three days. When you go back for it, all meat will be gone, it will be white as snow and the anthlers retain their color. I hang it my shop for a few days to let it finish curing. You can then mount it.

I learnd this trick from an old indian in Mayhill N.M. Course they didn't have fire ants, but ants were used to clean the meat off the skull. Since I'm covered with fire ants, and know how agressive they are I decided to use them....................You old boys with snow on the ground may have to wait for spring, or use one of the methods listed above.

Krooz · « **Reply #10 on:** January 14, 2004, 06:24:16 AM »

Another option is to use Sal-Soda, boil a fresh skull for a short amount of time and any meat you left on will turn to jelly and can be scraped off. The bone dries VERY white. Boil too long and the skull plates separate. I used to buy it from WASCO supplies when I did taxidermy with good results. They used to have a website at one time, and still might.

Krooz