Euro skulls

Randle

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Dec 30, 2012
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Nope
Well if you boil to long the teeth will loosen, but they do reset once dried. I usually don't do euros because I too impatient , my son in law has done a few for me, but the buck I shot this year I did my self, It turned out pretty well. I am still trying to decide on a full shoulder mount , I did save the cape. I may try painting the skull but nothing gaudy.
 
OP
Wileycoyote

Wileycoyote

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 12, 2013
Messages
222
Location
S.E> Idaho
No, but they can get a little loose. Just use elmers glue along the jawline and they don't rattle anymore. Glue dries clear enough you can't tell its on there.
 

Bmcox86

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Sep 26, 2013
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1,046
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Dubuque, IA
Thanks I looked into getting my two blacktails done by beetles but the taxidermists all want $250 each and I'd like to save that if I could for a new rifle and see if I can do them myself
 

Randle

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Joined
Dec 30, 2012
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2,176
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Nope
Cory has a video on his 101 site that walks you thru it , I had already winterized my pressure washer so I used air pressure, just keep your mouth closed while blowing the brains out , don't ask why I know this tip .
 

stump06

WKR
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
379
I love a euro mount. It would take a very special critter to shoulder mount
 

gdc23

FNG
Joined
Oct 26, 2017
Messages
46
Location
MA
Just dropped off a buck I shot to be done, substantially less expensive than mounting the head and you still get a nice trophy to go with the memories
 

30338

WKR
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,863
I've done maceration only for 5 or 6 years now. Works well if you have a detached barn or garage to work in. Bone structure remains in place nicely.

 
Joined
Jul 20, 2014
Messages
931
Location
Kirtland, NM
Just so everyone knows, the peroxide you buy at a beauty salon is not 50%. It’s not 40% either just because it says volume 40 on the bottle. 50% is combustible and has burned down many Taxidermy shops. I bought mine as 35% in 55 gallon barrels then diluted it with water but it will still burn the hell out of your skin! I did the maceration method, degrease, then soak in the peroxide. I’m actually glad I’m not doing Taxidermy anymore fulltime.
 

vectordawg

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Joined
Feb 3, 2020
Messages
247
Location
Olive Branch, MS
You can buy the beetles and do it yourself if you have a shed or a detached garage with a small closet. I think my local shop owner bought his through Amazon. He told me they will eat everything but the brains and eyes. They smell terrible though!
Thanks I looked into getting my two blacktails done by beetles but the taxidermists all want $250 each and I'd like to save that if I could for a new rifle and see if I can do them mysel
 

WCB

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2019
Messages
3,250
Am I the only one who doesn't like the bleached skull look ? My beetle cleaned head hasn't been bleached yet and I don't think I'm going to bleach it. I like the yellowish natural patina. I'll probably soak it a few days to help get anything left out but no bleach. I'm sure the smell will fade away as it dries and ages.
I'm not a bleached fan either. I boil mine then throw in dawn dish soap or oxyclean to degrease. but do not peroxide. I don't like the yellow as that is grease but my skulls just look like one that has sat outside for a year or two.
 

Gutshotem

WKR
Joined
Oct 4, 2017
Messages
844
Location
USA
I boiled one whitetail and it came out fine but was a complete pain in the a$$. I've since found a guy who uses beetles and charges $110 so its a no brainer as far as that goes.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Messages
1,991
I was working on cleaning up my bull skull and my dog got to it :( she ate about 3 inches of each main beam tip.

Does anyone know if a taxidermist can recreate the tips of the main beams well enough to not obviously be fake?
 

WCB

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Joined
Jun 12, 2019
Messages
3,250
I was working on cleaning up my bull skull and my dog got to it :( she ate about 3 inches of each main beam tip.

Does anyone know if a taxidermist can recreate the tips of the main beams well enough to not obviously be fake?
A good taxidermist can no problem.

At least the neighbor dog didn't eat the nose off a buck skull you had drying or take an antelope horn sheath.
 
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
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A good taxidermist can no problem.

At least the neighbor dog didn't eat the nose off a buck skull you had drying or take an antelope horn sheath.

Yes that would be a lot harder to fix! My dog also chewed the nose off the skull too. So I was just planning to ditch the skull and have the antlers put on a wood mount
 

dtrkyman

WKR
Joined
Oct 2, 2014
Messages
2,932
Just did my first, the burner I used did not seem to get the water hot enough, cooked it for probably 4 hours, got it pretty clean and am waiting for the peroxide solution I ordered, kind of a pain in the azz.

Though about burying it at the archery club and let the ants work it over, but figured coyotes would move it or someone would find it.

I got the brains out with a 20 guage bore brush on my cordless, prior to cooking it.
 

chadcharb

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 23, 2020
Messages
290
I'm lucky and have a buddy that has beatles and does euros for a side job. Beatles definitely look the best since all the sinus bones stay in tact. If your going for the bright white the degreasing step is super important!
 

rclouse79

WKR
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
1,727
I shot a couple of smaller whitetail bucks last year and it was so cold here last year they froze. I waited til spring and buried them in my garden. Dug them up this September, washed them off with a garden hose. They come out perfect nasal passages are good also, just need to bleach. Mother nature did all the work for me, they turned out so good that may be my go to method.
Did you bury the antlers as well? I hung a dead head I found on my back fence and the squirrels kept knocking it off and chewed parts out of the antler.
 

ColeyG

WKR
Joined
Oct 25, 2017
Messages
314
Maceration or beetles are the way to go if you want to preserve all of the delicate features in the nasal cavities aka the turbinates. It is pretty hard to be delicate with the pressure washer, although I've been able to keep everything intact on some of the more robust skulls I've done like Dall sheep, etc.

I rarely have the time and/or patience for maceration so I usually find myself doing the quick and dirty version of boiling, degreasing and peroxide whitening.

I keep my peroxide solution in 5 gallon fuel containers and reuse it for a few years. No need to toss it after one session. I've probably run 10-12 skulls through my current batch and it is still working well.

The process I use takes 6-7 hours from start to finish, but I usually have to spread it out over a few evening sessions after work.

moose.jpgsheep.jpggoat.jpg

My recipe including gear list is attached.
 

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