How to make a European skull mount

[JW_Halverson]

You can use the patented JW"s Nasal Blaster Maneouver!  That's when you sneak down to the carwash late at night after a nice boiling time....tip the head upside down and use the wand to blast it out!  It also works a charm to get rid of lots of little nubbly bits that stick to the back of the skull! 

Well done, Adam.  Both on the mount, and on bringing home a very fine looking buck!

[Adam]

Thanks JW, it was my first deer and I'm glad I was able to do this to honor its memory.  Does the JWNBM damage any of the delicate bones in there?  I used my garden hose, but was nervous about a pressure washer. I know they won't be visible when it's hanging on the wall, but I wanted to leave it as intact as I can.

[JW_Halverson]

If you are careful, you can leave all the tissue thin turbinates within the nose.

This one was your first?  Niiiiiice!

[osage outlaw]

I'll keep updating this thread as I figure out better ways to do things.  This year I found a way to keep the peroxide warm so that it works better.  I bought a cheap aquarium heater and put it in a tub of water.  I put a plastic case in the bottom of the tub to set my peroxide bath on.  The  important thing is to have the water levels just right.  You don't want the peroxide bath to float around.  The heater keeps the water in the tub warm which keeps the peroxide warm.  So far it is working nicely.  Even in my cold shop the water stays warm.  The heater is on the back side of the tub in the pictures.

[JW_Halverson]

To quote Charlie Sheen, "WINNING!"

[madcrow]

Here is another hint.  If you don't want the bleached out skull,  put the skull in a tub and pour in enough black coffee to cover it.  Let it set over night and then hang it and let it dry.  For a splotchy look, instead of soaking, cover the skull with used coffee grounds.  Thick in some spots and thinner coverage in others.  Oh yeah, the grounds need to be wet.

[osage outlaw]

Madcrow, can you post a picture of a skull dyed with coffee grounds?  I would like to see how they turn out.


Here are a few I finished up today. 

[soy]

Thanks o o here is my go at it

[osage outlaw]

Nice looking skulls Soy!

[JW_Halverson]

Lessons I learned today:  do not wait for the skull to be semi-dehydrated and half frozen before skinning...or attempting to skin.  Fresher's better.

[osage outlaw]

You should have known that one JW.  If I can't get to them for a couple of days I'll throw them in the freezer or put them in a bucket of water. 

I brought home a coworkers deer head from work today.  Got a friend dropping off 3 deer and a couple coyote tomorrow.  Wednesday is going to be a busy day for me. 

[JW_Halverson]

You should have known that one JW.  If I can't get to them for a couple of days I'll throw them in the freezer or put them in a bucket of water. 

I brought home a coworkers deer head from work today.  Got a friend dropping off 3 deer and a couple coyote tomorrow.  Wednesday is going to be a busy day for me.

Sometimes a lesson needs re-learnin'.  First skull I tried doing was a roadkilled coyote.  He was pretty "high" by the time I got to him!  It was August and he'd been there a day or more.  There was plenty of dancing rice on him, but I wanted a skull, dangit!

[osage outlaw]

I set up a coyote trap with deer scraps this fall.  I caught 4 possums 

[Ed Brooks]

Something new to check out for the European mounts, great for birds also. Check them out on Face Book, do a search for  BoneMotion. They bring the mount back to life. This is a brainchild of one of my next door neighbors. Hope you enjoy. Ed

[Aaron H]

Dancing rice,  haha