Againstthewind
Very Active Member
That's funny. Now I have that picture in my head rinse, high pressure soap, skull cleaner, tire cleaner. Maybe its a good business idea.
Legally taking heads across state lines
- Thread starter OregonJim
- Start date
Just read on WY (I think?) that teeth can't be transported.
That seems a little excessive.
I was all set to "simmer" heads then power wash or "car" wash and remove every tiny bit of flesh and brain .... now I see I have to pull teeth?
That seems a little excessive.
I was all set to "simmer" heads then power wash or "car" wash and remove every tiny bit of flesh and brain .... now I see I have to pull teeth?
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Interesting?? Can "completed" taxidermy teeth not be transported either? If so, that means a lot of euro mounts are breaking law when they leave the state.
You could also use some of the good reproduction skulls on the market, simply cut the skull cap off, clean and your good to go. You can then purchase a repro skull that you place the skull cap in or you can saw off antlers, expoxy them in place with a screw then your done. These do not look as good as the real deal but they are the next best thing.
**When I say good repro, I mean your going to spend upwards of $100 on one, not the cheap $20-$30 ones that are made of thin plastic. You want a good skull poured into a mold. Then again it may be just as cheap to find a taxidermist where you are hunting, only prob is shipping is gonna cost you more than the mount likely.
Hilltop
Veteran member
WapitiBob
Veteran member
Hilltop
Veteran member
dick56
New Member
Soda Ash /Sal Soda, just add to boiling water to dissolve meat,fat,and grease.Never do a hard boil,youll flake the skull.I bring water to rolling boil add 1 cup of sal soda ,reduce heat, put skull in it will stop boillig.You have to baby sit it.Get temp up to a roll and keep pulling skull out to check to see if you can brush the meat off.A mechanics brass brush and picking at it Will get it clean it.Time consuming. I get heads in from all over US with the animal not even caped out,Which I like.(get to many bad capes,even from meat lockers that should know what there doing).My understanding on transport is as long as you are directly taking the head to a taxidermist or a meat locker when arriving home its fine to cross state lines.Of course that means keeping it froze with dry ice for long travel.
Sawfish
Very Active Member
tdub24
Veteran member
I have also used this....not sure if it was the product or something I did wrong, but on one buck the base of the antlers and a little ways up turned a little black. Didn't bother me much cause it actually made the buck look cooler. I will continue to use it going forward, works well other than the one mishap just mentioned.
Sawfish
Very Active Member
Never had that problem, but I used an oblong galvanized tub. Perhaps it had something to do with the material of the boiling vessel. Aluminum?
Regarding California's import regulations for importing out of state game. The CA DFW has boiled this down to one phrase. "No skull, no backbone" (California Big Game Hunting, p. 62).
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tdub24
Veteran member
I too am using a big galvanized tub, only difference is mine is round...not really sure why it discolored them, but washing soda made everything come off a little easier than before.
az.mountain runner
Active Member
I would check with each state that you are going threw and check their requirements, most will not allow any meat or spine material to be on the skull but I don't remember any thing about it being cooked or not.
gonhunting247
Veteran member
- Jan 21, 2014
- 1,216
- 797
I've been through all the states mentioned multiple times with the exception of CA. We remove all the spinal column including the pelvis with the tail bone. If your boning the critter out this part isn't an issue. As far as the head goes, If it's gonna be a euro mount, removing the brain will do the trick. Cooking just enough to help with this is a plus. If your going to have it mounted or just saving for a horn mt. I go ahead and cape it out and cut the skull plate and antlers off of the head and remove the brain tissue that way, leaving the rest of the head in the state it was taken. I've been checked several times in different states and have never had any issues.
I've never heard anything about the teeth and have never removed them from skulls for Euro mts., but it sounds like something I need to check in to.
I know a few of the western states were trying to get their laws a little more consistent with each other because there was discrepancies if a person was held to the letter of the law that made it next to impossible to comply when crossing into bordering states if you followed the rules there. I think most of those have been cleared up though.
Good luck with your hunts!
I've never heard anything about the teeth and have never removed them from skulls for Euro mts., but it sounds like something I need to check in to.
I know a few of the western states were trying to get their laws a little more consistent with each other because there was discrepancies if a person was held to the letter of the law that made it next to impossible to comply when crossing into bordering states if you followed the rules there. I think most of those have been cleared up though.
Good luck with your hunts!
Sawfish
Very Active Member
A few years ago, I went on a Blacktail deer hunt in Northern California, and from there went directly to Wyoming for an antelope hunt. On the way to my Wyoming destination, I passed a Wyoming CWD check station with a sign instructing all successful deer hunters to stop for testing of their kill. I stopped, and was told they were only interested in deer that were killed in Wyoming. Go figure.
Hilltop
Veteran member
For any Nebraska residents or travelers- I just spoke with Dusty at Nebraska Game and Parks about this subject. He said they have no restrictions on bringing back entire carcasses as long as they have proper tags.
stevet124
New Member
California, the state to the south, does not allow any portion of the head or spine. Unless the skull plate is void of any fur or tissue, and it has been removed from the rest of the skull. Just remember the state inspection stations on the higways. The last time I came back from Colorado I got inspected because I had a deer from another state. Lucky for me I knew the regulations.
HuntWYODon
Very Active Member
In 2009 I had a Book Cliffs Roadless elk tag in Ut.. A friend of mine that lives in Moab packed me in with his mules. Killed a bull and left from there to camp for a couple days in Az. 5BN with some friends archery elk hunting. I left there and when I got to the Ag check and was driving away the old man working it starting yelling and running after me. He saw the antlers sticking up out of the truck. He was so excited I thought he crapped his pants. I had it caped out and was going to take it home to boil it for a Euro. He called Game and Fish and the Fish Cop was on his was home from the Sierra deer openers and he lived in Yuma. He showed up about an hour later. He was very nice and kept asking if I knew about the Ca. CWD law. I said yes. He wanted me to say no I guess so he wouldn't give me a ticket. Guess I just couldn't play dumb. I told him I wanted to do a Euro with it and was going to boil it at home. He said I either had to saw off the skull plate or he would have to confiscate it. He saw it was a nice bull and didn't want to do that. I sawed it off and threw the brain matter in their dumpster. Said I hope you don't have any deer dumpster diving here but I know for sure there isn't any in my truck or on the freeway to my house or at my house. He said the fine was only $100. It was $200. The old Ag jerk kept asking me to open up my coolers to check for spine before the F&G showed up. I said nope. They are taped up and staying that way unless F&G wants them opened. When I was getting ready to leave the Ag jerk comes over and asked me to open up the coolers again. The F&G officer asked me if any spine in them. I sad no, just boned out meat and quarters. He said to the Ag jerk, they are sealed up and he's fine so give it a break. The guy left and I said thanks to the F&G officer and left. a 2 hr. $200 ordeal. In Wy. a friend boils them out for me. A galvanized sounds in order next time I go to Az.,Ut. or Nv..... It's funny to see the Ag people when I bring back boiled out skulls from Wy..
ore hunter
Very Active Member
- Jul 25, 2014
- 699
- 114
I recomend taking good pictures of the animal,,cutting out the horns and washing skull plate good,and cape out the front end and head if your gonna do a mount as i see the regs.