[video=youtube_share;GA4vHgx7de4]http://youtu.be/GA4vHgx7de4[/video]
If you have ever wanted to make your own Euro mount, here you go. Simple and cheap!
If you have ever wanted to make your own Euro mount, here you go. Simple and cheap!
DIY Euro Mount!
- Thread starter ScottR
- Start date
RUTTIN
Veteran member
25contender
Veteran member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
- 90
No problem, if you have any questions on this I will have DanP chime in.
Just for clarification sake, you will want to remove the horns when working on an Antelope. We didn't have time to let the horns detach and make this week's video. Considering though, that Antelope are one of several species that with antlers that don't leave the skull the broader picture was worth painting.
Just for clarification sake, you will want to remove the horns when working on an Antelope. We didn't have time to let the horns detach and make this week's video. Considering though, that Antelope are one of several species that with antlers that don't leave the skull the broader picture was worth painting.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
That's a good video. How do you guys like to pull the horns on the antelope. The best I've found is to seal it in a garbage bag for a month and then they slide right off. Sure does stink though!
We do about the same thing. Give it a month or two and it will be ready to slide right off and its easy to remove the nasty stuff.
Colorado T
Active Member
I always boil the horns. Keep checking them and the horns will come right off, no nasty smell and don't have to wait a month. Definitely scrape the bone once the horn is removed, will be easy to do after boiling.
tim
Veteran member
libidilatimmy
Veteran member
I'd be careful boiling antelope horns. You can ruin them, as in the sheaths fall apart, if not extremely carefully. I've always let the head, with no skin, rot with bag over horns, as stated previously. The sheaths will pop right off and boil the whole head. It does stink though so you need an iron gut for the process.
micropterus79
Active Member
Scott-great video! I do have one question though. At about 2 mins and 33 sec into the video there is a shot of the head in the pot boiling and the rim of the pot is lined with aluminum foil but I don't see it in any other segments.
Is this to protect the horns from the direct heat or protect your pot from the nastiness? At what point do you add the foil or is it even that important?
Thanks again.
Is this to protect the horns from the direct heat or protect your pot from the nastiness? At what point do you add the foil or is it even that important?
Thanks again.
Colorado T
Active Member
I learned taxidermy from my dad when I was at a young age and have boiled countless heads with no problems. As long as you check them regularly the horns will come off long before they are in danger of falling apart. You don't have the bad smell to deal with and it also takes care of removing meat and the brains. You definitely don't want to put them to boil and walk away and leave them but you should have no problems if you keep checking them.
Colorado T
Active Member
I do few of these every year for family and friends, If you don't mind annoying your wife, The easy was is to get a dermestid beetle colonie and let them do the work. They do smell and you have to feed them year round but much easier than boiling. Before I put them in with the beetles a coat hanger with a couple of bends in it and chucked into a drill will "mix" the brains enough to shake most of it out.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
The last couple heads I have cleaned with "low temperature maceration". Basically a 5 gallon plastic pail (get from a hardware store) and a fish tank heater (warms water to about 90°). Put the fish tank heater in and put head in. Fill until the part you want cleaned is covered with water. Let sit for a few weeks, checking water levels occasionally. Bacteria develops in the water that eats away the flesh. This is SUPER stinky, but it does not deteriorate the bone/skull. The teeth normally fall out and need epoxied back in. Sometimes some of the nose bones need epoxied back in place too. Final result is a perfect skull though without bone deterioration.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
That's the way to do it. I use a coat hanger. I also sometimes make a sharply bent loop then form it into kind of a scoop like paddle.
Someone needs to invent the "Brainerator" or "Brain-Be-Gone". Dang, you'd probably sell a dozen or two a year.
tim
Veteran member
thanks for the replies on the brain, I have used a piece of wire and a drill, the video just made it sound way easier to remove brains than I have came across.
I like the oxiclean tip.
I like the oxiclean tip.
Sweet video and thanks for not recommending bleach as a whitening agent!
For the brain, after the low temp boil take a screw driver or coat hanger to pull as much as you can out (mash the crap out of it if you have too). It will take a few heads to figure out how long to macerate before the brain tissue releases from the skull. Borax helps absorb the leftover tissue, plus it acts as a preservative as well.
Kemsal 4 will help with degreasing and also help with the antelope skull odor, its almost impossible to rid the goat smell though.
Only thing I would add to the already sweet video is to spray a clear coat matte finish on the skull, this will aid a bit in keeping the white color longer not to mention a few other minor things like odor and grease spotting.
For the brain, after the low temp boil take a screw driver or coat hanger to pull as much as you can out (mash the crap out of it if you have too). It will take a few heads to figure out how long to macerate before the brain tissue releases from the skull. Borax helps absorb the leftover tissue, plus it acts as a preservative as well.
Kemsal 4 will help with degreasing and also help with the antelope skull odor, its almost impossible to rid the goat smell though.
Only thing I would add to the already sweet video is to spray a clear coat matte finish on the skull, this will aid a bit in keeping the white color longer not to mention a few other minor things like odor and grease spotting.
jjenness
Very Active Member
So after spending to much money every year on mounts I decided to tackle my own European mounts this year, thanks a lot to this post. So I have done an initial boil, power washed most of it off, and am back doing a second boil to finish off the job. One question I have for all you seasoned DIY taxidermists, is how do you get the brain lining out? The pressure washer blasted all the brain material out like a champ, but now I see there is still the brain lining in there. Will this stink over time? Also, do I need to let the bone dry out before I apply the 40% peroxide paste? Thanks guys. Happy hunting, and boiling!!