Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Hohenwald,Tn
Posts: 465

I saw on a website a method of bleaching a skull but I forgot what it was. Does anyone know how to do it? I think you use bleach and peroxide and you have to boil the skull but I can't remember. I saw one and I liked the way they looked and I would like to try it on the buck I got today. If anyone knows I would appreciate it if you would post it or email me.

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Registered: Jun 2003
Location: Quitman, Ms.
Posts: 649

I have been doing my own European Mounts(skull mounts) for about four years now. I have done this to five bucks, and one wild boar. The hardest part is skinning out the head and removing as much meat as possible. If you leave a bunch of meat on the skull it tends to stain the bones, and it takes longer to boil.

Use a screw driver on the brain before you start boiling. It helps during the boiling process. I do not stick my deers antlers in the water when boiling. I hang them on a rod over the boiling water with just the bases sumerged. It usually takes about four hours to boil, but I am checking periodically to see how the it is doing. I will scrape of materials from the skull as I am boiling it. The sinuses of the nose is very tough to get out, and timing during the boil as a lot to do with how easy it will come out. Usually about three hours into the boil the sinus cavities will slide out real easy.

After I am through boiling the skull, and have all the excess meat off of the skull. I put Borax in all of the hard to reach spots. Brain cavity, sinuses, and any other nook and crany I can find. I let it dry for about a week. Pick a sunny day and a safe place to put the skull as to where it will get a bunch of sun. Take a two inch paint brush and some clorox. Paint the clorox on to the mount, and let it sun for the day. I have also use dull white spray paint on two mounts, and they are the best looking two. I hope this helps, and it is very hard to mess up the process. There also may be some easier ways to do this, but our local taxidermist charges 130 dollars to do a European Mount. I actuall like these type of mounts better than my full mounts now. I have got a row of five skull mounts with their horns intertwined. They get just as much conversation as the 197 seventeen point and the 165 ten point that is beside them. I hope this helps.

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Registered: Mar 2005
Location: Pilot Mtn. N.C.
Posts: 466

sounds like Jason knows what he is talking about. I would not mind seeing a pic of that 197.

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Michael Goins

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Registered: Sep 2004
Location: Brookville, PA
Posts: 2461

I've boiled mine much like Jason does. Boil for awhile, then go pick some of the meat off. Just keep doing this until it's clean. Just make sure you do this outside as it really, really stinks.

To whiten mine, I've had very good results by washing the skull with a steam jennie (hot water pressure washer)shortly after I'm done boiling it. Never had to bleach one, but Jason's method should work really well.

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Lone Pine North

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Hohenwald,Tn
Posts: 465

Thanks for the info. I am going to give it a try today with the 8 point I got yesterday and see how it goes.

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Registered: Jul 2003
Location: Webster, Fl.
Posts: 2584

My husband works for a taxidermist here in Florida. They boil the skulls and then after removing what meat they can, they soak them in peroxide. I think it is a 30% solution.

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Registered: Sep 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 406

Peroxide and lemon juice if you soak it in straight bleach it can "yellow" the skull. and a nice sunnt day gets you good results! good luck!

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Registered: Oct 2003
Location: Arkansas
Posts: 34

Now for the Taxidermist's answer. Leave the bleach in the bottle, use 40% peroxide, after cleaning. Boiling is not your best option, as it is most likly going to leave grease in the bone also it will weaken the bone. Just think about it you aare heating fat in hot water. Water and grease don't mix. so it goes into the bone. the brain is very greasey. The 2 best way's are: 1. clean all the meat that you can off then get all the brain that you can out. Place skull in a container with water up to the antler bases place a loose cover on . Then put some where animals can't get to it check every 2 weeks or so when flesh gets loose scrape off all you can also alot will come off with a water hose. Put back in water if needed repeat until clean then soak in 40% peroxide for 30 minutes or so.. Method 2. Send to someone with a beetle colony. With these 2 methods you will not need to paint the skull it will be white. I have used all 3 methods and will never boil a skull again. And yes I am a Taxidermist
James

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Registered: May 2005
Location: West Tn (Rossville)
Posts: 51

I'm also a taxidermist, I use Sal-Soda in boiling water, turns everything to jelly and scrapes off & out easy, A pressure washer works. and if not in a hurry I have placed the scull on top of a fire ant mound they will pick it clean in a short peiord of time

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Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Carthage, IN
Posts: 54

You can do a search on E-bay using "Dermestid Beetles". There's a science teacher selling starter kits of these beetles. You pick-off as much skin and meat as you can then turn the beetles on it. I don't know anything about this but he claims they work, he has students using them. He also has pictures of finished projects, they look really cool. I believe some professional taxidermist use them as well. Just FYI, Good Luck.

Al

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Registered: Feb 2004
Location: West Kill, NY
Posts: 2047

insects do the best work... You don't need anything special--just bury the head in the garden and cover loosely with soil. The correct insects will find it. Make sure its someplace the hounds won't get to it and no wild mammals will come for it. Ordinary ants can do the job. Its best if you can jump start the job by picking off the bigger pieces of flesh and slash any skin left on to facilitate bug access to the meat. After the meat is picked off--depends on the climate and how many insects are around: a couple of months here in the Catskills in summer--hang the skull on a clothesline in the sun. Paint with a little lemon juice, especially anywhere there are stains. This works for almost any kind of animal. My husband is an artist and does this frequently--it is especially helpful for bleaching small delicate creatures that would crumble with harsher treatment. Boiling and chlorine bleach both weaken the bones.

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esp

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Registered: Jan 2004
Location: Beltrami, MN
Posts: 1110

Find a swamp with lots of leeches.. and tie your head to a stake and let the leeches do the work for you.. wont take long if you got lots of leeches.. but.. dont put it anywhere where lots of people are... or you may come back to just a stake!!

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