Just finished my european mount. It was pretty easy.

Step one, skin out the head. As I learned, less work is better. Just remove the skin around the head and leave all of the cartilage in place. What you gain by this is all of the little bones in the nasal cavity. Sorry, no pic of this first step.

Step two, boil. A gentle boil for 6 hours worked for me. Make sure you add water along the way, and by adding a 1/4 cup of powder laundry detergent, you get rid of the oil easily.
Make sure to skim off the oil throughout the process, and keep the water level up to the top. After you are done boiling, most of the meat/guck will literally fall off, except where the muscles attach to the back of the skull. I just picked it off with a dental pick.

Step three. I bagged the skull and soaked it with regular 3% hydrogen peroxide for an hour and let it dry. This really whitened it up. Sorry, no pics. I did rotate the bag so that the rear of the skull got treated, as this was the most discolored before the treatment.

Step four. I covered the skull and horns with acrylic floor treatment. The brand I used was "FUTURE restore your floor" because it said it wouldn't yellow. Couldn't find Mop-n-Glo. I coated the skull and horns three times using spray, sponge, and brushes to apply. The spray worked well on the nasal bones, otherwise you would crush them, as they are VERY fragile.

Step five. I screwed it to a plaque that I got from a local awards shop. The plaque was slightly scratched, so I got it for a song. (Thanks Ken!) A bit of sanding, some teak oil and it looked like new. I attached the skull to the plaque where the vertebrae is at the base of the skull.


Actual time involved in the project was minimal, and the cost was less than $20. I need to work on the discoloration of the base of the horns, but I think that is just fat or detergent build-up. Not sure how to fix that, but I'll figure that out.

Nice!! Andy :cheers:

Try useing a stain at the base where it discolored. Make sure to get the color right I tested mine on the back side of the horns where it wouldnt be visable when hangin on the wall..

Good job, Euro mounts are my favorite.

Looks great. I'm hoping to do a Euro mount when I get an animal worth doing it on. Now I know how!

Could the whitening on the base of the antlers be from the peroxide?

The white stuff was ther right after boiling, before peroxide. That's why I think it either soap or fat. I'll try some CLR and soap scum remover on it tonight.

Itwas so easy it was stupid.

Andy,
Try to lightly wire brush it and see what happens. If that does not work you can either buy a wood stain that matches or buy matching stain from taxidermy supply co. I have quite a bit of experience with horns and skulls and would being willing to help if needed. Everything else looks pretty good.
Nice Job.
Tim

very nice
Thanks for the great post

Well,

It turns out that I removed all the coloring, as I brushed it and never found color. Touched it up with some light oak stain, and all it well.

nice buck!

Looks good Andy!
Hope you pull one out for Hunter in the late season.
ps I got an ok buck and screwed the pooch on my elk again this year.

Here are just a few that I have done and some additional thoughts for you guys while you are attempting this:

-First I make sure that the water level is below the crown portion on the base of the horn while I am boiling, In another words I do not have any brown in the water while boiling this will require you to watch it closely and add water as it boils down to keep the level up.
-Another trick I have done that helps before I bleech is I wrap the bases of the horns with shrink wrap - I use the 2 1/2 inch stuff that comes in a roll that looks like strapping tape, This really helps keep the bleech just where you want it I go up as far as I can cause I'm allways afraid I'll spill some on the horn. I am sure you could use good ole saran wrap but it would be harder to control a big roll.


Also I use a combination of 40 volume peroxide and powderd bleech (you get this stuff at a beauty supply store- my wife is in the hair care industry.)
you mix these two ingredients into a paste texture and it is easy to control this way. Basically you paint it on where you want it to turn white and leave it on overnight and rinse it off the next day and your'e done. If it is not the desired brightness you can do it again but I have not had to all of these are only done once.

I have not messed with spraying anything on the skull after I'm done I didn't feel they needed it.


Looks like I need to dust! It will have to wait till after Thanksgiving I'm heading to Idaho in search of a big whitetail! Will post if we get something good.

Nice job!

Those are awesome guys nice work.

Thanks for the post. I just got back from Montana, and shot a buffalo. I have the skull skinned out, and sitting out for the bugs to get at. I hope mine turns out as well as yours did. I am also having the hide tanned out.