Steps for DIY skull mounts
Huntress View Highlight By Courtney Schnitzler
While taxidermy mounts definitely have their place for preserving trophies and memories, your normal whitetail shoulder mount typically runs more than $500, takes months or even more than a year to get back, and may need redone after years of aging. European mounts offer another alternative with a classic, rustic look that lasts a lifetime without any touch-ups, professionally done with much less cost of around $100 and may only take a week or so to get back from your taxidermist. However, the average person can also do this option themselves – having a gorgeous rack to display within just days, for only about $15 and a little elbow grease. This is especially fitting for those ‘tweener’ racks and saving space on the wall.
There are a few different ways to get your skull or bones clean, such as boiling, beetles and pure nature. The fastest and easiest, in my opinion, is the boiling method.
BOILING
Step 1: As early as possible after your hunt (waiting usually causes a darker, grayer coloring instead of a nice, white rack), remove as much flesh and soft tissue as possible from whatever bone you are wanting to keep. This includes the hide, brain, tongue, easily accessible sinus tissue, etc. The more you can remove, the easier the other steps will be.
Step 2: Using a turkey frying burner and a pot you never plan on bringing into your house again, boil the bones with some degreaser (something like Oxi-Clean or Dawn dish soap). You’re going to want to do this outside, also depending on how long it’s been since the animal died and how much tissue remains, this could be pretty stinky! Cover the bones with water in the pot and bring it to a boil for about an hour. Wear work gloves when pulling your bones from the pot because they WILL BE HOT!
Step 3: Put on some safety glasses and pressure wash! You may want to place your bones in some kind of wire basket or tie them down to something so they don’t get away. Also, be mindful of any loose teeth that may become dislodged during this process. During this step, you may also need needle-nose pliers, a flathead screwdriver or small wire brushes to help dislodge or remove fleshy pieces or sinus tissue.
Repeat steps 2 & 3 with more degreaser, if you have remaining tissue or if the bones still have a strong odor.
Step 4: Let the bones dry (away from where animals can steal them) and glue back in any loose teeth.
Step 5: (Optional): If you want your bones whiter, I recommend using a creamy peroxide mixture. Liquid bleach can damage the bone and make them brittle, so beware of bleaching. I combined Clairol BW2 Lightener Powder and L’Oréal 40 Volume Developer ($15 total) into a paste and brushed it onto all visible areas of my whitetail deer skull. The length of time you should leave it on depends on how white you want the item to be. I suggest washing it off after 8 or so hours and if you want it brighter, apply another coat. If you have loose teeth, whiten everything completely before glueing.
BEETLES
Another method involves using dermestid (flesh-eating) beetles. These beetles are remarkably efficient and can pick bones clean in a matter of days. The only downside is that getting enough beetles to efficiently clean your future mount could cost $100 or more. They also must be maintained in a controlled environment with proper food, moisture and temperature. Unless you have many items you want to clean, this option may be more time consuming than desired. However, some taxidermists offer this option as well.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
The most basic method of cleaning bones that requires little to no effort on your part is to simply let nature take its course. Some people leave the item outside; however, you risk the chance of antlers being chewed by rodents, or a dog or coyote packing the entire thing away. By tying down a plastic bin over the item, you can let insects get to it without larger animals having access. Others simply bury the item whole. If you do this, I recommend leaving the antlers out of the dirt, but still covering the item with a plastic bin so animals cannot destroy or dig it up.
MACERATION
Maceration is just a process of skinning the item and leaving it to soak in water to soften the flesh and allow bacteria to consume it. Depending on the temperature, this process could take anywhere from weeks to several months to complete. In colder temperatures, a heat lamp could be used to keep the water warm so you can promote bacteria growth. Check the item periodically – when the meat can easily be peeled off or is falling off, it’s ready. Scrub the item with a wire brush and allow it to dry for several days. This method is the least likely to potential damage the item but creates HORRENDOUS odors for a pretty good length of time.
Tip: You can use the whitening method listed as Step 5 following any form of cleaning.
Follow Courtney Schnitzler on Instagram at @courtney_schnitzler. View more Huntress View blog articles at huntressview.com.
