Just cleaned up a wolf skull

[Ardent]

Shot this guy in the fall, his head had been on ice and the warming temps meant time to boil it. Turned out pretty nicely, this is unbleached. Just figured some might be interested in how they look defleshed, I'll write a Wolf hunting article this spring for morrisonarms.com.

And a neat edit, in my humble opinion.

 

[kennymo]

Looks nice, just got my first Euro mount done this year. Gonna stick with bare skull from now on, looks kickass in my opinion.

 

[5440fight]

My oh my, Grandma, what big white teeth you have...

 

[Ardent]

No shortage of stout teeth in them, no doubt.

 

[Rebel Rouser]

Is there still a wolf cull in BC?

 

[Rodburner]

cool

 

[Ardent]

No, but no bag limits no closed season below 1100m elevation. So in a way yes I suppose too. That makes hunting them sound easier than it is, one of the most elusive things I've hunted, especially once the know they're being hunted. In
my experience they will quickly go fully nocturnal under even light pressure, know when you're looking if you hunt at set times like sunrise, etc. That said, you usually just walk around a bush and there they are sort of stuff. Little rhyme, rhythm, or reason with them.

 

[kamlooky]

Go for a long walk in territory unfamiliar and get yourself lost.
Spend the night and they will for sure find you.

 

[UR2X3M4ME]

Daz no wolf, daz me mother in-law !!
M'ma, you look so much better with no make-up n' facial hair...

 

[Ardent]

Go for a long walk in territory unfamiliar and get yourself lost.
Spend the night and they will for sure find you.

You must smell better than me. They're scared crapless of us and will avoid the area altogether if they know we're there.

 

[jeffcarr88]

Very cool!!!

 

[kamlooky]

You must smell better than me. They're scared crapless of us and will avoid the area altogether if they know we're there.

They know what gun powder smells like.
Go without.

 

[Norton]

I whiten my skulls up by submerging them in plastic sealable containers full of 3% hydrogen peroxide for a few days.
Teeth can fall out, so make sure you have them all before dumping the solution out.
Glue them back in with white lepage’s glue after the skull has dried.
I have different size sealable containers that I get from China Tire, pick one out that just fits the skull and jaw to save on the amount of peroxide you have to use.

 

[Ardent]

Indeed, friend recommended the same. Bleach can turn them to chalk, think I like this one natural grey anyhow.

 

[Sask_Hunter]

Of all the skulls I've help clean up in camps the wolf is the hardest. There fleash seams to be welded on to the bone.

Congrats on the fine trophy.

 

[Ardent]

I actually agree, unbelievably tough ligament connections and taught muscle all over. A lot of fine scraping, I likely did a half a dozen hours of picking or more and two boils. First to loosen everything and get it fleshed, a second short boil to soften all the ligament / insertions welded to the skull. In the second boil I added some Spray Nine and Sunlight, really softens all that tough stuff up.

 

[1899]

I actually agree, unbelievably tough ligament connections and taught muscle all over. A lot of fine scraping, I likely did a half a dozen hours of picking or more and two boils. First to loosen everything and get it fleshed, a second short boil to soften all the ligament / insertions welded to the skull. In the second boil I added some Spray Nine and Sunlight, really softens all that tough stuff up.

Did you a a bit of baking soda to the water? I'll post a picture of my wolf skull when I get home.

 

[ciphery]

Shot this guy in the fall, his head had been on ice and the warming temps meant time to boil it. Turned out pretty nicely, this is unbleached. Just figured some might be interested in how they look defleshed, I'll write a Wolf hunting article this spring for morrisonarms.com.

Do not use bleach!!!! It will disolve the bone.
Use hydrogen peroxide. It will pull out any remaining oils and leave it squeaky clean and white

 

[Norton]

Did you a a bit of baking soda to the water? I'll post a picture of my wolf skull when I get home.

I've found the best way is adding powdered laundry detergent, simmer the skulls, don't boil.
Change the water as often as you want and don't be shy about the amount of powdered detergent you use.
Take care not to lose any teeth, they will come out. In fact, if I can pull them out, I will.
Allows me to clean them up good and gluing them back in is easy enough.

 

[Fall Guy]

That looks great.

Don't know why but I find boiling skulls creepy. I like the results, just not the process.