Show us your deer mounts!

what does one do to prep the full skull and antlers? Mainly the skull I'm talking about. Years ago I remember boiling the partial skull left on the antlers to get all the meat and innards off. My middle son happened to come along at the time and asked what I was doing, I said I'm making brain soup, grab a couple of bowels, it's almost ready. He nearly honked:puke:! I guess the smell didn't help any either. I'm I wrong in thinking that I heard somewhere that one uses bleach for this procedure? Thanks for any tips. Next week I'm gonna do up the skull & antlers that my oldest son got the other day.
 
When doing a skull mount i use a big pot that fits the skull. Simmer until it looks done and stuff is starting to come off the bone, then take the power washer to it. A buddy turned me on to this and it takes next to no effort. Power wash all the nooks and crannies then it goes back in the pot again for about 30 minutes and power wash again, Job done. Let it dry and have never had one smell since using this method. If you wish to keep things civil in the house do your boiling outside and wifey is a lot less testy!!
 
hunter148 said:
When doing a skull mount i use a big pot that fits the skull. Simmer until it looks done and stuff is starting to come off the bone, then take the power washer to it. A buddy turned me on to this and it takes next to no effort. Power wash all the nooks and crannies then it goes back in the pot again for about 30 minutes and power wash again, Job done. Let it dry and have never had one smell since using this method. If you wish to keep things civil in the house do your boiling outside and wifey is a lot less testy!!
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geebus, I like to think of myself as a pretty resourceful guy but it never dawned on me to use the pressure washer LOL awesome idea, thankyou ;)
I have a freezer full of heads to do this winter from the last few years.
 
Johnn Peterson said:
A skull hooker set up was what my Daughter used for the European mount she did for me on my Antelope from last seasons hunt on draw in Alberta.



The Mule Deer mounted on the wood plaque set-up to the left is the European mount she did up for me on my 1st Alberta Mule Deer.
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nice, I like that set up.
BUT what I really wanna know is where do you get the plush toy moose mount and the bear skins? my wife wants some of those LOL
 
Johnn Peterson said:
A skull hooker set up was what my Daughter used for the European mount she did for me on my Antelope from last seasons hunt on draw in Alberta.



The Mule Deer mounted on the wood plaque set-up to the left is the European mount she did up for me on my 1st Alberta Mule Deer.
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can someone walk me through the step by step procedure in preping a skull and antlers like in the pic. Thank you.
 
Skin it and take out the eyes. brain and other easy to get at big parts. Boil until it looks done and the stuck stuff starts to come off. Remove from pot and pressure wash. Had a good laugh today as I saw a buddy in the local car wash hosing one down. back into the pot until the last bits are loose and repeat pressure wash. A good one will remove every bit of ick to be found. Remove as much of the sinus membrane as you can reasonably get after it dries. There are other methods but this is the easiest I have found.
To show how well last fall I skinned one as above and left it in the shed til spring as I just couldn't get to it. When I did, after turkey season, it was dried out and not pretty at all. Couple hours in the pot and a couple washes and it is the one in the mount pictures. Give it a whirl it is not that hard!
 
Not big, and the only one that matter, my first whitetail shot at 12 years old with a single shot 16 gauge with a slug at 10 yards...
I could never forget this one, all the others are souvenirs somewere in my head... JP.

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That's really cool Caramel.
I have a picture of myself with my first deer but the head got stolen from the garage by the neighbors dog :(
 
I'll have to look around to see if I can find a few others. The RSA pics are all on a standalone hard drive.

The bison is mine, Moose is my cousin's, caribou and deer are my Uncle's.
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A better shot of that room with more deer to drool over and my muskox.
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And more of the muskox because he's cool as hell.
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Cape Buffalo and Impalas
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Civet from Zimbabwe
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Nice BUM, VERY nice. A couple of your photos and some from a few other site members are what I've put aside on my computer for background and screen saver pictures. I've acquired a 375 Chatfield Taylor from SuperCub and was thinking it would be, from what I have available, my choice for Bison. Or, possibly,;) my ".366 Wagner" :).
 
BigUglyMan said:
Johnn, I think you'll have to shoot two bison. You can't choose between two rifles any more than you can between two children.
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;)You smooth talker you. I wish. Bison have always held an interest for me, but even so, ;)I'd settle for one. I had an uncle, who was an HD mechanic in the Woods Buffalo Park area. He arranged for an 'opportunity' for me and I regret passing that up on that hunt possibility. Years ago, young family and couldn't make it fit. More recently, a guy that I know well and who frequents local gun shows, offered me an invite. However, what it amounted to, was going north to a friend of his place, going out to the back pasture and shooting the one you wanted. Passed. Not quite what I had in mind for a 'hunt'. One day:).
 
BUM, that's a very nice collection, and I agree, the muskox is just cool!!!

Thanks for keeping this thread going fellas! Amazing photos and mounts!!
 
I don't have much professionally-done taxidermy, and none at all of deer. Here are a few pieces of DIY "art". :) It's cheap (free if you classify the time spent as "fun"), takes up little space compared to shoulder mounts, and best of all it's up on the wall within a few days of dropping the critter.

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Wow, that metal(?) Skull is somethin else!
Did you do that yourself?
Hate to steal another's idea but I run a stainless steel fab shop and am gonna try an make a skull like that ;)
 
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