Trappers: Where is a good place to get animal skulls? (for art)

emilio613

emilio613

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I have an ad posted in the EE, under other, but I was wondering if any trappers could chime in here...

I am looking to find some skulls to surprise a lady friend of mine with, since she collects them. Other than asking on the EE, what is a good source of animal skulls on the cheap? (I mean, really cheap).

I know that some trappers have a bunch kicking around (Skulls, antlers, bones etc). Where would I find a way to contact them? Where would be a good place to post a request like that?


I know, it's a bit weird... but I am sure some of you on here can understand it (the collecting aspect of animals skulls, just for the sake of admiring the biology etc)

Any ideas? Tips?
 
Depending on where you are, try contacting DNR or whoever picks up road kill.

They probably have a spot on crown land where they dump the bodies.
 
canmapper said:
Depending on where you are, try contacting DNR or whoever picks up road kill.

They probably have a spot on crown land where they dump the bodies.
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That's actually a genius idea.... aside from possible disease, but a good idea (and I'll probably find the porcupine I want! I saw a freshly hit one just the other day, like... hit a few cars ahead of me.. but I felt weird stopping and hacking the head off!)
 
Superbrad said:
If you get a couple I will send you off my recipe for bleaching.....
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I am sure I'll be driving home late at night one day, and see some... I just don't know how I am going to explain an animal head in the freezer, at home, the next morning. "Yea, so... that head eh? Lemme just get that out of the way...."

DO you know a good way of de-fleshing them? Bury them and let nature do it? Bucket of water and some gentle bleach solution? (that might ruin the joints)
 
Defleshing can be done the gross way (think scalpel and scoop)... or you can put the head in a bucket of solution and be prepared to deal with opening the lid..... If you have a big anthill nearby you can try that method as well....
 
Superbrad said:
Defleshing can be done the gross way (think scalpel and scoop)... or you can put the head in a bucket of solution and be prepared to deal with opening the lid..... If you have a big anthill nearby you can try that method as well....
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I've done ants in Florida. Ho-Lee-Sheet, can fire ants clean a skull or what!!

A bucket of solution might be what I am after... just leave it somewhere in the woods, hidden....


Trebor2880 - I did look it up, a lot of suggestions for beetles and boiling!
 
Skulls

I own a taxidermy company and am also a trapper. Yes we keep our skulls for the most part, but as part of my business I do sell processed skulls. Cheap is a relative term. Want cheap go out and hunt or trap the critter, skin it, go through the cleaning process and whitening process and voila you have yourself a cheap skull. Now if you would like to buy a skull let me know. We offer skulls at very fair market value and ship world wide dependent on species and cites permits required.
 
emilio613 said:
A lot of them won't ship to Canada, and when they do, they charge absurd amounts. I've tried. Also, for some reason, a lot of the ebay ones are replicas...
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Most taxidermist prices I've seen will start at $150 for cleaning and bleaching something like a bear skull, that's if it's yours. To buy something popular like a bison skull, expect to pay $500+.

Animal skulls need proper permits, even if they're being shipped from another province. It's still an animal part, no different than a hide.
 
JHC-II said:
I own a taxidermy company and am also a trapper. Yes we keep our skulls for the most part, but as part of my business I do sell processed skulls. Cheap is a relative term. Want cheap go out and hunt or trap the critter, skin it, go through the cleaning process and whitening process and voila you have yourself a cheap skull. Now if you would like to buy a skull let me know. We offer skulls at very fair market value and ship world wide dependent on species and cites permits required.
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x2


I'm not in the skull business but I have many. They can be a lot of work, they stink, they loose teeth if you are not careful, and some species of critters you cannot be in possession of without permits or Found Wildlife tags.

That said, put your head under a bucket with a bit of dirt covering it, and leave it in the garden for a few months. Nature is good at cleaning things off.
 
Get in contact with the local trappers council, the provincial trappers association or your government agency that oversees trapping. They will be able to provide you with a list of trappers whom may be able to help you.

Keep in mind most trappers arent trapping in the summer. Its a fall-winter thing for the most part.
 
fiddler said:
x2


I'm not in the skull business but I have many. They can be a lot of work, they stink, they loose teeth if you are not careful, and some species of critters you cannot be in possession of without permits or Found Wildlife tags.

That said, put your head under a bucket with a bit of dirt covering it, and leave it in the garden for a few months. Nature is good at cleaning things off.
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So I've heard! :) I think I might be lopping the heads off some road kill in the near future. industrial gloves, hatchet, spade and an airtight bucket are in my trunk!
 
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