# First time european mount, need help.



## squeaks130

I have decided to attempt a European mount for my mule deer that i got this year. The problem is that I haven't the slightest clue how to do this. I have looked on the internet and seen several different methods and i am unsure which of these methods would work best. so some help or ideas from people who know what they are talking about would be very helpful. thank you.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

Take a sharp knife get as much hair, brain, yada yada off the skull, then boil it. There is other methods, but this I believe has been proven about the most effective.


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## Hick-From-Hell

That's tight the main thing is to get as much crap off it intially as possible, I just did it to a whitetail on thursday and all I have is the skull, I pulled all the hair and bottom jaw off. Not much left. Next boil it and cover the antlers in alumium foil and don't let them touch the water. It is pretty nasty but looks sweet.


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## squeaks130

Is it possible to over boil it?


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## Hick-From-Hell

I would say no, The bone will definatally be softer after you boil it but just let them dry out for a couple days. And then if you want I have heard of people dilluting elmers glue and painting them. I just put about 5 coats of spray varnish on it.


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## huntinND

Skin it completely take off the bottom jaw, cut out eyes tongue and whatever else you can get then boil. Take it out every once in a while and scrape off meat. You can soak it in hygrogen pyroxide after it is boiled to whiten it up too.


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## huntingdude16

There is an easier way than the conventional boiling, but you'll have to wait until summer; you'd have to leave it out in the cold over winter.

From now, skin the head and leave it out to freeze over winter. When the days are warm(65-70 degrees), find a tub big enough to put the head in. When you have that, fill it with water just enough to cover the skull. Then just be sure to have it covered so the sun doesnt hit the water, as algae will start to grow. Then just let it sit out in the warmth for a week or two; the longer the better. When you go back to it, lift the skull out and you should have the flesh literally falling off the skull. If there is anything hanging, just take a pliers and pull it off. Dump the water and refill it, and do it all over again. Keep doing this until all of the flesh is gone.

The only downside is that it smells terrible and I would NOT recomend doing it in town. But, the stink does not seem to stay with the skull, so I wouldnt be worried about that.


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## hunt4P&amp;Y

I think yours sounds the exact same as Boiling, except takes longer!


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## Sasha and Abby

Just like all have said, boil it with a few drops of Dawn detergent and a half bottle of peroxide. Pull out every hour or so and scrape all you can. Add water and cover again. It may take you 3-7 hours to get it clean.

Contrary to other opinions, do NOT put any bleach in there - it will break down all the bones.


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## huntingdude16

hunt4P&Y said:


> I think yours sounds the exact same as Boiling, except takes longer!


If you want to call it that...

It's the 'set it and forget it' way to do it if your in no rush. :wink:


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## Ande8183

My first european mount, I boiled in just plain water and it took close to 12 hours to complete. Since then I have been adding sal soda to the water, and have drastically cut down on the time. Now it takes around 4-6 hours to complete.


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## squeaks130

Where do i get this sal soda that you speak of? and are there any other chemicals that would make this process easy?


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## timberlandtaxidermy

Don't Boil Your Skull

Yes you can over-boil a skull. My advise would be to NOT boil the skull, but rather simmer it in a mix of sodium carbonate (sal soda/soda ash) and water. You want the water hot, but NOT boiling. The nasal bones can fall off if boiled, the bones in the face can seperate, and the teeth can fall out. First remove all skin, meat, eyes, and brains, thin simmer in your mixture. After simmering for 2 hours or so, I use a pressure washer to remove what's left, degrease in acetone or dawn/water for a week or so, then whiten with 40 volume peroxide (12%)


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## bandman

Here's a few pictures of the last couple years. We boil them in water (around 45 min-1 hour at a time) and sodium carbonate keeping the antlers out and haven't had any problems whatsoever w/ nasal breaks, teeth, etc, but I could see where it could happen if you're not somewhat cautious. (We take them out periodically, clean meat w/ everything imaginable, and put them back in to soften things up again.) We do it on Christmas Day over a case of beer and about 2-3 hours time. After a little grinding and sanding it's off to the killz white paint for the finishing touch.
Few notes:
-long needle nose pliers for inside the naval cavity and eyes
-air gun equipped w/ cardboard shield for brains
-pics, scalpels, flat bladed screwdrivers, etc for meat

*07's deer in the process*


































































*06's finished products*










































Nice stands timberland. 8)


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## timberlandtaxidermy

Wow, looks like a lot of work. If your method works for you, thats cool. It wouldn't work as well for me, because I'm doing about 25/season. All that picking would take forever. This Christmas, try *simmering* for 2 to 2.5 hrs, then clean it off w/ a power washer. It literally takes less than 10 minutes w/ a power washer to remove everything. Also, painted skulls look okay at a distance, but they don't compare to whitened bone up close. Just my opinion.

Thanks for the compliments on the panels. I buy mine from Sparta Woodworks in TN. www.swwgamepanels.com VanDykes also sells a similar one.


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## bandman

Might have to give the pressure washer thing a try this year. Sounds pretty damn slick for all them painful nooks and crannies. :x How careful does a guy have to be with the nose while doing this?

Thanks for providing that link to the panels. We rely on a local guy that makes them, but I'm not sure if he's still doing it or not and you really can't beat that price.


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## timberlandtaxidermy

Most of the stuff on the nose comes off easily. The only thing that the washer can damage is the coral-like bone up inside the nose, but it is easily avoided.


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## headshot

I payed a taxi to do mine for me and I am very happy with it. He used beetles and the thing looks awesome. I'll post pics when my stuff gets shipped here.


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