# euro mount?



## huntingtim08 (Sep 17, 2004)

I have some questions. Does it work if i burry the head? I havent skinned anything off yet. I dont really know where to start to start skinning it. Does anybody have any good tips i can use?

thank you


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## Springer (Dec 21, 2004)

If you live by a smaller river throw it in there for a couple of weeks and it will be cleaner than clean. Be sure to use wire or cable to tie it off.


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Springer is right. If you have it yet and it hasn't been frozen, I am sure it is pretty ripe, I know my stomache couldn't handle it. I get mine done within 2 weeks of harvesting the animal during winter conditions.

A few years ago I tried working on a quite ripe buffalo skull, after a few weeks I gave up and tied a rope around its horns, then lowered it into the river. I checked it a week later and it was pretty clean. Left it in one more week and it was perfect. Except I did loose one horn cap. Now the euro buffalo skull is diplayed in my backyard.


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## huntingtim08 (Sep 17, 2004)

so if i tie a cable around the horns and throw it in the sheyenne river it should be ok


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Should be, just be carefull how you "throw" it and how you take it out so you do not damage the skull or antlers. Make sure to also tie the other end of the rope ot a tree or what ever you can find to secure it from being lost......
Also, try put it somewhere that someone else can't find it. Good luck and post a picture when it is done!!!


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## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

Once the stench and fluid from the rotting brain gets into the bone it's almost impossible to get out. Try boiling it but do it outside on a camp fire or something.


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## levander (May 16, 2006)

I highly recommend the boiling method. Three or more hours of a salt induced, hard boil should get you close. I used almost a whole canister of table salt. I made use of the bottom portion of a small charcoal/smoker grill with propane hook-up (basicly just a stand-up propane burner). I purchased a galvanized bucket which kept the head submerged, yet kept the rack from being submerged (which is important im told). You get it up to a nice boil, and thats when you can expect one of the rankest odors you'll ever expirience. 
My mistake was not exercising moderation the night before while drinking adult beverages!! uke:

Periodically checking the head is also important (i had a fire this spring) :lol:

As the boil continues to soften the unwanted flesh, hair, etc., it becomes possible to kind of just tear the stuff off. Another good pointer is to be carefull with the nose if you wish to keep the tip of the euro mount in tact. Mine are broke off at the end, giving the mount a western look. The bones are very small and fragile, and become more so after boiling for awhile.
After you're satisfied with the boil, the brains should be prime for removal. I used a needlenose and a dentist pick and went through the hole in the back of the skull. After a solid 2-3 hours, the cartilage and brains were removed. Alot of picking and scratching!
I then gave the skull a week or so to dry out a bit. some cartilage i missed was now dry and could be picked off. I then used a 2 part solution which is a bleaching solution used by hair salons. Brushing on the solution with a small paint brush, after 18-24 hours, i brushed it off with an old toothbrush. 
To finish it off, i bought a wood plaque with a piece for euro mounting, and some Scupting apoxy. i screwed the piece on through the back, and mounted the skull on the mounting piece with the apoxy. (very strong stuff) 
I will try to post a pic of mine soon, for a better explanation. I hope the info is usefull, or at least interesting, Enjoy!


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Here is the buffalo skull I did in the river -


This is the first euro buck skull I did, I have done 2 others since. 


Levander is right on the boiling, picking and scraping. I was just thinking it would be so ripe by now.....
My method of bleaching is a little different. I use hydrogen peroxide that you can purchase in the grocery store, and then save it for reuse. I soak the skull for 10 to 14 days to bring the white of the skull out.


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## levander (May 16, 2006)

Mossymo, I really like the looks of your mounts. I'm really impressed with how really smooth and brite the buck is. I've also heard of people coating with a spray on gloss or satin coat of clear acrilic, never seen it though


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Thanks levander, I've thought about spraying with a clearcoat.....Thought it would be easier to dust, and dust wouldn't stick into the pourus areas of the skull. But I am worried about the clearcoat yellowing over the years. Figure if the dust starts making it look dirty again, I can just give it a quick re-boil and/or peroxide the dust white?

I would like to hear from someone who has clearcoated the skull and what their thoughts are and if some time has gone by if there has been yellowing. If it hasn't yellowed, what brand they used.....


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## Shooter (Sep 21, 2004)

if you put the skull and antlers completely under water, does it discolor the antlers? I currently have one in a small creek but i did my best to keep the antlers out of the water because i didn't want them to fade.


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## joebobhunter4 (Jul 19, 2005)

does putting it in the river take the color from the antlers??? because i shot a little 4x4 last year and i got the skin and most of the meat off the head and now its sitting in my garage... that maggots were at it once it unthawed and its just kinda meat in places and stuff... could i still throw it in the river and would it be fine or...? and after the river to you have to get the brains out or do they come out???


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Shooter and joebobhunter4
Putting the antlers under water will discolor the antlers. Take a picture of it before you put it in water. Then what I have done after the mount is cleaned up is experiment with different shades of wood stain.

The photo of the buck euro, the base of the antlers was in the peroxide solution, so they did whiten. I did use wood stain to get as close of shade as I could.

joebobhunter4
The buffalo skull I put in the river, the brain cavity was cleaned out when I took it out of the river. 
The rivers current did remove one of the horn caps off the buffalo's horn, so I just took the other horn cap off so they matched.


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## Starky (Mar 15, 2006)

This is just my experience with this type of mount.
It's best if you skin the head soon after cutting it off. The hide comes off easier. On my Euro mounts I cut from the base of the skull to the back of the teeth. This gives you a flat area for mounting and also lets you take the brain out much easier. A preasure washer gets all the tree junk out of the antler where he was rubbing. Also, Old English helps bring back the color of the antler without making it look like it was stained. Don't splash bleach on the antler or it will have white blotches. If you have one of those turkey cookers they work very well for boiling the skull. You just have to clean it real well after.


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## spoiler92 (Jul 30, 2003)

I kept all that tree junk from it rubbing on trees, makes it looks better I feel. I just covert the antlers and antlers bases real well with foil and saran wrap and boiled the head for a few hours. Then with needle nose pliers pulled out brain and the matter in the nostrils, not tearing out the cartilage though. Then boiled it again for awhile and gettting the rest out.
Used borax, powdered bleach, and pasted it all over the skull overnight.

Spoiler92


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