# European Mounts



## DirtyCat (Nov 11, 2008)

I'm just starting to do a few European Mounts. The first couple I did I used the maceration method, and although it was stinky and a pain, they turned out really nice and clean. I'm working on a couple now by simmering them. I've got one that is nearly clean, but it sill has a lot of real small fatty/cartlige looking stuff stuck in various places. Also, on the deer I did using the maceration method, the crevices between the skull plate are completely clean and on this one it's not. So which of the following do I need to do:
- keep simmering till it all comes off
- add more soap (I only used a little Dawn)
- or something else
Also, does anyone use a combination of the two methods. Say simmer to get the initial meat off and then maceration for the rest?

Thanks,


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## Sasha and Abby (May 11, 2004)

I skin the head out and remove all meat I can with a knife. Boil with the horns out of the water and wrapped in tinfoil. Every couple of hours, remove and scrape. Add a little dawn and some hydrogen peroxide to clean it out. Keep scraping.

Let dry and you have it...


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## timberlandtaxidermy (Sep 26, 2006)

DirtyCat said:


> I'm just starting to do a few European Mounts. The first couple I did I used the maceration method, and although it was stinky and a pain, they turned out really nice and clean. I'm working on a couple now by simmering them. I've got one that is nearly clean, but it sill has a lot of real small fatty/cartlige looking stuff stuck in various places. Also, on the deer I did using the maceration method, the crevices between the skull plate are completely clean and on this one it's not. So which of the following do I need to do:
> - keep simmering till it all comes off
> - add more soap (I only used a little Dawn)
> - or something else
> ...


A power washer works good at getting the hard to reach stuff. Also, adding some sodium carbonate to the water helps as well. You are doing good by not boiling, and Sodium Carbonate will eat foil, as well as pit an aluminum pot.


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## tallpaulr (Jan 7, 2009)

I have been doing skulls for 9 years and found that "super washing soda" arm and hammer works wonderfully in a simmering pot, be careful not to cook them too hot or too long the bones will get flaky and fall apart if you get too much heat to them, ie boiling water. Also when they come out i use 40 vol paroxide and whiter to make a paste which will whiten them to a pure white in a day or two. let me know if you have any other questions


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