whitetail european mount

[tobahunter]

I am interested in doing a european head mount on my 2002 muzzleloader whitetail. This is my first time in doing such and I am wondering if anyone has any tips or suggestions on doing such. I have searched the net on instructions and have found several different methods. Has anyone tried different ways and had better results with one.
Thanx in advance.

[Cabin Fever Bob]

These are the instructions that I used last fall to do mine. I was very pleased with the results as the skull turned out snow white and there were no faded blemishes on the rack itself. Good luck and enjoy!

Instructions For Making A European Mount:

1. Skin head out as soon as possible.

2. Freeze if necessary, but it is better not to freeze.

3. Put 1 cup of Arm & Hammer laundry detergent per gallon of water into a pot of boiling water and stir until soapy.

4. Place skull in pot of boiling water(not a hard rapid boil but a nice easy boil). Boil for 3-6 hours, removing the head ~every hour and cutting off cooked scrap meat/flesh. Boil until all meat/scrap is well cooked. Note - Might want to do this outside to keep the wife happy as it does smell.

5. After boiling remove head and go to the nearest car wash and use the pressure wash to remove ALL meat/scrap from scull. This can get pretty messy…..and gross! Use caution around nose pieces to not break them off. Be sure to insert the wand tip in all holes inside the skull to blow out ALL the waste. Blow the brains out from the hole in the back of the skull blowing towards the nose. Place your foot on an antler to hold the skull while getting the wand tip very close to the hard to get pieces and keep working until it is ALL cleaned off.

6. Take the clean skull and coat it with “40 Volume Peroxide Cream”. It is used by women to bleach hair and can be found in beauty supply stores(Sally’s, etc…). Using an old small paintbrush, put a thick coating of the peroxide cream onto the skull being VERY careful not to get any on the antlers. If you get some on the antlers, wipe off with a wet rag. After about 3 hours rinse with a water hose outside and repeat(maybe 2-3x) until the skull is pure bright white. BTW, Clorox would keep bleaching and eating away at the skull but this peroxide won’t, so don’t use bleach.

7. That’s it! The skull can now be either mounted on a pedestal, plaque, or simply displayed by being hung on the wall with a drywall screw.

8. The European mount is complete and you’re only out a little time and effort. Part of the job is nasty but the reward is worth much more than the small price of getting wet and a few chunks of cooked meat on you. Enjoy!

[buckfever7]

That's awesome, first time I saw it was a muley in Montana. I'm going to give it a shot with my next whitetail.

[mi-hunter]

You can get alot of nice stuff for doing this at . www.vandykestaxidermy.com.I have used thier kit but i like the homebrew kit better.you can get some nice stands for it at this web site

[RidgeRunner]

I've been doing skull mounts since I was stationed in alaska. I guess I have done 20 plus now. Bob your mount looks good the only things I do different is I use Sodium carbonate in my boil and the meat pretty much falls off even the annoying membranes in the sinus cavities I get mine from Touchstone taxidermy in Bossier city LA its just down the road from my house I am sure vandyks has it. And it really makes a differance in the work and boil time I also use little Dawn dish washing liquid to it is a real good degreaser heck they use it to break up oil slicks. After the skull dries a few days I give it a coat of clear laquer and its good to go.



Let us know how it turns out

[arlow]

ttt

[Reuben]

Great looking mount. I have done a three of these myself, but mine did not come out as good as yours. I really liked the tips you guys gave. The problem with mine is that it did not come out as shiny white. I just used bleach and water, and now i see what i did wrong. Maybe, i will go back and redo mine, so that i get that nice bright white color.

[Tailgate]

A buddy gave me a head and antlers that he found. It was probably killed last year, but it is still in good shape. The antlers are a little white and the skull is already clean. I was wandering if the skull would whiten if I used the 40 volume peroxide cream on it ?

[tobahunter]

I works great. WHat I have been doing is putting the cream into a pot of clean boiling water, leave the skull in it until desired whiteness. Make sure the antlers are protected from the solution or they will come out white as well. Here is a pic of a coyote skull I did that way.

[Tailgate]

Here is a picture of the skull and antlers that was given to me. I would like to darken up the antlers a little. I have been told that they can be stained. Is this possible without ruining them or should I leave them the way they are?

[M.Magis]

Tailgate, a little wood stain will fix them right up for you. Tobahunter, there's no need to put the peroxide cream into boiling water. Just paint it on the skull. Besides causing fumes you don't want, boiling increases the risk of damage to the skull.

[Zeke]

Im in the process of doing a European mount on a nice 8pt with 16" inside spread...nice for NC anyway.

I was considering getting it mounted but since I didnt shoot it(it was poached in front of my moms house and my stepdad run the guys off before they could load it on their truck) I figured I would save some money and do a Euro mount with it.

The tips you guys has made it alot easier. All I have to do now is bleach the skull and it will be done. Will post pics when its finished.

Hey Cabin Fever Bob.....A few chunks of meat?????? Man, I had brains all over me by the time I was done at the car wash. They must have hit some resistance trying to go out the nose and came out the back. Looked like white scambled eggs all over the car wash walls, floor, ME, the back of the van...you name it..they were on it I hate it for the next guy that pulled into that stall hehe

I've got him on the bedroom wall now...wife doesnt like it too much, but she'll get over it. This buck needs to be honored for the way he was took out and the fact that the scumbags didnt get to take him.

Well....I'll stop rambling now Thanks again for the info!!!!