RE: Euro Skull Work / For Best Results
Just a quick reminder, the better a trophy skull is kept prior to starting a European mount the better the final trophy will look. Some of the mistakes I see when skulls arrive are the following;
1) Previously boiled or simmered skulls.
?Bad idea, heating the bone sets the grease deeper into the bone and separates the seams of the skull. Boiling also cooks the meat and slows my entire process.
2) Letting your skull sit out and where flies can get at it.
I see this a lot especially with larger hard to freeze skulls. Letting flies attack your skull may be natural but if you want any of the internal bones to be in place when it's finished, don't let the flies lay eggs on it. The maggots will destroy the more delicate bones, especially in the nasal passages. Also, most skull guys also charge more for neglected skulls arriving in a putrid state.
Your trophy skull deserves the very best processing but I can only do so much once the damage is done. To get a beautifully finished European or skull mount that is completely intact, grease free, white and museum quality it's best to remove the brain and freeze ASAP. At least submerge your skull in cold water, until you can get it to your European taxidermist...with in a couple of days is best, not weeks. Personally, if you want to skin and flesh the skull you can, that is up to you. I prefer doing that myself, that way I know there will be no knife marks in the bones.
Thanks, Greg
www.purebonestaxidermy.com
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