SKULLS

snakeriverskulls · May 19, 2015

WHAT DO YOU PERFER? BEETLE CLEAN ( SOMETIMES PRICEY) OR THE AVERAGE JO BOIL JOB?

ForkWest · May 20, 2015

From your handle I'm assuming you're looking at it from a marekting perspective?

I don't think there is enough difference to matter to the everyday guy looking for a european mount.

Think about it, european mounts are for bucks/bulls or wallets that are not big enough.

As long as it's white-ish and cheap, that'll do.

Z · May 21, 2015

>Think about it, european mounts are
>for bucks/bulls or wallets that
>are not big enough.
>
You know, some of us like skulls better than mounts, plus it saves on space. My wife, for one, would euro a 400" bull or bighorn in a heartbeat. I have a 180" buck I have euro'd, plus numerous sheep and deer species. Only things I have mounted are different animals, like a big forkie (with a story), scimitar horned oryx (cool story), axis, mouflon (awesome hunt and story with my dad), etc. Every animal is different, I have a desert ewe at the taxi getting mounted but will probably have a ram euro'd.

What I'm trying to say is, its not about the money or size...its the story that most people want to preserve in a mount.

oneaway · May 26, 2015

I was talking to a good buddy that just had his bear skull beetled. Cost him 110.00. I boiled my blacktail buck skull from last year and it cost me 5.00. I guess it depends on how much time a guy has, and wether or not he really wants to mess with the skull himself.

www.SkullHanger.com

snakeriverskulls · May 26, 2015

yes, i am coming from the Taxidermist point of view. I run a few colonies of dermestids, and my prices aren't next to free. I just see lots of guys offering $50 for a half ass boil job, and couldn't help but wonder why are those guys still in business. I guess i take pride in my skulls, and spend prob more time than i should perfecting each one.

I tell people if you'd like to boil your deer, go for it! but if you kill a wolf, or a nice bear at least do yourself the favor and get it to a taxidermist with bugs!

Snake River Skull Works

mmwb · Oct 11, 2015

To add to an older post. I've simmered several skulls in the pot and they turned out fine. That being said, after doing one by maceration, it it the way I will go to now. I expect it will give you a skull as nice as beetles and much nicer than simmer/boiling. Beetles make sense to me for someone who is doing a lot of skulls (I expect maintaining colonies is a job in of itself) and they are faster than maceration to be sure. If I had access to someone close with beetles, I wouldn't blink twice about $100 bucks just to have the skull cleaned, if I wanted it sooner than the other method. You get what you pay for and a quality, finished product takes both knowledge/skill, overhead, and time.

wildwillow · Nov 10, 2015

@ snake river skulls, it doesn't sound like you offer a beetle only price. You could try that for those who do not want to spend much. I offer that to my customers that are looking for a clean skull cheap. Works out for me and then you won't have to degrease and whiten it.
marshtaxidermy.blogspot.com

wildwillow · Nov 10, 2015

To answer your question though, I prefer a beetle cleaned skull. Boiled skulls look naked when all the bones are missing to me. But then again I am like Z in that I like euros better than mounts. Had a buck euro mounted first and then shoulder mounted later, but after doing it wish I could take it back. It was done real well too by a top end taxi. I just would rather have a European(and a nice one to boot).

http://marshtaxidermy.blogspot.com/

2f350s · Dec 28, 2015

Boiled skulls can turn out great! However, not everyone has the gear; the skills necessary; or the proper location or stomach to do it. After considering those and material purchases having a taxidermist do it may be worth it to some/many.

I respect those DIY'ers who can take pride in great displays.

2f350s: Spend the money on additional licenses and HUNT more!

264mag · Dec 28, 2015

I had my large Kodiak skull cleaned, but has yellowed over the years, how can it be fixed?

2f350s · Dec 29, 2015

I'm not a taxidermist, but you could soak it in a batch of over-the-counter bottle type peroxide, not the type used on hair its too harsh!

This method worked well for my friend and I on both deer and elk horn mounts. I use a old fashioned wash tub to heat it up and fill it to just the right level so not to get any liquid on the antler bases.

2f350s: Spend the money on additional licenses and HUNT more!

snakeriverskulls · Dec 30, 2015

I would heat some water to 130 degrees or so, add some dawn dish soap and try and degrease it in that for a couple hours. you should be able to see grease surface pretty quick. Peroxide won't solve the problem. The yellow is from grease, thus needs degreased not whitened.

264mag · Dec 30, 2015

Could you soak it in bleach?

snakeriverskulls · Dec 30, 2015

NO, thats one of the worst things you could do! Needs a hot water degrease then some whitener. Bleach will dissolve the bone.

264mag · Dec 30, 2015

Ok! thank's for the advice.

FullCryHounds · Jan 2, 2016

Degreasing can take months for a bear skull, not hours. Water/dawn needs to be a constant 120 degrees and it will need to be changed two times a week. Every skull is different so the time it takes to fully degrease can only be determined by the amount of grease that is left in the water when it is changed. Most bears take a month to degrease. This is why your skull yellowed. It wasn't properly degreased.
As mentioned, never use bleach on any skull. The term "bleaching a skull" is a poor choice of words. The proper term is "whitening".

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