Antelope Horn Removal Question

I just got back from Wyoming with a nice antelope buck. He's not as big as the one already on my wall so I thought I'd do a eruo type mount. This will be my first one. So I boiled the head in Dawn and baking soda for about 40 minutes. Then I scraped the meat and membrane off. There was still a little more so I dropped it back in the pot for another 1/2 hour. Now the skull is pretty much clean and the brains are out. I still could not get the sheaths off. I threw out the old water and boiled the horns again in clean water and Dawn to degrease them further for about another 1/2 hour. I still can not get the sheaths off.

One of my buddies had told me to not get the horns too far under the water and now I'm thinking that may have my problem. They should have been further under the water. At this point, I think I've boiled them too long. Should I just wait for them to rot and then pull them off ? The skull is nice and clean and I'll hit it with the 40% peroxide once the sheaths are off and cleaned up. I'm just worried about getting the sheaths off without damaging them.

Any thoughts ?

Every hunting season you miss is one you can not make up

Put it in a plastic bag with a cup of water. Tie the bag off in a knot. Leave outside in the warm weather for a week or so and they will rot off. Don't leave it anywhere that a animal can take off with it.

Thanks. I may give that a try.

Every hunting season you miss is one you can not make up

Bowdeadly... Thanks for your recommendation. A taxidermist told me the same thing but he also said I could simmer the skull for 15 minutes and this is what I did. Probably closer to 30 minutes but it worked. Thanks.

Moose

Every hunting season you miss is one you can not make up