Antelope Horn Question

gahunter · Sep 18, 2007

I hope this not a stupid question, but here goes. Do you saw antelope horns out of the skull, the same way you do a deer's rack? Also I have read that the horn's have to be cored by a taxidermist. How long will the horns stay good, before you can get them to a taxidermist. I am going on a week long Antelope/Muley trip, and if I shoot a goat I don't want mounted I would like to at least put the horns on a plaque. If I should happen to shoot a goat early in the week, will the horns be ok for week or so in a cooler, as long as a keep ice on them. Any advice would be greatly appreciatted, and I hope these are not rediculous questions. I am green when it comes to goats.

"Easy now, keep the croshairs right behind his shoulder & squeeze the trigger"

eelgrass · Sep 18, 2007

You just saw them off like a deer. Try to cut right through the middle of the eye, to ensure you get enough skull.

Technically the horns should be boiled until the horn comes free of the core.(If I remember it takes like 5 minutes) Then scrape the cartilage off the core. You can do it yourself or hire it done. No hurry on doing it. The last two I got I didn't even worry about it. I just hung them in the rafters of the garage. Maybe sprinkled a little Borax on them. I guess sometimes they will fall off on their own, but mine never did.

If you're going to do any kind of mount you should boil them for sure. It's the proper way.

Steve

gahunter · Sep 19, 2007

Thanks Steve, that is very helpful information.

"Easy now, keep the croshairs right behind his shoulder & squeeze the trigger"

Bulzeye · Sep 19, 2007

If you don't boil them they will probably get dried on real good after a while, but they will stink too! If you plan on keeping them in the house then make sure to get them boiled.

bighornbob · Sep 19, 2007

I shot my pronghorn in Early October and the horns sat in tha back of my truck for a week before I got to the taxidermist. He grabbed one horn and pulled it off the skull. I thought he broke it, but he said that he has to pull the horns to boil the shull and cores.

I would do the same, you never want to boil horns or antlers as they will shrink, or get discolored, or crack or all. Just boil the skull and expoxy the horns back in place.

BHB

gahunter · Sep 19, 2007

Thanks guys for all the info.

"Easy now, keep the croshairs right behind his shoulder & squeeze the trigger"

eelgrass · Sep 20, 2007

Now that bighornbob mentioned it, I remember now. He's right. You just want to boil the skull part. If the horn won't pull off, you can usually take a screw driver and work along the bottom until you break it free. Then twist and pull until the horn comes off.

Eel

Blank · Sep 21, 2007

There is a much easier way, but you are definately not allowed to let your wife see it! Use the microwave to warm and loosen them up. We keep an old one in the garage just for this.

Cut the skull the same as you do a deer or elk, thru the eye like mentioned before. Clean all tissue and meat off, and put it skull down in some salt or Borax for a couple days to dry and cure. After 3-10 days (whatever your schedule allows), put them in the microwave for about 3 minutes on 50% power to heat up, and the black sheaths will pull right off. Don't get too hot or they will bubble from the steam inside the sheath.

Use your knife to cut off the meat and hair from the bony cores, and put them back in the salt/Borax for another day until dry. Once they are cleaned and dried, you just mix up a little automotive Bondo and stick them back on for good. The mix fills up the space just like the old tissue.

redrabbit · Sep 21, 2007

My taxi uses this microwave method.

vitalzone · Sep 24, 2007

If you boil or use the microwave the horns will shrink and distort,they will become soft and the bottoms will curl in,they are made of hair,I have seen them shrink 2 inches by boiling.Rot them off by Putting them in a plastic bag with a little water for about 4 to 5 days,the bag sealed,they will come off easily with no shrinking or distorting,the stench is nasty, but handle the horns with care,boil the skull,use a bottle brush to clean the cartilage from the horns with boraxo.

gznokes · Sep 24, 2007

So what does all this mean if you shoot a pig and want to get it officially scored? Does the same 90 day drying period extend to antelope like it does to deer and elk? If the horns have been pulled off would that invalidate them?

Go ahead and give me grief for interjecting the nerd factor into this question.

YELUM · Sep 25, 2007

Most scorers will score the horns off the head any way. Its easier that way.

Yelum

gahunter · Sep 25, 2007

>If you boil or use the
>microwave the horns will shrink
>and distort,they will become soft
>and the bottoms will curl
>in,they are made of hair,I
>have seen them shrink 2
>inches by boiling.Rot them off
>by Putting them in a
>plastic bag with a little
>water for about 4 to
>5 days,the bag sealed,they will
>come off easily with no
>shrinking or distorting,the stench is
>nasty, but handle the horns
>with care,boil the skull,use a
>bottle brush to clean the
>cartilage from the horns with
>boraxo.

This seems like the easiest way to go. How much water should I put in the bag? Do the horns need to be totally submerged in the water? Thanks for the advice.

"Easy now, keep the croshairs right behind his shoulder & squeeze the trigger"

Wiszard · Sep 26, 2007

This info. helps me out because I simply leave mine in the garage with salt on them. A couple of years ago, I couldn't get the horns off so I just left them in my garage on the workbench. A few days later, I checked on them and the horns came right off. It must have been all the maggots inside the horns that loosened them up. It was disgusting. I almost puked! And,yes, they stink! I appreciate this thread as I have learned how to get them not too stink. Thanks.