Elk Antler stink after Dermistid Beetles

[nvguy2]

Not sure this will get as many views here but here it goes. Had a local guy do a European mount on my daughters first Bull. He had it 3 weeks is all and has the beetles. When I dropped it off and he raised his garage door, I was blown away at the smell. I picked it up 3 days ago and this thing smells horrible like his garage did. I’m not so sure a lot of it isn’t coming from the antlers. My hands smell after touching them. I even painted volume 40 peroxide on skull 3 times and rinsed. Some of the dead beetles are still up the nasal. The guy was cheap and it looks nice but this smell is bad and I’m taking it to a contest in less than 3 weeks. Any recommendations on what to maybe spray on antlers to help with the odor? I read about linseed oil and have sprayed a little Lysol on them but before getting carried away I thought I’d put a post here and see if I get any ideas. Thanks for any responses!

 

[Uttaxi1]

Sounds like it wasn't degreased properly. Beetles don't take to long to clean a skull. The long process is the degreasing. You need to warm up the skull but not boil. This will allow the pores of the bone to release the grease and oil inside the bone. It's important to change the water every few days so the smelly water doesn't cause the skull to stink. It normally takes several weeks to degrease properly. Bears and hogs can take months. Your best bet now would probably be to simmer the skull in hot water mixed with some peroxide and then whiten and let dry in the sun. As far as the antlers, would try a mixture 50:50 water and mop and GLO. If you have any other questions feel free to give me a call
Ross 8018568506

 

[30PointBuck]

Pet stores sell stuff to clean animals sprayed by stunk. I have tried it with reasonable results. Let us know how you make out.

 

[jims]

I wouldn’t boil it! The bones will start to decompose and fall apart if over boiled. If it’s white it likely won’t do any good. If it is still yellow it may need muletrain, and dawn soap. I also paint the skull with peroxide that can be purchased at hair beauty supply stores.
Allow to dry between coats

You may want to also try spraying and drying several coats of scent loc on the antlers and skulll. Leave it out in the garage or somewhere protected outside to air dry and vent between scent loc coats for a few days. Hopefully scentloc will help if the antlers stink.

 

[hawkbill]

I agree with Utah Taxi, I would use sodium carbonate in water, hot and simmer for 4 to 6 hours, pull out and let air dry, while it is simmering the steam coming off the pot will help eliminate the odor. Let air dry, then make a mixture of magnesium carbonate and peroxide for whitening and let sit in the Sun for a couple of days. It sounds to me it was a very dirty operation if it stunk that bad.

 

[nvguy2]

Thanks for the replies guys. Appreciate it. I have painted volume 40 on a few different times and just rinsed last night! The antlers just touching my jacket sleeve and I can’t stand the smell of my jacket. I thought about a peroxide boil as this is what I normally do when I do it myself with good results. I just decided to let someone else do this one. The guy has a big box with the beetles that he puts several heads in. I think the smell has just absorbed into all of it. I’m a little hesitant about the boil as the jaw has a few cracks in it from a hard fall and worry about the over boil mentioned. Maybe a light quick simmer as I have just enough peroxide left. Was hoping maybe spraying antlers with furniture polish or something might help and then air dry in shop a few weeks would help as I think the skull is white enough right now to live with. Just that smell! Thanks again for the helpful replies. Maybe I’ll try the scent lok too!

 

[LIK2HNT]

Can you post a picture of the skull? Would like to see how clean/degreased it looks.

 

[nvguy2]

This was before I brushed 40 volume peroxide on it 3 separate times and then rinsed last night!

 

[LIK2HNT]

Wash the antlers with hot water and dawn then spray with Frabreeze (SP?) once dry.
Guess I never hit post reply?

 

[HIcountryman]

Scott's Liquid Gold almond oil furniture polish smells nice. I hate the smell of Febreze! Scent loc a few times and drying sounds like a quick fix but I would listen to taxidermists' advice here. Good luck

 

[wytex]

Ozone machine in a small closet or something ?

 

[jims]

Your skull is mighty white. If it was greasy it would be discolored and have oily grease.

I would be careful putting anything on the antlers. They could turn colors and some turn things yellowish in bright light. I think you may be surprised how well scentloc works without changing the antler color.

 

[mulebuck]

Wow, beautiful bull. Congrats to daughter.
I would guess the skull probably isn't completely degreased. Unless he had it chemicals, there's no way he could have properly cleaned and degreased in three weeks time. Did he tell you he degreased? Looks good on the surface but it'll yellow over time as the oils seep out. If the skull smells as bad as the antlers do, then it needs a bath. If you have a pot big enough, I'd bring soap (dawn) & water up to 180F in your pot and shut off. Leave it overnight or a long as you desire. You can worry about properly degreasing after your contest.
For the antlers, I'd drench them in Lysol (skull up so it runs down) and place outside in the fresh air/sunshine for as long as it takes. Let us know how it works out for ya.

 

[JPickett]

Leave it outside for a month.

 

[SS!]

Leave it outside for a month.

This.

 

[nvguy2]

Update! So, basted Volume 40 3 times and rinse. Then, I took several suggestions since yesterday! Washed antlers with Dawn and hot water then sprayed with Odoban and then again with Scetlok. Paranoid to leave anything on for whatever reason I wiped off. Antlers looked dull after all that!? Air compressed skull to get as many of the leftover beetles out then soaked skull in pan with Dawn and hot water. Rinsed and more Volume 40 last night and this morning and then rinsed. Wiped antlers with penetrating oil as I’d read about and that helped antlers out a bunch. Now going to do the air out suggestion. It already seems better though! This thing stunk absolutely horrid! Blown away by the smell this thing absorbed! Thanks for the suggestions from everyone!

 

[2lumpy]

Update! So, basted Volume 40 3 times and rinse. Then, I took several suggestions since yesterday! Washed antlers with Dawn and hot water then sprayed with Odoban and then again with Scetlok. Paranoid to leave anything on for whatever reason I wiped off. Antlers looked dull after all that!? Air compressed skull to get as many of the leftover beetles out then soaked skull in pan with Dawn and hot water. Rinsed and more Volume 40 last night and this morning and then rinsed. Wiped antlers with penetrating oil as I’d read about and that helped antlers out a bunch. Now going to do the air out suggestion. It already seems better though! This thing stunk absolutely horrid! Blown away by the smell this thing absorbed! Thanks for the suggestions from everyone!

You sure. Maybe need your neighbor to take a whiff. You’re probably just getting used to it.

You ever live next door to a feedlot?

 

[nvguy2]

You sure. Maybe need your neighbor to take a whiff. You’re probably just getting used to it.

You ever live next door to a feedlot?

Lol. You may be right! Never lived next to a feedlot and never will!?

 

[2lumpy]

Lol. You may be right! Never lived next to a feedlot and never will!?

You can learn a lot, living next to feedlot…..like, breath though your mouth. One of many worthwhile bites of wisdom.

Here’s another……. do not stand behind a coughing cow…….. that’s very important to know.

You work at a Casino? ?