Quick Euro

[Bucketmouth]

My sister shot a nice buck back in West Virginia, 10pt. Shot on Saturday, dropped at taxi that evening. Monday it was done. I said no way, that is a fake skull. She shipped it out to my dad here in California, it's real. How can a guy do that in one day?

 

[Horniac]

Boil the skull and clean with a pressure washer.

Lots of videos on YouTube;

Horniac

 

[Uttaxi1]

I can do one in about 4 hours. It will be white and clean. But have zero nasal detail and will probably be loose at some of the bone fusions. But it can be done. 24 hour turnaround is common in a lot of places for traveling hunters

 

[diablo]

Yeah only takes a few hours. The real question is how does it look?……

 

[mulebuck]

I don't know if Whitebone started it but since the power washer method burst on scene there has been quite the surge of novices claiming to be pros. And with that, many mediocre skull jobs.
For me, the second I see all the nose bones/turbinates blown out I get turned off. I guess it all depends on what your happy living with. I like to compare it in regards to optics; Guys that take their skulls to taxi's that use beetles or maceration probably like higher end glass like Swaro, Leica, Kowa etc. Guys that take their skulls to power washer dudes are probably content with Bushnell, Tasco, Vortex etc. Is that racist?

 

[JPickett]

my guess is low quality, no nasal bones and it will probably turn yellow

 

[JPickett]

I’m an amateur and it takes me a while but I like my skulls to come out looking like a piece of plastic

 

[mulebuck]

Beautiful JP!!

 

[Uttaxi1]

Very nice!!

 

[Horniac]

I don't know if Whitebone started it but since the power washer method burst on scene there has been quite the surge of novices claiming to be pros. And with that, many mediocre skull jobs.
For me, the second I see all the nose bones/turbinates blown out I get turned off. I guess it all depends on what your happy living with. I like to compare it in regards to optics; Guys that take their skulls to taxi's that use beetles or maceration probably like higher end glass like Swaro, Leica, Kowa etc. Guys that take their skulls to power washer dudes are probably content with Bushnell, Tasco, Vortex etc. Is that racist?

I started doing my own on stuff that I am not sending to a professional taxidermist.

They look a lot better than just cutting off the skull cap IMO. Saves me the hassle of coordinating drop-off and pick-up with the taxidermist and a couple of hundred on each Euro on animals I wouldn’t normally mount or Euro. I enjoy the process and continue to refine my techniques and methods. The average person can’t tell the difference.

 

[Sparks Shooter]

I do a ton of rudimentary euro/skulls for myself and my kids. Maybe I'm unrefined but I like them clean, yet still a little rough. A little staining left on the teeth is good by me and I really don't care if the inner nose bones are perfect. I prefer the bone to look like bone, not sterile plastic. Degreasing is good but no bleach.---SS

PS.... I must be the anomaly because I only use top end optics and love me a mediocre skull job.

 

[johnnycake]

I do a ton of rudimentary euro/skulls for myself and my kids. Maybe I'm unrefined but I like them clean, yet still a little rough. A little staining left on the teeth is good by me and I really don't care if the inner nose bones are perfect. I prefer the bone to look like bone, not sterile plastic. Degreasing is good but no bleach.---SS

PS.... I must be the anomaly because I only use top end optics and love me a mediocre skull job.
View attachment 129391

I'm in your camp. I want it clean, but natural. I want to see the staining on the teeth and have the bone look like bone, not plastic. In my experience, it requires much more careful degreasing to have a good looking skull that is natural and not whitened.

 

[CFMuley]

It will turn yellow over time. You can boil them and get them done in a few hours, but there will still be grease in the skull. Properly degreasing skulls takes time, but I have skulls that are close to 10 years old that are still white as can be.

 

[mulebuck]

I do a ton of rudimentary euro/skulls for myself and my kids. Maybe I'm unrefined but I like them clean, yet still a little rough. A little staining left on the teeth is good by me and I really don't care if the inner nose bones are perfect. I prefer the bone to look like bone, not sterile plastic. Degreasing is good but no bleach.---SS

PS.... I must be the anomaly because I only use top end optics and love me a mediocre skull job.

Haha. To each his own right? I knew that comparison wasn't one size fits all . Let's try something like this; Guys that take their skulls to taxi's that use beetles or maceration probably enjoy a good 12 year bourbon or scotch... neat.
Guys that take their skulls to power washer dudes are probably content with Fireball or a jack & coke.

 

[Sparks Shooter]

Haha. To each his own right? I knew that comparison wasn't one size fits all . Let's try something like this; Guys that take their skulls to taxi's that use beetles or maceration probably enjoy a good 12 year bourbon or scotch... neat.
Guys that take their skulls to power washer dudes are probably content with Fireball or a jack & coke.

The quick euro is becoming a necessity due to CWD related laws for transporting game from out of state and everyone will either have to leave their antlers at a local taxidermist and deal with pick up or shipping, or learn to do at least a rudimentary euro job in the field. I now bring my stuff and complete the initial cleaning stages before bringing my heads home where I can degrease and complete the process. In my state, the wardens are on the lookout for heads coming into or through Nevada from CWD states. I've heard of citations as well as requirements to immediately remove the skull cap and discard brain and spinal matter. ----SS

 

[BrowningRage]

I've done several Euros of deer and elk. I personally think there is a point to stop whitening the skull and leave it with just a little color of whatever kind it has. Just a preference I have.

Also, pressure washing the skull is something I did for the first time this year. It's not exactly easy. It's between using a knife and using beetles (assuming the beetles do their job). At least in my experience. And I was able to leave all the nasal stuff attached to the elk skulls I did, maybe my pressure washer was lower PSI?

 

[JPickett]

maceration. its gross, but that's the best. better than beatles IMO

 

[Mallardsx2]

It takes me ~ 3 days. I tape mine off and spray paint them white though.

Nobody notices that they are painted, and everyone thinks they look great..

1 day in slow cooker with borax
1 day to dry
1 day to paint.

 

[mulebuck]

The quick euro is becoming a necessity due to CWD related laws for transporting game from out of state and everyone will either have to leave their antlers at a local taxidermist and deal with pick up or shipping, or learn to do at least a rudimentary euro job in the field. I now bring my stuff and complete the initial cleaning stages before bringing my heads home where I can degrease and complete the process. In my state, the wardens are on the lookout for heads coming into or through Nevada from CWD states. I've heard of citations as well as requirements to immediately remove the skull cap and discard brain and spinal matter. ----SS

A necessity? Sounds like a lot of unnecessary work. Most guys should be able to get the brains out of any animal in a short amount of time. Even faster if there's compressed air available (gas/service station).

 

[diablo]

A necessity? Sounds like a lot of unnecessary work. Most guys should be able to get the brains out of any animal in a short amount of time. Even faster if there's compressed air available (gas/service station).

How does a guy get all the meat and soft tissue off a skull to make it legal to import in many states with a gas station air hose?!

 

[mulebuck]

How does a guy get all the meat and soft tissue off a skull to make it legal to import in many states with a gas station air hose?!

Who says the meat and soft tissue have to removed? I'm talking about the brain. There are many styles of picks that work well to accomplish by hand. Hell you can even do it with a screwdriver. If you have high pressure air or water you can blow them out the back of the skull (foramen magnum) through an orifice in the eye socket.

 

[Sparks Shooter]

Maybe I'm being over careful but when I read the regulations for Nevada, my understanding is that that any skull plate must be clean and free of any brain tissue? What do you guys think?----SS

 

[diablo]

Who says the meat and soft tissue have to removed? I'm talking about the brain. There are many styles of picks that work well to accomplish by hand. Hell you can even do it with a screwdriver. If you have high pressure air or water you can blow them out the back of the skull (foramen magnum) through an orifice in the eye socket.

Most western states now have transport regs that require antlers, skulls and skull plates have to be completely free of brain, spinal cord, meat and/or soft tissue. Nevada, Arizona, Oregon and Wyoming to name a couple. Here’s Arizonas rule which is pretty standard.

 

[diablo]

Maybe I'm being over careful but when I read the regulations for Nevada, my understanding is that that any skull plate must be clean and free of any brain tissue? What do you guys think?----SS

View attachment 130133

Absolutely. “Clean” skull plate and antlers with “no meat or tissue attached” is pretty clear.

• The clean skull plate with antlers attached and no brain tissue attached.
• The antlers with no meat or tissue other than antler velvet attached.

 

[mulebuck]

Well chit. Thanks for filling me in. I just assumed it was still the brain & spinal cord only. I've always removed just that, and have never been hassled for it, nor heard of anyone else in recent years. I guess I'll continue to be an outlaw...