Deer Skulls

[Guest clutepc]

I got these from my family in IL.

1 is a 10 point and 1 is a 7 point.

Any suggestions on the best way to preserve these.

They had them out in the sun to dry out but is there a better way I should do it?

Thanks

[Guest Rem_700]

Just get you some regular peroxide from walmart,get about 5 big things of it and put the skull in a small bowl,big enough to submerge the skull and fill it up with peroxide and let it sit in it for 3 days,but don't put the antlers in it,or it will turn them white also(well i just looked,and they are already white,so it may not matter).When its been 3 days,take it out and sit it out in the sun to dry. Oh and be sure all the meat is and flesh is off of them,I boiled mine,but it looks like yours is good to go. Here is one i did.

[TripleDigitRide]

I've never done it, but my Uncle has several that he got when my Grandfather passed away.

My Uncle says they are every bit of 35 years old, and they still look great. He says my Grandfather let them dry for 3 or 4 weeks before spraying/brushing a clear lacquer over the entire thing.

They have a nice matte finish, but there are several sheen levels to choose from.

[TripleDigitRide]

Just get you some regular peroxide from walmart,get about 5 big things of it and put the skull in a small bowl,big enough to submerge the skull and fill it up with peroxide and let it sit in it for 3 days,but don't put the antlers in it,or it will turn them white also(well i just looked,and they are already white,so it may not matter).When its been 3 days,take it out and sit it out in the sun to dry. Oh and be sure all the meat is and flesh is off of them,I boiled mine,but it looks like yours is good to go. Here is one i did.

That one looks great. The mounts my Uncle has are not quite that white. There's no doubt they are white, but looks like the peroxide method is a great idea.

[Guest Rem_700]

Thanks for the complement tripledigitride,that was the first one that I had ever done,I killed it during gun season this year,I had to skin the flesh off and cut what meat I could off the skull and then boil it for a few hours and pull it out and pick at it and boil it some more and pull it out and pick at it some more,it was an all day job,but it is worth it.Besides,I couldn't get anyone local to do it,all the taxidermists said they don't do them.

[Guest 1shot]

I have done lots of antler and skull mounts but the only thing is I covered up the skull with a felt cloth with some quilt batting placed under the felt to fill things out like the hide would. I skin out the skull and gut the meat off and let it dry and then peal off what is left of the meat. After the antlers have dried out I clean them with an old tooth brush and soap and water. Then I spray them with a few coats of clear lacquer. Before I glue and sew the felt on the skull I place a piece of wood in the brain cup and attach it with some screws placed through the front of the skull into the wood. Once I get everything covered and painted I mount it to a mount board I have made by screws through the mounting board into the piece of wood in the brain cup. They have lasted so far for over 20 years.

[Guest clutepc]

thanks for the suggestions, I'll get some peroxide and get them in it.

Thanks again!

[Guest Rem_700]

Another thing I forgot to add, Is that when you have the skull submereged in the peroxide,the top part of the skull around the antlers will not be submereged if your trying to keep the antlers from bleeching out,all you have to do is take paper towels and lay them across the top of the skull and it will pull the peroxide up around the top of the head.