Skinning elk head in the field?
Elk
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Any good tips on how to get an elk head a light as possible (euromount) for the pack out? I searched youtube and found some videos on how to do it if you are caping it to mount but I just need a quick and dirty guide on how to get it as light as possible to bring home and do a euromount. Not really seeing anything like that.
Lark ive done 2 the last 2 years. Just keep cutting and getting the lower jaw off isn’t bad. Once you’ve cut through most of it you can pull the mouth open and keep cutting. There are a couple small bones at the back of the upper and lower jaw that are easy to snap if you crank on it too much so keep cutting. I didn’t mess with the brain or anything. Just lower jaw and hide. Head cut off at first vertebra.
Take the bottom part of the jaw off. Or just cut the skull cap off. This is only done on bulls 340 or bigger ;^)
I had the same thought. Can you do it cutting with a knife or would a small hatchet help? Thanks
Check the CWD laws where you are hunting. Most states it is illegal to move the head, spinal column, bones, from kill area. Every state it is illegal to move from one state to another. Pronghorn have no limitations.
----Here are Wyomings Regs for CWD- most states are similar ---
Processing and Transporting Your Harvested Deer or Elk CWD can be transmitted from carcasses of animals that have died of CWD. To minimize this possibility the Department requires that deer and elk hunters transport only the following items from areas where CWD is known to exist:
• cut and wrapped meat • boned meat • animal quarters or other pieces with no portion of the spinal column or head attached • hides without the heads • cleaned (no meat or other tissue attached) skull plates with antlers attached • antlers with no meat or other tissue attached
The head, spine and other nervous tissue shall be left at the site of the kill or bagged and disposed of in an approved landfill.
I had the same thought. Can you do it cutting with a knife or would a small hatchet help? Thanks
Nwmontana14's Link
I wouldn't recommend using a hatchet and knife if you're planning on mounting it just take the little Outdoor Edge bone saw in your back
Havalon is all you need. It’s all meat. No hatchet.
Take the ears off too. A good sharp and stout bladed knife is all that is needed.
No to the hatchet. I assume you mean after removing the head. But to remove the head push the chin down into the neck and make a cut at the base of the round part of the skull. Go through the muscle and you’ll find the atlas joint. Work the point of your knife, not a Havalon something more durable, around the joint putting downward pressure on the head and it’ll come off. Once the joint separates cut from under the neck upward until the head comes off.
Then make a cut up the back of the neck and peel the ears away from the skull as you start removing the hide from the back forward. Now stop.
Pull the lips up and cut around the gum line on both the top and bottom jaw all the way around to the cheeks. Peel that back up the nose and under the jaw as far as you can. Havalon is perfect for that. Once you can’t pull it back any further go back to the rear and continue fleshing forward until the hide falls off
Now move the jaw up and down watch the muscles at the rear of the cheeks. You’ll see where the rear of the jawbone hooks upward and goes through a hole in the upper part of the skull. First remove all of the cheek muscle then work the tip of your knife down into that hole all the way around where the jawbone is coming up through. Do that until you can easily run the full length of the blade all the way around the jawbone.
Now put the skull upside down and pull the mouth open as far as you can. Careful the lower teeth are sharp. Just start cutting any muscle in the corners of the mouth and it’ll start opening wider. You may need to work your knife upward from the bottom of that hole in the skull a bit. Eventually you’ll want to put your foot on the lower jaw to push it further and just keep cutting any connective tissue.
Once the jaw and hide is off it’s amazing how much lighter the skull is. After that it’s ready to pack. When I get it to camp I remove the eyes, peel the leathery skin off the roof of the mouth.... and work a stick with a protruding nub of a branch around in the brain cavity through the hole in the base of the skull. Then grab the bull by the antlers and quickly swing it downward so the force sends the brains out the hole. A coat hanger bent to a small L at the end works great for breaking up the brain enough to fling it out the hole. By doing this you are legal to transport the skull in your vehicle AND your beetle guy will love you. At that point I just keep shaving any additional meat off the skull and run a long knife up inside the nasal passage to remove all of the cartilage in there. Do all that and it won’t get to smelling too badly so you can show a few friends and relatives before handing over to whoever is going to do your euro.
I've never done a Euro, but I'd probably do as Mule Power suggests, and do a quick cape job, and then remove the lower jaw.
Lightest possible load, and you wouldn't have to worry about getting the hide out of the pedicles, so it would be relatively quick.
Shoot a cow and leave the head :>)
I use a Havalon to remove the head, skin and remove the lower jaw.
Mule Power, thats what I am looking for! Thanks!
NWMONTANA 14 for the win. That little video was perfect. Thanks for sharing it.
Yep, no need for a hatchet ever, and no need for a saw. Sharp blade and cut everything off including the lower jaw. A little twist or pull here and there and you are good, it takes a time, but go slow and be thorough.
I use a hatchet to cut into the brain cavity from the underside. A bit messy but it's the only way you can clean it out for a Euromount in the field. Only saves a few ounces.
Note that WY does not allow for Euro's since you can't transport the teeth. If you take it to a Taxi he can get it done but it's $$$$$.
You need to check with your home state too. Some states don`t allow you to bring it in either. Then you are stuck doing as LKH suggested. The taxidermists are hot about these regs….they can only do animals killed in their state.
Yes check your state also. Georgia changed the regs a few years ago. At first it was just spinal and brain. Now they don't allow you to bring any bones. Only thing other than meat is a clean skull cap with the antlers attached and clean cape.
He was asking how to remove the skull cap I believe? If you can do that with a havalon I'd love to see hahaha
Most valuable tool- Long, straight head screw driver. To remove skullcap-good fine tooth folding saw. First skin out, using horn on plaque cuts. Trim meat as close as possible, get out saw, start sawing. Not hard at all. Visit any taxidermist, ask them to show you.
No he was asking about a euro, completely different! Skull cap is no brainer... (Pun Intended) a multi tool and a screwdriver are handy as well!
This kind of work is why I carry a good strong knife and a tiny sharpener. I know guys that rave about the Havalon replacement razor blade type knives, but they will snap and break when you’re doing this heavy D-boning work
Little side tracked, but I'm very careful with Havalon and completely butcher/debone/cape/remove skull with 1-3 blades depending on how thick/dirty the elk hide is. I rarely break a blade, so half a dozen and I'm good with plenty to spare. The blades will snap if you try to pry with them, but there's no need to do so. Just cut like a surgeon and you're good. I will say that the "newer" 60A thicker blades are much better than the original 60 blades. The 60A have been around for many years, but some of the older knives wouldn't take the 60A without some modification.
I am looking to do another euro if I am fortunate enough again this year. Last year I lopped off the head and strapped it to my pack and began hiking. It was pretty gross.
LKH.... I assume you read the “Are euros legal” thread? If transporting teeth isn’t legal how would you get a head to a taxi.
I’ll keep this short: You can transport whole skulls as long as you clean them up very well. That means removing the hide, lower jaw and eyes. Scraping off all flesh including the roof of the mouth. And last but not least removing the brains as described above.
There’s not a LE officer in Wyoming that would cause you a problem if you put forth that effort.
I plan on cooking and pressure washing any heads in camp. The “all” tissue clause is impossible to follow unless you cook and pressure wash.
Mule Power,
That thread got closed down. Sounds like we missed some excitement though I'm not sure how that subject got out of hand.
It was way out of hand. Got personal which is never necessary on forums.
Mossy don’t cook your skull. They are made of many pieces and that separates them. A good scraping is sufficient to keep a LEO happy.
Mule power, you’re right. I make sure to keep the temp low and do not boil. It’s worked out well.