European Mounts
Whitetail Deer
8 & 9 Pointer taken by My other Hunting Buddy (#thebig9) & Myself (#thebig8)
8 & 9 Pointer taken by My other Hunting Buddy (#thebig9) & Myself (#thebig8)
My 2nd Year at it, I think I'm getting the hang of it.. Any thoughts on how to Improve where I'm already at?
My first year trying it also. One on left a buddy did for me. Top one is my own from this yrs buck and had last yrs (right) in my game freezer. Did em both up to make this hunters euro collage.
My first year trying it also. One on left a buddy did for me. Top one is my own from this yrs buck and had last yrs (right) in my game freezer. Did em both up to make this hunters euro collage.
Tks! And likewise. Cool bucks! Your second one looks much whiter. Did you use salon peroxide? My wife found me some for cheap. Also figured out that a pressure washer saves hrs of fleshing the skull.
Yes I did. I don't use a power washer, yet it takes Me 6 1/2 hrs. I don't mind the time it's actually relaxing.
Same for time. Pressure washer cut that down probably to 4.5. Did two coats of peroxide and let sit in the sun for 2 or 3 days to dry and whiten. Gets rid of any smell also I found.
I've got 3 whitetails euro mounts I keep kicking around ideas with...I think I am going to take one of them and follow these plans from a Field and Stream article I saw
I made one of those Zim. Turned out nice. I used a modeling clay over the pipe instead of an arrow. I was thinking of painting it like tree bark but I am not that talented.
Here's last year's buck mounted on driftwood. Pretty easy to do, and makes each one look a bit different.
Here's last year's buck mounted on driftwood. Pretty easy to do, and makes each one look a bit different.
I love some skull mounts. Well done guys!
I made this one two years ago. Wife and my 2016 bucks.
Those are some beautiful european mounts there. To my eyes there is nothing prettier and you can still handle the rack and hold it in your hands if you want to,something you cant really do with a shoulder mount. Nice job,they look great.
Those look damn nice to me.....If you gently simmer in Washing Soda to get the meat off....then degrease in a bath with a bucket heater. Then if you want to save some peroxide mix it with Basic White to a slurry and coat and slather it on....wrap in plastic so it doesn`t dry then put in near heat. Rinse and if you want set in the sun....but not needed. You`re doing what we do.....
On future skulls other than deer you will find the hot degreaser is what makes the difference. Bears require heavy degreasing....possibly 2 or more changes of a commercial degreaser.
You are doing a good enough job that you could charge for that work. Nicely done. PS. if you start doing more look into Baqqucil (sp) "non- chlorinated pool shock"......works great and you get alot for your $$$$. Must be liquid...not a powder.
I used Kilz paint primer then a flat white paint. The Kilz takes out the uneven colors of the skull.
All of the mount You guys are showing me look Awesome, Thanks for all of the comments & Ideas I can't wait to try out some of them out on My next European Mount.
A guy iWork with made me a few of these bases. Nice option and can be used on the wall too. Horrible picture! I usually do 5-10 euros a year.
Just use a home made wood bracket from a pattern. Have many the same way.
Here's the euro I did in 2015 and the pedestal I made for it...
I did my own this year. First time trying it. Simmered one hour in water with dish soap and baking soda. Picked meat and blew out brains with garden hose. Simmered another hour and picked the rest cleaned.
I lost a couple of the fine nasal bones. Not too big a deal to me.
Dried and painted on the Salon 40 peroxide. Took about 5 coats sitting next to a space heater. I left the teeth natural just an idea I had and really prefer the look.
Total active labor time start to finish less than 2 hours.
Only thing I would do different is an ammonia degrease. I can tell there is a little grease in the upper nasal and back of the brain that will probably yellow a bit over time. I read ammonia degreases the best but got lazy and skipped that step.
I bought the skull hooker and like what it does but I could make one for $5 next time seeing how simple it is.
I really like the Euros. I have 3 shoulder mount deer and I am just not into them anymore. My living room isn't huge, 8 foot ceilings, I just think a bunch of mounts look tacky as hell unless you have a big room and vaulted ceilings. Right now mine is in the basement man cave which I am fine with.
Here it is Zim. Kinda tucked away in the corner of the office due to spacing needs.
Embry, love the work on your mount hangars. I can't do that myself, so I'm thinking about getting the table stand from skull hooker for my current project. I'm doing my first Euro myself this year. I have the skull macerating in an insulated garbage can with an aquarium heater right now. The simmer/boil power washer method is obviously much quicker, but I'm not in any hurry and based on a few other Euros that I've paid to have done I'm convinced that maceration gives the best end results. I have a good friend who does it this way and the results are amazing, does no damage to the skull. More than one way to skin a cat, or skull!
Embry’s broadhead hanger posted on a past thread gave me the inspiration to make a steel plaque. Here is my brother’s buck from last year on my Pennsylvania hanger.
Looks great, Droptine. I need to get the parts together and make one too. Thanks for the pic
Crankin101, that is sweet! I like that!
I built a tank to cook them in a few years back. I cut a 55 gallon plastic drum down, added a 120v water eater element and control it with a Baylite digital temp controller. I set the temp and really don't have to watch it. I set it at 160 for about 24 hours, change the water and at that point most of the meat is gone. I turn it down to 120 and add some good degreaser and let it go for another 24 and its clean and pretty grease free. if they sit with the hide on them for a while it seems harder to get the grease out and that step takes longer.
Here is one I did for a guy....bobcat and whitetail
We had a great year so I ended up doing FOUR in our house between my kid and I (two deer and two elk). Feel like I finally have the process down. They are consistently very white with minimal color difference anywhere.
1) Clean off as much as possible. 2) I use a big stock pot that holds around 5-7 gallons. Fill it with water and a scoop of Oxyclean laundry detergent. Simmer for an hour. 3) Remove and clean it up (knives, powerwasher ect). Break out the ear drums and drill 7/8" access holes into the brain cavity from the base of the sinus area and through the ear openings. Also REMOVE the nose cartilage...all of it. 4) Simmer again for another hour in the OxyClean water. Remove and clean everything else out. Everything. 5) Let it dry in the sun. 6) Pour 1 gallon of clear volume 40 whitener in to the stock pot. Fill the rest with water and bring it to a rolling boil. 7) Tape off the antlers and submerge for 20-40 minutes. Too long and it'll start eating at the bone causing it to flake off. Just keep checking it. As soon as the teeth are white is typically a good time. Doesn't take long. 8) Remove and power wash. 9) Let dry. I seal it up with Mop'n Glow and a paint brush. 10) Turn it upside down and stain any part of the antler bases that turned white. 11) Figure out where to hang it in the house.
Also a big fan of the Skull Hookers for deer and elk.
Here’s a real cheap and easy way to display a euro
Altitude sick - that moose skull looks amazing!!! Maybe just me, but I prefer the euro on moose to a shoulder mount every time. Congrats on a beautiful trophy! Pete
Thanks. The wildlife gallery has many dropoff depots in AK. Most major hunting hubs. $250 and they clean and ship it back to their Mi location. Far cheaper than expeditor. It just needed a little paint and done. I have a big bull mounted and one is enough.
Everyone using Hydrogen Peroxide should be aware of it`s dangers. Just be very careful and watch what you are doing. https://www.taxidermy.net/threads/125556/
Hydrogen peroxide is what was used to propel Torpedos.
I'm sticking with the 3%.
40% Volume Creme from beauty supply is what I use. Rubber gloves & eye protection just in case.
"Hydrogen peroxide is what was used to propel Torpedos. "
Dont tempt me with a good time!
Top 3 'Nevers' when doing euros
1- Boil
2- Bleach
3- Power wash
Some really, really bad euro advice here
