How to preserve a European mount
Equipment
I don't have any more wall space for an elk, or floor space for a pedestal. I am thinking if I get lucky enough to get drawn that I would just get a european mount done and hang it on the gable end of the house. I know exposure to the elements will decrease the life but does anyone have any experience with what can be done to help preserve the skull/antlers?
Terry
About all I have Euro mounts. I have found the key to a Euro is ensuring the skull is properly cleaned and free of all fat. The entire skull must be submerged in the water when boiling and soaking. Otherwise, in a few years they will have to be refurbed. The skull bone will turn from a white to a sorry yellowish color that lacks all beauty.
I have had to refurb 2 African mounts and have got a water buffalo and wild hog that need to be refurbed.
Terry, Im interested in this as well but im not sure what can stop mother nature from deteriorating it. Id say make the Euro and hang it inside on the ceiling! LOL
(EDIT) Yep, sun and weather will destroy it over time. Hand it in the garage, or on the front or back patio out of the weather and in the shade. Seal it thoroughly with a satin polyurethane (Edit- MAY YELLOW IF EXPOSED TO DIRECT SUNLIGHT) . You could possible have it dipped as well... Talk to a taxi about it.
After it is all ready to hang carry it down to your local auto body shop and have them give it four coats of clear coat. That should extend the life of it by at least ten years. Also film the interaction with the body shop. If there not hunters there expressions should be priceless.
Marine Varnish or Poly....
I boil till I can get it clean and then do it again with Dawn. Then a couple hot water rinses and whiten with hydrogen peroxide I get at the beauty shop.
Then I paint it with a couple coats of 50/50 Elmer's school glue and water. The Elmer's is not going to work since it will be outside so use some Hi gloss exterior enamel spray paint. If it's going to be in the sun a lot, don't worry about paint, etc. The sun will keep it white.
I have PILES of euros. All professionally beetle cleaned and whitened. Time still takes it toll. Bone shrinks thus the minimum 60 drying period for Pope and Young.
Last year for the first time I had an elk hydro dipped. They beetle clean as normal and degrease. But then instead of whitening they paint it white(or the base color for the particular pattern) with latex paint. That in itself seals and bonds the parts of the skull. Then they apply the dip film. The skull is very solid, will never discolor, and to me it look and feels like it will last forever. I’m very happy with it.
Or you could do some mount culling
if your home is so filled on the inside with taxidermy work that you now have to start finding space outside there may be some inside mount that canbbe replaced with that great new trophy you’re going to get
things build up overtime and often become more clutter than A quality display
sometimes less truly is more
Mule Power, thats a great Euro! Sounds like short of dipping the whole skull and antlers in copper, brass or some type of metal there isn't much of a solution to have a Euro outside last for very long. I used to keep all the antler sheds id find on my hunts. They reminded me of each hunt and where I had been. As time went by and room became a factor I have given a few away and some of the lesser ones I cut up in 8 inch pieces for dog chews. Now im wishing i had taken pictures of each one, put them in a scrap book and documented when and where I found them. Maybe something to consider if anyone was to do a Bou'bound suggested.
Don't mean to hi jack thread but it's sort of related...I got my buck back recently (Euro mount) and want to hang directly above my wood burning stove. About 4 feet above it. Will the heat hurt it any? Anyone have a Euro close to or above a wood burner? Thanks
dipped cause a wood burner damaged or darkened it or you just dipped it, hung it above a wood burner and its just fine!?
No. Don't know why pic so bad. And turned! Try again.
Neither one looks very good here for some reason. The pics in my file look better and in person very nice. The elk dip is called winter camo with like birch twigs and a litlle gold and the whitetail is Fall something with dry oak leaves. Oh well, back to jigging for walleyes I guess.
If you intend to hang it outside, keep a close eye on it for rodent damage. Squirrels chewed almost completely through the base of a whitetail euro I had hanging on my porch.
