Clean bones and skulls

[Bugbear]

Don't look at me; I didn't do it...

[tyger]

Don't look at me, I didn't do it.

"Methinks thou protests too much." S.

[jkane]

Fire ants are nasty bugs! Lived in Texas for a few years. Had a dog die one evening. I think he got bit by a snake. Laid his body next to the back garden to bury it later. Went back out the next day and it was half covered in fire ants! Decided not to try and anger the fire ant gods and disturb them right then and there. 3 days later there was only some fur and the bones left. Meat was pretty much gone.

Then the killer bees showed up. I took the family and migrated back up north where the snow keeps those creatures under control!

Anyhow, my son got his first worthy white tail rack this fall. We want to mount it (just the horns, not the whole head) There is some skin yet, and was thinking about hanging it from a tree over winter and letting the birds pick it off, or boiling. Good timely topic!

[tyger]

Anyhow, my son got his first worthy white tail rack this fall. We want to mount it (just the horns, not the whole head) There is some skin yet, and was thinking about hanging it from a tree over winter and letting the birds pick it off, or boiling. Good timely topic!

The problem with the "hanging-heads-out-and-seeing-how-it-goes" approach is that you don't have any control over what happens! Birds won't work for you, and any vermin are likely to steal your trophy.

I had a skin in pickle, stirring it every 12 hours, and went to go stir it and found out that some rascal (probably a 'coon) had taken it out of the pickle, drug it 15 yards to a privit hedge, and chewed both the ears.

The cleaning process that is described in this thread is a good way to make a really fine presentable European mount for the antlers. It is traditional, and very good looking, particularly for out in the house where people who might be squeamish about glass eyes and hair are likely to confront it. What you hang in the man-cave is....well.....anything you want!