# DIY skull cleaning and a unique hit



## Rancid Crabtree (Sep 12, 2007)

I change the water again and again add Dawn dish soap and let it simmer for two more hours.










After two hours, I use a small knife and cut and scrape away any remaining meat. Then I use a stiff scrub brush and soapy water to scrub the skull. I use a needle nose pliers to pull out sinus' and spray water in the back of the skull to flush out the brains. Then I use Oxi Clean and a toothbrush to scrub the skull. Then I rinse it well and let it air dry.

The squiggly expansion joints in the skull are normally white but the blood seems to have stain them. Also, it seems like the blood stains the skull with a greenish color. My buck is on the right.










The entrance hole










The Bear razorhead is forever captured in the void where the brain was. I coaxed it out a bit with a needle nose pliers for this picture.










The whole process can be accomplished in an afternoon.


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## oldschoolcj5 (Jun 8, 2009)

thanks for the pics and instruction! How long does the smell hang around?


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## springy (Feb 9, 2007)

hi i hope that is an extra stove you have my wife would kill me thanks


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## Rancid Crabtree (Sep 12, 2007)

This is done in my man cave. I have my own seperate kitchen in it. This pot is used for only skull cleaning. There is very little smell. Its just boiling meat. Not at all offensive.


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## AmishArcher (Feb 6, 2008)

nicely done... I've heard of people using a peroxide paste to whiten it, i'm guessing that was what your Oxiclean was used as?

Very nicely done. did you put a clear coat or anything on it to seal it?


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## Rancid Crabtree (Sep 12, 2007)

Nothing. I just let it air dry and call it good.


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## Elkslayer6x5 (Sep 23, 2006)

Nice write up...I use my camp stove out side . works great..never tried the oxi clean.. I will on next one :shade:


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## apke95 (Jul 31, 2010)

try soaking it in bleach just dont get it on the antlers


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## preacherjack (Aug 23, 2005)

If you will add soda ash to the water, it will cut boiling time way down. This stuff is cheap from a taxidermy supply store. It dissolves the fatty tissue. you can also get peroxide powder that you use to make a paste. Paint the skull with this and when it dries just brush it off. Makes a skull very white and clean.


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## runnin2live (Sep 25, 2010)

Great pictoral, just some extra .02 cents. For really white skulls, 20 or 40 power peroxide from sallys (the one to bleach hair) brushed on carefully really whitens it.


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## motoXcowboy (Feb 2, 2008)

another great thread from RC..thank you


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## warped Arrow (Sep 20, 2005)

Actually I think you should be able to get the head out through the entrance hole, or did you try this already?

WA


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## eztrigger (Jul 22, 2010)

leave the broad head anyways, makes for an interesting conversation piece.


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## HoosierGrass75 (Nov 19, 2010)

I have a friend that does the euro mounts. He takes the bottom jaw off before boiling and also water blasts the brains out. He says the brain matter will form a rubber like residue on the bone, and it's easier to just spray it out before hand.


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## Poison4504 (Jan 23, 2010)

That works dang good. I will hopefully get to try it out this year


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## huntinfool84 (Jun 1, 2005)

magnesium carbonate with hydrogen peroxide will whiten the skulls like crazy. $6 a pound at vandykes taxidermy. just my .02 but it works awesome and is very easy!!!


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## hunt123 (Jan 17, 2009)

> ....being shot in the brain means the bones of the skull will have been saturated in blood due to the brain hit


I can't believe he intentionally shot it in the head. That's nuts.


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## shane&karie (Jan 19, 2010)

boil for 1 to 2 hours and pressure wash no need to dig at meat to clean done 5 heads this way


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## mountaindewdude (Apr 27, 2009)

*ATTN: Hunt123*

ATTN: Hunt123

You posted that you can't believe that he intentionally shot the deer in the head...please re-read the top paragraph of the original post. He clearly states that an unseen twig deflected the shot....here is what it says:

Before I go any further, I want to mention 2 things. 

1. His shot was deflected by an unseen twig. He did not and does not aim where his arrow hit. This deer died when it hit the ground. No additional shots were required to finish it off. While disturbing to see, the deer expired almost instantly.



So anyway...thanks alot for this post. Just like most everyone else...my wife and I are hoping to get a good/decent (or bigger) buck this year and I will have to try out your methods. Everything sounds really good.

Thanks alot!!!


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## hunt123 (Jan 17, 2009)

mountaindewdude said:


> ATTN: Hunt123
> 
> You posted that you can't believe that he intentionally shot the deer in the head...please re-read the top paragraph of the original post. He clearly states that an unseen twig deflected the shot....here is what it says:
> 
> ...


 *
ATTN: mountaindewdude*

ATTN: mountaindewdude

Oops, sorry. It appears "scan-itis" got the better of me. Disregard my brainless comment.


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## BUCK-NUTS (Nov 10, 2010)

I have bought video's on taxidermy and have one about the skull mount and I have done few . This how I got mine white and this is how video showed to do it , after you boil and get all the meat off coat the skull in peroxide (the kind they use to bleach hair) then wrap the skull in a black trash bag and leave it alone for 7 days (I think) , then you mix white elmers glue with water 50/50 and brush it on the skull , thats it. The ones I did where white as white gets and the glue/water mixture is more of a protectant I think (been a long time since I watched those video's ) there vhs tapes if that tells ya anything.


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## rbeddy (Jun 27, 2007)

what size pan is that? i have a couple large ones, but i don't know that a deer head will fit in any of them. not going to try on the regular cooking ones, either!!!


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## user_name (Sep 14, 2010)

I gave this a shot and it turned out pretty good! Thanks for the write up!


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## rembrandt (Jan 17, 2004)

I went to a taxidermist one time in Conroe, Texas and he just put his out back and let the worms and ants clean the skull. Is that proper or does it take too long?


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## dw'struth (Mar 14, 2008)

If the hide is left on, it will take a while. A poacher shot a nice young 6 point (had a big spread) in our garden last year. My dad hung the head in a small pine tree and the thing still has ears. But, the hide could have been easily removed months ago if we were in a hurry and that would have made a huge difference i think.


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## Hornporn (Sep 22, 2010)

hunt123 said:


> I can't believe he intentionally shot it in the head. That's nuts.


Obviously you can read as you typed this. He stated that his arrow was deflected by a branch.


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## OBAN (Jun 25, 2006)

He already took care of it HP. Post #21 :BangHead:


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## nycredneck (Nov 9, 2007)

rembrandt said:


> I went to a taxidermist one time in Conroe, Texas and he just put his out back and let the worms and ants clean the skull. Is that proper or does it take too long?


 I tried last season. I buried the skull in Nov then dug it up in May. It was clean of almost everything except some soupy gloop inside the skull ( brains? ). I took a hose to it and let it air dry in the sun for a couple days. The soil stained the skull so it is not at all white but does look kinda rustic, it hangs in my shed so I am happy, and the cost... nothing.


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## str8tshooter15 (Nov 26, 2010)

shouldve done mine like this i got one and shinned its head and hung it its been there for like 2 months and still not finished might just boiled it


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## saskredneck (Jul 12, 2009)

i would like to add that you can skip the whole scraping and digging process by using a pressure washer to clean the skull


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## stanlh (Jul 23, 2010)

A taxidermist I know says he charges more to bleach a skull that has been left outside or buried in dirt or one of the other methods other than boiling that people use to get the meat off the skull. He says it is harder and takes longer to get the skull white if it is left outside. What can happen is that the bone will discolor and he has to spend more time getting the last bits of skin or meat or whatever off of it and then spend longer to bleach the bone white. He says if the bone has become stained in some way from being left outside, it may be impossible to get it completely white with an even finish. So, boil the skull to clean it right.


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## petrey10 (Oct 24, 2008)

guys i tried this last night and I bet I had the skull in the water for about 4 hours and still have a TON of meat on the skull... I was using water with a good sized squirt of Dial dishwasher soap... Anything I can do to speed this up? I haven't tried the pressure washer because the temps are below freezing here...


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## wookie (Oct 11, 2002)

petrey10 said:


> guys i tried this last night and I bet I had the skull in the water for about 4 hours and still have a TON of meat on the skull... I was using water with a good sized squirt of Dial dishwasher soap... Anything I can do to speed this up? I haven't tried the pressure washer because the temps are below freezing here...


Use Sal Soda (Sodium Carbonate) while you simmer. It turns the meat and tissue into a jelly that can easily be scraped away. You can get it at any Taxidermy Supply Company. Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda is also Sodium Carbonate and can be found in the clothes detergent section.


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## petrey10 (Oct 24, 2008)

thank you... i will give it a whirl


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## user_name (Sep 14, 2010)

I was told to use Oxi clean while you boil and the meat will fall off.


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## WinkWink (Oct 4, 2010)

This was awesome!!!!!  Thanks!!!!!!!


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## killerloop (Mar 16, 2008)

hunt123 said:


> I can't believe he intentionally shot it in the head. That's nuts.


you best re-read grasshopper

very nice post!!!


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## SAB1 (Jan 25, 2008)

I saw a similar post on DeerandDeerhunting.com and the guys that buried the heads and had some staining bought a can of Kilz at home depot and applied that to the skull. They then bought a slightly off white spray paint and sprayed over the Kilz. One guy even clear coated it. Looked sweet.


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## hslag (Feb 18, 2009)

We use a pressure washer afterwe Capp it works great


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## Rancid Crabtree (Sep 12, 2007)

I am in the process of doing another skull. I will post pics of the finish product when complete. This time I will be using 40 volume peroxide as the final step for whitening.


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## Struttinhoyt88 (Jul 3, 2008)

Here is a little tip that I have found that works well....

After you get it cleaned up soak the head in degreaser for a day or so and wash it off... this will help pull the oils and slime off of the skull.... from there you can bleach if wanted.... 

This makes for a very clean looking skull...


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## cooperjd (Aug 18, 2009)

I have a question for you skull experts out there. I have done 2 recently, but its the only 2 i've ever done. I read a ton of different posts on diff sites on it before i started.

my method was to boil and scrape, boil and scrape, and finally take a (weak) pressure washer to finish getting the stuff out. but i have a tough time getting the stuff out thats just in front of the eyes. i ended up taking a drill and making a small hole in the cartilage on the side of the face and drilling a hole back towards the brain cavity, working this area with needle nose, and finally getting the stuff out with a pressure washer. if left in, it left a dark spot near the eyes that i didn't like.

how is the best way to get that out? also, do you leave the cartilage in the nose? i took everything out because i wanted to make sure i got every piece of cartilage or anything that resembled meat of any kind so nothing would rot.

to whiten i just soaked in my pot a mix of water and just regular hydrogen peroxide from walmart (about 50/50) overnight. but to keep from bleaching the antler bases i wrapped the skull in gauze and kept the liquid level below the antler bases. this way i could keep the top of the skull in the mix and whiten it. any other tips on how to whiten it better without turning the bases white?

Thanks


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## Rancid Crabtree (Sep 12, 2007)

Just finished a nice 10 pointer for a member of our archery club.


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## MysticFlight (Feb 8, 2006)

All your pictures seem to be missing


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## LeEarl (Jun 1, 2002)

MysticFlight said:


> All your pictures seem to be missing


Pics are all there. Looks great.

How do you get all the 'stuff' out of all the small holes and areas?


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## petrey10 (Oct 24, 2008)

wow! that looks amazing rancid.... I boiled mine for about 4 hours in water and dial mixture.... it didn't wow that great.... I really need something to get the water really boiling as I could only get it to barely shimmer.... what do you guys use? I don't have another 240v hookup or I would use an old stove out in my barn...


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## J Morris (Jan 29, 2009)

I got my skull cleaned up good following your directions but my horns are very white from being in the sun for a couple months. Anyone have an idea how to get the good brown look at the bases back.


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## Rancid Crabtree (Sep 12, 2007)

Funny you should ask. I just finished a tutorial onthat very subject.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1368822


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## Violator (Sep 23, 2007)

After season ended a couple of years ago, I found an 8 pointer that the neighbor hit & never recovered. The coyotes had eaten just about 80% of it. I called the DNR, he came out there, and tagged it for me. Since it wasn't anything I had any attachments to, I had my Brother tie it off to his dock & submerge it. It was under water for about 3-4 months. Once we brought it out, it was covered with algae. I power washed it and used a green scrub pad on the antlers. It isn't as nice as the one I sent of to another member on here, to have his beetles clean off,....but this one didn't cost me any $$$.



















(sorry these pix are so large)


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## hoyt 07 (Apr 10, 2009)

Thanks for sharing those turned out great.


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## auburn (Mar 2, 2009)

rineheart taxdermy has video on antiqued cooper looking euro-mount and was easy.once skull is cleaned and dried then wrap plastic bags over antlers and rubberband on and tape useing masking tape edge as paint line.use cooper spray paint you can get at arts and craft store or wal-mart.spray on many light coats so the paint don't run until it is completely covered and let dry.after the paint is completely dry use some dark brown wood stain on a rag and wipe it on every where.get it good and coated then use a plastic bag and wipe off as much stain off as you like.the stain mainly stays in cracks and creaves or in holes that you can't wipe off of.let it dry and clear coat with matte finish spray polyurthene or if a glossy finish is wanted then use that instead.I saw this on taxidermy for the sportsman t.v. show he had at one time.hope ya likes as much as i did.


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