# DIY Euro Elk



## 11hunter11 (Apr 6, 2007)

This has been a fun experience (Thanks for all who posted the instructions on this thread, they helped out a lot, thanks guys). I started off by soaking the head in a tub of water with soap for a week. It made the meat on the skull come of pretty easy. I then boiled the skull just after i took it out of the tub of water and took most the meat off, this is were i think i messed up, i boiled the skull before it was dry from sitting in the tub of water, i think this is why it cracked the skull. While boiling the skull i added baking powder and let the skull simmer for about 30 minuts. I took the skull out and removed the brain and all other tissue then put the skull back in for another 15-20 minuts and picked the remaining flesh off. The hardest part was to get the teeth clean, this took a long time with a wire brush and a dental pick. After doing all these tasks i let the skull dry for 3 days. I decided to get the Euro mount kit from cabela's for 20 dollars which comes with 40% peroxide and a bleaching agent that you mix with the peroxide to make it a past. It also comes with sodium carbonate to add while boiling but i didnt use it because i already boiled it. I would recommend this product for the DIYer.

All in all i think it came out just like i wanted but i am going to bleach one more time. There are a few things that i would do differently next time though.


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## 11hunter11 (Apr 6, 2007)

*More Pics*

More Pics!


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## 11hunter11 (Apr 6, 2007)

*Some More pics*

Some More pics


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## 11hunter11 (Apr 6, 2007)

*What do you think about this plaque?*

What do you think about this plaque? Any ideas on how to hang it? Any pics of your plaque...i would love to see them.


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## Double S (Mar 30, 2008)

Looks like your doing good. For Future Info on Taxidermy, check out the Vandykes.com Website. They have great kits for bleaching and euro mounts. if your gonna keep doing this, which i'm sure you will. buy yourself the little taxi's kit for the back pack. It's around 12.00 bucks. it comes with eye and brain pick, scaple and a few other goodies. For opening the lips and around the eye for thinning just in case you do hides or pelts. The plaque your gonna do looks nice. i would go a little taller and wider. When i'm done with mine i'll post it here to. Mine will be in the shape of the state i live in, Washington. A Arizona shape would also look good for your elk. I like more space on my plaques. I like to add a plexi for a picture of the kill and i retire the actual arrow or the bullet i recover from the animal. I place those also on the Plaque. It makes the plaque more interesting and it sets it apart from others same ol same ole plaques.
I forgot, Vandykes offers several ways to hang your head. Or if your handy, you can get a idea of how to go about making it yourself.


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## 11hunter11 (Apr 6, 2007)

Thats a great idea for the state plaque and a picture in the plaque, back to the drawing board. When i get time ill post some other designes. Thanks for the tips.


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## Double S (Mar 30, 2008)

Keep us posted. If you have a bandsaw, the job goes quicker.


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