How do you hang an elk skull?

[WhistlingBadger]

Got a nice euro mount out this elk I killed with the rifle.  I think I'm going to have to hang it in the garage, because our house isn't tall enough for him!  I've never hung up anything this heavy before; I'd guess the whole thing weighs 30-40 pounds. 

Thought about just putting a big screw hook in a stud, but that wouldn't seem very secure, and I'd be sick if this thing fell off the wall and shattered.  I've seen videos of people putting a couple screws into the back of the skull and attaching a stout wire to it, but I don't really like the thought of putting more holes in the skull than it already has.  Wondering how some of you do it.  Any tips?

[Pappy]

I use a large screw in the back of the skull or a cable run through 2 hole already in back of skull. I will post of pictures and try to explain when I get back from the cabin in a week or so, very easy either way and never had a problem, I mount deer mounts the same way. Wished I could show you now but can’t post pictures from my phone . I know you are excited and want to get it done as I always am. Pappy

[bjrogg]

Just one of the reasons I haven’t gone Elk hunting yet.lol

My brother has three very nice mounts. After he got the first one I told him I couldn’t go because I don’t have a wall big enough to display it.

His wife hit the top of the garage door when she brought it home in pick up. Luckily nothing was damaged.

I’m only partially kidding. It’s a real problem. Glad it’s your problem WB. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving person. Hoping to have the same problem someday.

Congrats

Bjrogg

[Pappy]

This is the way I do it, their is a thick spot on the inside of the skull just under the spine hole,  I drill a small hole so it don't split and put a big self tapping screw in it through the board, drill the hole through a little bigger than the screw at a slight angle where it will pull the skull in tight and flat, then after I get it tight I put a little supper glue around where the screw go into the skull in case it shrinks a little, never had a problem, also do it this way on deer heads.
 Pappy

[Pappy]

I also have one I got from my buddy Rocky in MI. he had it on his garage , he ran a small cable through the small holes in back of skull on either side of the jaw, worked fine and no new holes.Hope you can see the holes and cable, pic. not very good but you get the idea. 
 Pappy

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks, Pappy.  I think the first way would work better for me.  I already tried the second way, and the antlers are so heavy they're horizontal from the wall!

[WhistlingBadger]

Well, I got Romeo all hung up.  Ended up putting a steel cable through the existing holes at the back of the skull, with a heavy-duty zip tie for backup, hanging it over a hook sunk into a stud, then putting a block of wood under the teeth to get it hanging at a more pleasing angle.  Will probably replace the 2x4s with a nice, picturesque chunk of chokecherry or juniper at some point, but it'll do for now.

Since the only wall in our house big enough to hold him is where I used to have my bows hanging, he's going to serve double duty as a bow rack.

[Pappy]

Nice job, looks great. 😊 Pappy

[bjrogg]

That looks good WB

I knew you’d find an answer to your problem.

Bjrogg

[WhistlingBadger]

Thanks, guys.  I'm pretty happy with it. He had kind of a weird rack: Really thick beams, nice brow tines, smallish 2s, 3s, and 5s, but nice big swords. Gives him kind of a top-heavy look. The tine tips are all dinged up from fighting, and he has an antler-tip-shaped scar in the top of his skull, right between his eyes. That must have really hurt. So, this guy was real scrapper. I love it.