I thought I would do a How-To on making a European skull mount. I have been doing them for 3 years now. After doing some research, and seeking the advice of some pros, I was able to make a fine looking mount on my first try. I have learned some time saving shortcuts since that first one. Last year, I did a total of 6 mounts. My buck, plus 5 for relatives. I have also done a river otter and 2 beaver skulls.
Warning: There are graphic photos following that might be disturbing to younger children. I don’t want any of them to be afraid of deer because of this.
This is what it will look like when finished. This was my second attempt at a Euro mount.
There are several methods of cleaning the skulls. You can use dermestid beetles, but you need to buy a colony of them, which can be expensive. Maceration is another method. That is where you submerge the skull in warm water for several weeks or months and let the bacteria do the work. You can imagine what that smells like. I prefer to cook the skull. I simmer it over a fire for several hours. It is a little more work, but you can finish a skull in days, instead of months. I will show you the way I do them.
Lets start at the beginning. I remove the head from the deer so I can clean it on my work bench. I start by making a cut from the back of the head down to the nose.
I then make a cut across to each antler base.
Next, I use the knife and carefully cut the tissue that connects the skin to the bone and start peeling it back. You want to be very careful not to cut the bone while skinning it out. The cuts will show up when you are finished..
