Euro Mounts done at Fort KDM Now.

[KDM]

Alright Guys here's the deal. We're going to try this and see how it goes. Our beetle colony is growing and My Dad and I are willing to do some DEER euro mounts for you folks at a reasonable price, but there are some provisos and they are as follows:

NO ROTTEN OR DECOMPOSING SKULLS......PERIOD!! If you don't care enough about your skull to take the time to provide us with a fresh skull......WE don't care about your skull either!! The beetle colony will get parasites from rotten items and we WON'T let that happen. Frozen for a year or so is OK, but more than that and the freeze drying that occurs on skulls frozen longer than that causes problems for the beetles and thus causes problems for us. We only have one freezer to store skulls in so we can only take so many at a time. First come first serve on our storage space. Once it's full, it's full. So here we go!!!!!!

Price List:

$50 for a skull with hide, majority of meat, eyes, brain, and lower jaw removed. This is our preferred condition!!!

$100 for a skull with the hide removed and no neck vertebrae attached to skull.

$175 for a skull with nothing done to it but removing it from the carcass and dropped off.

Other stuff will be on a case by case basis with varying prices.

The skulls will be degreased and whitened after the colony gets done with them.

Other skulls can be done on a case by case basis.

Keep in mind this is for recreational and hobby purposes and NOT a career choice. It's just fun to watch the colony work. PM me with questions. Thanks!!!

 

[Bri-guy]

Cool! How much for a time-lapse video of the beetles at work on my skull? Wouldn't that be sweet!

 

[remm]

How long does it usually take them to clean up what you consider a $50 skull. I've been thinking about looking into getting some beatles to play around with. Right now when I do a euro, I have to boil it for quite a while to get everything cleaned up, usually don't start to boil until I get as much tissue removed as possible. It's kind of a stinky, messy process. The beatles seem much easier and more efficient. The boiling usually takes me the better part of a day and the better part of a case of beer, which I guess isn't a bad thing if nothing is on the agenda for the day.

 

[arrowdem]

i sent you a PM hope you take reservations!

 

[Retired Educator]

From my experience around beetles you better have a very well ventilated area. If you're married I would strongly suggest a separate building no where near your house. Think about it, they're eating dead meat which will partially rot before they get it all clean.

They are interesting to watch eat and dependent on how many you have it doesn't take them long to clean a skull. I don't think the prices listed are out of line. Done properly European mounts can be very attractive and take up less room than a full shoulder mount.

 

[Duckslayer100]

So...it's cheaper if I send you a buck head with skin, fur, and neck attached than one that's been skinned and detached from the neck? Am I reading that right?

 

[Bowhunter_24]

So...it's cheaper if I send you a buck head with skin, fur, and neck attached than one that's been skinned and detached from the neck? Am I reading that right?

no haha

 

[dukgnfsn]

So...it's cheaper if I send you a buck head with skin, fur, and neck attached than one that's been skinned and detached from the neck? Am I reading that right?

it says removed for those items for the cheaper skull so I believe you are not reading it all

 

[KDM]

How long does it usually take them to clean up what you consider a $50 skull. I've been thinking about looking into getting some beatles to play around with. Right now when I do a euro, I have to boil it for quite a while to get everything cleaned up, usually don't start to boil until I get as much tissue removed as possible. It's kind of a stinky, messy process. The beatles seem much easier and more efficient. The boiling usually takes me the better part of a day and the better part of a case of beer, which I guess isn't a bad thing if nothing is on the agenda for the day.

2-3 days for a skull without the lower jaw and all the other stuff off of it for our size colony. Of course the more beetles you have the faster they will clean a skull. The increasing price is for the time it takes to prep the skull to get it to the base state for the beetle colony. Keep in mind the beetle colony needs to be fed and maintained during the off season when you don't have skulls to do. It's like having tiny livestock. You can't just forget about'em. We have been feeding them scraps for the better part of the last 6 months. Keeping them contained is another issue that can be very interesting at times. They do have wings and will trash a mount if they get a chance. We did the boiling and cutting thing for a couple skulls and gave that up for the beetles due to the issues you mentioned. Our colony is about a year old and we've just started to have some real fun with it so we decided to help some NDA folks out with some of their deer if they wished.

 

[Mort]

You too far away dude....move up here.....lol....you cheaper than my uncle, gonna try and do all the dirty work myself this year..minus the boiling and all, dont have the stuff to do that.

 

[KDM]

Cool! How much for a time-lapse video of the beetles at work on my skull? Wouldn't that be sweet!

That WOULD be cool, but I'm not sure I'd want to take a pic every hour for 3 days. However, you're welcome to come on over and do it yourself for a nominal fee of blue num nums and a time lapse of hourly selfies as you stay awake for 3 days.

 

[5575]

See you soon! :;:thumbsup

 

[Retired Educator]

KDM - You don't say how much experience you have had with horned animals. If you've never done an antelope and are learning on the job you do need to know that the beetles will eat the horns because they are not antlers like on a deer or elk. Take them off before placing in the beetle bin. Good luck with your endeavor, it can be messy and fun or at least interesting.

 

[Duckslayer100]

it says removed for those items for the cheaper skull so I believe you are not reading it all

I stand corrected. And I feel silly.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, I will be hitting the woods with bow in hand in two weeks. If I come home with anything worthy of your services, KDM, you'll be getting a visit.

Thanks!!

 

[Bowhunter_24]

this dos not include a plaque of any sort I assume?

My goal is to fill my muley tag with a big pig, chocolate racked buck and get a euro done

 

[KDM]

You're spot on RE with the antelope skulls. We are doing some for friends and practice and have had to boil the skulls to get the sheaths off. Then we've had to cut that rubbery undersheath off before they hit the beetles. Seems to be working so far. Time will tell if we're screwing the pooch or not.

This doesn't include a plaque, but we do have some plaques that my Dad has made. You might be able to sweet talk him out of one, but that'll be up to him and how much he wants to get into this. You guys can argue on a price if you like something we have as I'm out of that whole plaque deal. Thanks!!

 

[Big J]

I'm going to bring my dung beetle collection over and have a real party.

 

[KDM]

I bet you never run out of food for your colony. (Grin)

 

[svnmag]

If one should accidentally get honey all over their body would the beetles clean it off without being TOO painful?

 

[deleted_account]

LMAO!