Maceration for European Mounts

[Davey Crockett]

Just bury it bye an ant pile.

Yup, The hillbilly method works just fine. Throw some wire around antlers and stake it down so critters won't drag it off and so you can pull it back out . If your ant pile is big enough they will bury it.

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Push it into the top of a big ant pile and they will have it buried in a week.

 

[ndbwhunter]

most controllers regulate with relays

the relay is on or off - when it’s on it’s full juice

so when the controller I showed you (rated for 1000W) kicks on, a 1500 will toast it

a 1000w would just be on more often than a 1500w... but wouldnt blow the controller

I’d go with an old cooler and an aquarium heater, use bubble wrap over top and around horns to keep heat in

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if you’re in fargo I have dozens of coolers to choose from - free

Thanks, Guy. After following your link, I found several other controls that will control well beyond 1000 watts. The biggest issue that I'm facing is the freezing temps, as I will not do this indoors. Most of the 1500 watt water heaters that I've found will maintain a constant temp between 150-180 degrees. Couple these max temps with the current nighttime lows and I think the little extra power will make sure I'm consistently around 90 degrees. This is all new to me, so it should be a fun project.

 

[guywhofishes]

If anyone does the "ant pile" I'd somehow stake it down so something doesn't drag it off. And come cold weather a porcupine or mice can chew the crap out of the antlers.

I buried one in the pea gravel next to the wall in the bottom of a basement egress. Stayed unfrozen (i.e. the microbes kept working on it) all winter - less chance of critters destroying it too. Come spring - there it was all ready for bleaching. And if you lose teeth there they are at the bottom of the hole.

That said - I now prefer throwing a few bucks at KDM instead.

 

[pluckem]

Im not sure I see any time savings of this maceration method vs boiling. You have to have a tub of water large enough for 9 deer and then monitor the water temp for 4-6 months??

Go buy a galvanized tub that is large enough for 3 deer skulls and put it over propane burner. Do it in 3 batches. You should be able to get them done in a day.

 

[ndbwhunter]

Im not sure I see any time savings of this maceration method vs boiling. You have to have a tub of water large enough for 9 deer and then monitor the water temp for 4-6 months??

Go buy a galvanized tub that is large enough for 3 deer skulls and put it over propane burner. Do it in 3 batches. You should be able to get them done in a day.

Maceration requires substantially less babysitting than boiling, and will only take 7-10 days with water temps around 90 degrees.

 

[Davey Crockett]

How many are you planning to do ? $ 29 at walmart .

 

[Bullsnake]

i just boiled a head with baking soda and it kept boiling over,too much soda? or too high of heat?

 

[ndbwhunter]

i just boiled a head with baking soda and it kept boiling over,too much soda? or too high of heat?

You don't need a rolling boil. A nice simmer will do just fine.

 

[pluckem]

Maceration requires substantially less babysitting than boiling, and will only take 7-10 days with water temps around 90 degrees.

Interesting. Way less soak time than I have heard. Looking forward to the results.

 

[Deerwatcher]

Ha Ha Ha thats funny my best was 3 in a day deer are easy

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on a side but with a serious note (for me any way) I'm doing a bear skull for a friend , I'm still oily on the back of the skull and lower jaw , would a slow simmer on the stove with a strong dawn solution help to remove the oily area ???? and I also have one more to do for his buddy would removing the brain first help with the greasy left overs ???

Yeah Dawn did help me with the wild boar skulls, removing the brains keeps the water solution alot cleaner if your doing multiple skulls

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You don't need a rolling boil. A nice simmer will do just fine.

 

[dust in the wind]

How many are you planning to do ? $ 29 at walmart .

Then one would have plenty on hand for the next family gathering cookout!

 

[ItemB]

i just boiled a head with baking soda and it kept boiling over,too much soda? or too high of heat?

Bring to boil then put head in and turn down to a simmer takes a little longer but doesn't get a brittle and helps avoid cooking the oils back into the skull. Use washing soda instead of baking soda

 

[thriller1]

Change the water change the water! I like to change the water at LEAST 4 times when I SIMMER a skull. Heavy emphasis on simmer. I usually have an additional clean pot simmering to keep rotating. Lots and lots of Dawn dish soap is the other key

 

[ItemB]

Did you find something that worked outside for you? How is the process going?

 

[ndbwhunter]

It's going pretty well so far. I'm using a 54 gallon stock tank with a 1500 watt lower element wired to a lower thermostat. Even with the thermostat set at 90, I'm still running around 105-110. The ideal temp for bacteria development is 85-95 so these warmer temps might actually be slowing the process some.

 

[Meelosh]

Neat. Be sure to let us see the finished product.

 

[scrotcaster]

yeah, keep us updated please

 

[Nanky]

Bring to boil then put head in and turn down to a simmer takes a little longer but doesn't get a brittle and helps avoid cooking the oils back into the skull. Use washing soda instead of baking soda

What ratio do you use for washing soda to water? Also, do you wait to put it in until after it's boiling?

 

[remm]

You guys sure seem to make this process a lot hard than it should be. Put the head in a pot of water, bring to boil, add a little dish soap, adjust heat so it just simmers and doesn't boil over. After about an hour take the head out pressure wash the hell out of it. If still not quite clean, boil for a little longer and wash again. Process works the best on a fresh kill, if the skin/periosteum dries onto the skull, then cleanup takes more time and makes more work out of it. Best to pull the skin off the head same time you pull the skin off the critter, only takes 5 mins longer. Pull bottom jaw, take out eyeballs, and start boiling. Should be able to have a skull cleaned and in your bleaching agent of choice within about 2 hours. Maceration looks like a lot more work and smell but to each their own.

 

[ItemB]

What ratio do you use for washing soda to water? Also, do you wait to put it in until after it's boiling?

Not exactly sure as I really don't measure I don't think to much washing soda will cause harm but it's about a cup of washing soda into about 4 gallons of water in my kettle. And I put it in the water right away. I am by no means an expert just what I do and works well, I think but haven't tried many other ways