Gator Head mounting help needed!

[2006geddings]

I have my first Gator head to mount.  Would like to do the head mount with the skin on.  I have searched this site up and down cannot find any instructions on how it is done.  Tom Voyers head mounting CD will not be done for another month.  Please let me know if you know of a CD that I can purchase Or have any advice. 

Thanks

Jennifer Geddings

[bubba z]

How to do the head depends on how much time and money you want to spend on it. The best result is if you sent it out to be freeze dried but that is costly. You can also cut all the meat out and a lot if the bone and tan it. If you can get formaldehyde you can cut out most of the meat and eyes and put something in the eye sockets and position the mouth where you want it and disk it in the formaldehyde mixture for about a month and a half and take out and let dry . This is the cheapest and easiest way and has decent results but you can have formaldehyde odor and you get a lot of shrinkage .Gator heads will take a good while to dry .

[2006geddings]

The real fatty part, or I guess you would call it the throat part.  You don't save that part do you?  Basically on a head mount you just have the head and lower jaw right?  I have looked through the supply companys and have not found a head form, so do you save the top skull along with the upper and lower jaw bones?

[bubba z]

I usually cut all the skin out between bottom jaw and tongue and throat for a simple head mount you can leave the bottom jaw skin but it is a lot more work and drys out and shrinks unevenly

[RTPBearcat]

Tom already has a CD on gators and a VHS (wonder why that hasn't been digitized Joe?) on doing the vermiculite gator mount.  The VHS tape covers most of what is involced in cleaning out the head, it is a bit rigorous.

[2006geddings]

I emailed Joe on the CD yesterday and he said it wouldn't be ready for another month.  Thanks everyone for all your help!  If you think of anything else I need to know please PM me. 

Thanks

Jennifer Geddings