First of all I tried the orange button with no luck(maybe used the wrong search phrases). So if someone will I need help. A friend decided to let me mount a Elk for him that he shot last year, the problem is he cut the antlers hide and all for a antler mount and his guide (V) cut the skull plate. The hide was still on the skull until I cleaned it 2 days ago.
1. the skull still smells like ten day old road kill how do I get rid of the oder? Boiling or what? I think I got the grease out.
2. How do I get the skull plate back together? My thoughts are to drill 2 holes 3/4" deep in each side and use two part epoxy with pins for strengh, but because a wide bladed saw was used the two don't line up when placed together.
3. Due to the first two questions should I cut the antlers off and order a shed kit? If so how hard will it be to work with? And since I will have to order a cape will it be the best for matching the bases?
This will be my first Elk mount so please be gentle, but I do need the help. Thanks Ben
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First off, your "friend" hasn't done you any favors. Now though you said you're "mounting it for him" it seems you are only doing a skull mount. If NOT and there's hide still left on that skull as I THINK I'm reading, you're in BIG TROUBLE. I would start out by telling him he needed a new hide. That hid is very likely to slip on you after you remove it, try to tan it and reattach it to the cape.
The "V" cut is the least of your problems here. Peel the remnants of the hide completely off. Remove all the extraneous meat, fat, and brain matter from the bones and cover with dry preservative. After a week or so, you're ready to re-attach the skull. Personally, I use four 3/4 metal strips with holes drilled in each end. I take #10 screws 3/4 long and attach two strips (one above the other) on one side of the front of the skull. I set it upright on a hard surface and push the other half into the "V". Then I tack the other end of each bracket down witht he same kind of screws.
Then I turn the antlers upside down. Inside the brain cavity, I spread the antlers until the "V" is closed tightly and I install the other two brackets the same way.
Once that is complete, I mix fiberglass resin with some fiberglass chop (I don't use Bondo because I want it to be a hard, solid piece when complete). I pour this into the brain cavity and let it cure. Once cured, I use a fiberglass grinding disk and shape the entire skull cap like I want it. I seldom buy the market mannikins and I find it easier to attach this split skull to a precut piece of 3/8 in plywood and then I use Bondo mixed with Cabosil to shape a skull. Then I cover it with tanned buckskin and attach it to a plaque.
that is why I am ordering a cape. I ckecked this mourning and the smell is baerly there now so i think it will not be a problem. Thanks George for you response but after the resin on the bottom sets do you leave the metal strips on the top? Thanks Ben
You need to boil the skull in water and some Sal Soda that you can buy at any taxidermy supply house. Just get the water to boil and then turn it down and let the skull simmer. The meat and fat will cook and jelly up. Then scrape some off, put it back in the water and keep doing this until it is clean. I am guessing an hour or so should do it.
Another way to hook the halves together before using the resin and chooped fiberglass is by using tie wire. Just drill small holes (about the same size as your wire) on each side of the cut. Then take your wire and lace it through a hole on each side of the cut and twist it together. Do it for each set of holes. Then you can fill the brain cavity with the fiberglass. You can run a few small screws into the underside of the skull in the brain cavity and don't screw them flush. If you leave them sticking up it give the fiberglass something to bond too since the skull tends to be smooth and oily even after boiling.