Removing stench from bighorn horns

Borax

 

Actually dry preservative is even better than borax. Did you cut the tips off the cores? Right after I pop the horns, I cut the tips off (only leave about 3 inches of core stub). I then cover the cores with DP. I take one horn case and I fill it with DP. Then I pour the DP out of it and into the other case. Shake it out and set aside. When I get ready to work with them, I get a pot of boiling water and set the case end into the boiling water for from 5 to 7 minutes. Then I quickly push the case down over the core. I drill a hole through the case into the core on the back side of the horn and push in a finishing nail. Repeat on the other side.

When the horns dry, pull the nail and remove the cap. Coat the core and the inside of the case with epoxy and reset the case on the core. Install the nail to lock it down. When the epoxy cures, snip off the nail flush with the horn. I then take a nail set and drive the remaining stub down below the horn surface. I use a mix of brown and black Apoxie and a spot of it over the set nail will hide it.

 

I would take them back off cores and follow George's advice.


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Try putting them in a box and cover with borax

 

I'll let George answer that question, since bondo is not an adhesive. Lol I would assume soaking in water for a while and bang away with a rubber mallet and they should come off. And next time don't put the horns back on any skull plate until you are satisfied with the results of your cleaning method.

 

Since the Bon do is "sealed" inside it may be tricky because f the vacuum created there. I'd still remove the horns. Is put a capful of Downey in a container large enough to submerge them and then cover them with hot water. Let them set overnight. Next morning, lift them by one horn. Whack around the horn base with a fiber/rawhide mallet or broomstick. Don't be gentle. If it works, you'll be standing there holding one horn.

 

One thing we do that helps with the (horn) is after there knocked off we balance them upright with a wooden structure and pour bleach inside the horn. Do not fill all the way to the top as sometimes it boils or bubbles a bit. Leave the bleach in for a day or over night, carefully dumping out rinse off with cold water then borax the inside.

 

Get some ODOR-XIT and spray them down good and leave it dry on the horns. This stuff has worked miracles on some nasty stink. They've got a website. Google it. Trying to get them back off the cores isn't an option, in my opinion. You might have to do it twice, but I doubt it. This stuff works.