Antler Mounting Question

LoadIt · January 12, 2006, 03:09 PM

I had my deer processed and had it "capped". I am wanting to mount the antlers using one of those do-it-yourself kits that you can buy at K-mart. I don't have the kit yet but was wondering how to prepare the rack.

How should I go about getting all of the fur and skin off of the top of the skull? Is it a pain in the ass? I've had it hanging in my shed for about a month and unfortunately the scalp hasn't fallen off yet.

Wild Bill Bucks · January 12, 2006, 04:00 PM

Easiest way--Stake it on top of a red ant bed and leave it for a while (2 or 3 days)
Since it's hard to find ants in the winter, next best way is to fix a boiling pot of water (OUTSIDE) and put the cap of the antlers in it until the skin gets soft enough to pull off.
PLEASE do this outside as the aroma is worse than a french cat house in august.

FrontSight · January 12, 2006, 04:22 PM

I've always boiled mine, always worked great!
I usually fill the water only to right where the antlers start, not sure if it makes a difference, tho?

Art Eatman · January 12, 2006, 07:26 PM

Primitive little criter that I am, I always sawed off the cap myownself. Never having been one for brains and eggs for breakfast, I just ignored the brain stuff. Then, skin off the bone and let it dry for a while.

Low humidity is Good.

Art

hIPSHOT33 · January 13, 2006, 09:52 AM

I have always cut down behind the antlers to the eye sockits then through the eyesockits to the previous cut . skin them out and let dry a few days .

mdbuckle · January 13, 2006, 12:18 PM

I take em off in the woods where I downed the animal. Mostly is is with an axe...:barf: Skin em out and let it dry. I usually just cut the scalp off with a knife. It's pretty much the same as skinning the animal...

NRA4life · January 13, 2006, 08:32 PM

Boil in a non-aluminum pot i water with a little bit of Borax. After 15-20 minutes, remove and almost everything can be scrubbed off the skull. If some remains, repeat the process.

LoadIt · January 19, 2006, 02:44 PM

Thanks for the replies. Since it seems that the pot of boiling water stinks, will the stench come off of my wifes good cooking pot?

FrontSight · January 19, 2006, 03:01 PM

Should; I never had a problem with it...
It really does stink, huh? LOL, sorry, forgot to mention that part

NRA4life · January 20, 2006, 06:54 PM

It stinks a little bit. I do mine outside on a king cooker and I've got an old enamel pot that I use specifically for boiling horns and skulls. I would think you could scrub the shmang and the stink out of it. The borax not only aids in removing the gunk from the skull plate, it makes cleanup of the pot a lot easier.

January 12, 2006, 03:09 PM	#1
LoadIt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 269	Antler Mounting Question I had my deer processed and had it "capped". I am wanting to mount the antlers using one of those do-it-yourself kits that you can buy at K-mart. I don't have the kit yet but was wondering how to prepare the rack. How should I go about getting all of the fur and skin off of the top of the skull? Is it a pain in the ass? I've had it hanging in my shed for about a month and unfortunately the scalp hasn't fallen off yet.

January 12, 2006, 04:00 PM	#2
Wild Bill Bucks Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2005 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma, Next door to Sasquatch Posts: 1,266	Easiest way--Stake it on top of a red ant bed and leave it for a while (2 or 3 days) Since it's hard to find ants in the winter, next best way is to fix a boiling pot of water (OUTSIDE) and put the cap of the antlers in it until the skin gets soft enough to pull off. PLEASE do this outside as the aroma is worse than a french cat house in august.

January 12, 2006, 04:22 PM	#3
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	I've always boiled mine, always worked great! I usually fill the water only to right where the antlers start, not sure if it makes a difference, tho?

January 12, 2006, 07:26 PM	#4
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Primitive little criter that I am, I always sawed off the cap myownself. Never having been one for brains and eggs for breakfast, I just ignored the brain stuff. Then, skin off the bone and let it dry for a while. Low humidity is Good. Art

January 13, 2006, 09:52 AM	#5
hIPSHOT33 Senior Member Join Date: October 24, 2005 Location: ETNA CA. IN THE REAL NORTHERN CALIFORNIA Posts: 120	I have always cut down behind the antlers to the eye sockits then through the eyesockits to the previous cut . skin them out and let dry a few days .

January 13, 2006, 12:18 PM	#6
mdbuckle Member Join Date: January 5, 2006 Location: Corner Brook, Newfoundland Posts: 23	I take em off in the woods where I downed the animal. Mostly is is with an axe...:barf: Skin em out and let it dry. I usually just cut the scalp off with a knife. It's pretty much the same as skinning the animal...

January 13, 2006, 08:32 PM	#7
NRA4life Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 183	Boil in a non-aluminum pot i water with a little bit of Borax. After 15-20 minutes, remove and almost everything can be scrubbed off the skull. If some remains, repeat the process.

January 19, 2006, 02:44 PM	#8
LoadIt Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 269	Thanks for the replies. Since it seems that the pot of boiling water stinks, will the stench come off of my wifes good cooking pot?

January 19, 2006, 03:01 PM	#9
FrontSight Senior Member Join Date: September 9, 2005 Posts: 1,712	Should; I never had a problem with it... It really does stink, huh? LOL, sorry, forgot to mention that part

January 20, 2006, 06:54 PM	#10
NRA4life Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2001 Location: WA Posts: 183	It stinks a little bit. I do mine outside on a king cooker and I've got an old enamel pot that I use specifically for boiling horns and skulls. I would think you could scrub the shmang and the stink out of it. The borax not only aids in removing the gunk from the skull plate, it makes cleanup of the pot a lot easier.