Deer Skull cleaning a unique hit

[RGK]

A few folks have asked about the European skull cleaning I did on my buck. I didn't take any pics of mine but my Brother-in-law shot a buck and wanted me to clean his deer skull so I will use his for this pictorial.


*****CAUTION********


Before I go any further, I want to mention 2 things.

1. His shot was deflected by an unseen twig. He did not and does not aim where his arrow hit. This deer died when it hit the ground. No additional shots were required to finish it off. While disturbing to see, the deer expired almost instantly.

2. For those viewing these pics. know that this is a messy and rather graphic pictorial of the process. Some of the pics are going to be gross. you have been cautioned.

OK, as I said, this shot is what it is. This skull will be near impossible to get white for two reasons. My brother-in-law skinned the head and did nothing with the head for nearly a week so I can expect some staining of the skull. Secondly, being shot in the brain means the bones of the skull will have been saturated in blood due to the brain hit. This will certainly stain the skull as well. I was able to remove the arrow shaft but the broadhead is captured in the brain.

 

 

I put the skull in the pot at 1:30 pm. I never bring the water to a boil. Its just a simmer with no rolling or bubbling.

 

2 hours later, the water is very dark with a skim of fat floating on the top of the water.

 

The meat is already softening and falling from the skull. So much so that I can pull the bottom jaw off.

 

Then I changed the water and added Dawn dish soap.

 

After 2 more hours, this is what it looks like.

 

The meat can be easily removed at this point.

 

[RGK]

I change the water again and again add Dawn dish soap and let it simmer for two more hours.

 

After two hours, I use a small knife and cut and scrape away any remaining meat. Then I use a stiff scrub brush and soapy water to scrub the skull. I use a needle nose pliers to pull out sinus' and spray water in the back of the skull to flush out the brains. Then I use Oxi Clean and a toothbrush to scrub the skull. Then I rinse it well and let it air dry.

The squiggly expansion joints in the skull are normally white but the blood seems to have stain them. Also, it seems like the blood stains the skull with a greenish color. My buck is on the right.

 

The entrance hole

 

The Bear razorhead is forever captured in the void where the brain was. I coaxed it out a bit with a  needle nose pliers for this picture.

 

The whole process can be accomplished in an afternoon.

[Matt Fowler]

Good job!  Your skull looks pretty white. No bleach or anything like that? Saw a fella use peroxide from a women's hair dye kit once. Just curious, what happened with the shot? I understand if ya don't wanna go there.

[DHR]

nice pictorial.  I too love cleaning up skulls.  Less than ideal or not that broadhead in the braincase makes for an interesting piece.  Thanks for sharing.

[VTer]

Nice tutorial. In the side by side pic, what did you do different to your skull to get more of the lower nose bone(very scientific term) to remain intact.

[RGK]

I just have not glued the nose pieces back onto his skull yet. I sometines leave them off and sometimes I glue them back on.

[RGK]

Originally posted by Matt Fowler:
Good job!  Your skull looks pretty white. No bleach or anything like that? Saw a fella use peroxide from a women's hair dye kit once. Just curious, what happened with the shot? I understand if ya don't wanna go there.

He hit an unseen branch that deflected his shot.

[lpcjon2]

That is cool at my job I have used peroxide and borax. it works well also.Nice work

[Don Stokes]

I'm lazy. I suspend mine from a tree branch with cord, where squirrels can't get at it, for a few months. I have one hanging now that's been there for two years, but I didn't skin that one first. I've left it just to see how long it takes for the mummified skin to come off. Still a few scraps on it. Caution- wasps like to nest in the brain cavity.

I've also heard that fire ants do a good job of cleaning one up quickly, but I haven't personally tested that.

When I was in college, the biology department kept a box of carrion beetles for cleaning skulls and skeletons. They only eat the soft parts, and the bone comes out perfectly clean.

Just curious- how is the odor in the house after a day of boiling a skull? I suspect this is better done outside.

[Mr.Magoo]

Nice job.  But I'm lazy too.  I just bury mine in the backyard leaving the antlers exposed.  Cover it with a big flower pot and leave it for 6 months or so.  

I have one there now that's almost clean and it has only been buried about 3 weeks.

Rinse it off, let it sit in the sun for a couple of days and it's done.

[RGK]

I do all my work in the man cave. I have a full kitchen so I dont do it in the house but the smell is not at all bad. Its really just cooking meat.

2 year???? 6 months???? Folks that bring me skulls would never stand for that. Normally I can turn around a skull in one day.

[Bel007]

Ron

Thanks for the pictorial.  How much work was done to the head prior to the first dunk?

[creekwood]

Ron,  That is cool. Thanks for sharing those photos and tutorial.

[KentuckyTJ]

Wow that is interesting. I assume the deer went straight down as a spine shot deer does?

[WESTBROOK]

If your not in a real hurry, you can just submerge it in a bucket of water and let it soak for a few weeks. The stuff just falls off, leaving the finest details in tact. As with any method, the more meat you can remove from the skull prior will speed up the process.

Eric

[RGK]

Originally posted by Bel007:
Ron

Thanks for the pictorial.  How much work was done to the head prior to the first dunk?

Only the skin is removed.

[Doug A]

I have a head sitting out right now that spent 6 months in a freezer.  It has been sitting at the base of a tree in thewoods behind my yard for almost 5 months.  The dried skin is still hanging on.  I am considering burying it to keep the antlers in tact.

[Eugene Slagle]

Question;
Do you skin it yourself first & then go through the process like you have therer or is there something else you do?

Oops, I see you answered it for me.

[elknutz]

Thanks, thats helpful.  I like the broadhead.

[SveinD]

Good thing he went down that fast..