CLeaning off a deer skull ( partially decomposed)

[Autumnarcher]

While relocating a treestand, A stumbled across a dead and rotting buck in the back woods of the property I hunt, likely shot by the neighbor and unrecovered. Its a real nice 8 pt rack, I salvaged teh head off the rotting deer. Its nasty, but the rack is intact as is the skull.

Normally I'd just boil a deer head for a european mount, but there is no way I want to simmer this one. Its bad. Still has maggots crawling out of it.

Any suggestions on a good way to get it cleaned off? I was thinking just let mother nature do it by leaving it outside, but Im afraid of either some scavenger running off with it, or rodents chewing up the antlers.

Any suggestions?

[mgompf]

Just cover the horns with some plastic wrap, aluminum foil and seal with some tape. Then let the bugs do there jobs.
I did one like this and it tuned out very good. after the bugs finished I set in a bucket of bleach water in the sun.Looks just like the ones I've had done by a taxidermist.

[TroutGuide]

I would wrap and protect the antlers as described and then tie to a fence or tree with srtong wire or chain.  You could also place inside a cage of some sort but be sure it is well secured(I lost my first rack ever by not doing this  :mad:  ).  You might want to occasionaly wet the skull down to keep it from turning to dried leather as the little buggers clean it up for you.

[Don Stokes]

I hang them by a strong cord from a tree limb where squirrels can't get to them, and high enough so dogs can't either. Preferably downwind from the house!

[RedShaft]

you can put just the skull under water and let bacteria do its thing.