So you’ve just bagged a big 8 point buck and you’re wondering how to have it mounted? Wonder no further because European skull mounts are getting more popular every season. They’re cheaper and arguably better looking than traditional shoulder mounts. Plus, you can even buy the materials to make it yourself for relatively cheap.
Now that you have your deer, use a skill saw and make a clean cut right behind the top of the deer’s head. If you don’t have time to clean the skull then simply place the head in a trash bag and keep it in a freezer until later.
Once you’re ready to get started, get a tall boiling pot and place the deer head inside. Make sure the boiling pot is tall enough where the deer’s nose isn’t touching the bottom. Now fill the pot with water until it’s covering everything but the horns. It’s not good to boil the horns but it won’t hurt if the water is touching a little. Now heat the water to a slow boil. You don’t want a rapid boil because this may cause damage to the skull and possibly cause teeth to fall out. You’ll have to let the skull boil for many hours before it’s fully clean. It’s good practice to check on it every 1.5-3 hours so you can scrape off any big chunks of meat and refill the lost water due to evaporation.
When you’ve removed everything you can by boiling, take the skull out and use a water hose with a wire brush to remove any remaining meat. When nothing but the skull and horns remain, use 40 or 50 volume peroxide to whiten it up. You can buy the peroxide any most beauty salons. When I went in to buy mine, the lady saw my camouflage and asked if I was there for peroxide so you may not even have to ask where it is.
Now put on some latex gloves and grab an old toothbrush. Be careful because this stuff will burn a bit if it comes into contact with your skin. Coat the skull with the peroxide then let it set for a few minutes. Rinse it off and repeat until it’s your desired color of white.
When your skull is done and cleaned, drill a 3/8″ hole in your mounting board and in the very back of the deer skull. Place the toggle bolt through the back of the mounting board and through the back of the deer skull. Make sure the bolt comes unlatched inside the skull and then tighten the screw until everything is secure. Now you’re done!
If you follow these directions, you should have a beautiful European skull mount to display in your living room, office or man cave. They’re a great way to show off your kill and you will have the satisfaction of telling others that you did it yourself. Happy hunting!