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Dead Head - euro mount help

at1010

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Welp sticks to find this buck this way but as they say IT happens. My cousin found him laying in a creek that I told him to walk as I scoured the forest floor for sheds. Anyhow I contact my local game warden and I have the tag for the deer head now. I believe this deer was shot during a gun season drive, as my uncle say a "big buck" running from the neighbors down onto our property and the deer was limping really bad. Well I found this deer about 600 yards from where my uncle saw him run into a thicket. I am thinking that he bedded down, came to the creek for water and died there after being shot. I know he didnt expire there that day as I was in the darn stand and would have seen him!

Here he was on the hoof October 25 - 2017
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Found dead April 2018
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IMG_3453.JPG


It stinks to find a deer this way, especially one I have had on camera since last summer but like I said, shit happens. Anyhow I am hoping to Euro mount him. I am going to soak the head in hot water and dish soap tonight. I then will cut off any leftover hide,hair, etc. tomorrow. I then planned to tape antlers up, boil the head, pressure wash it, boil, then do a bleach powder/gel paste and paint it on, let it dry, repeat till optimum whiteness.

Thoughts on this process, am I missing anything? Thank you all for reading!
 

Jamie

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is best to not actually boil the skull. try to simmer just below boiling. I've gotten best results with Sal Soda and a little Dawn dishwashing liquid to dissolve tissue and degrease the skull. I did not care for pressure washing the skull. if you cook it right, the tissue will just fall off. fashion a hook from a coat hanger or something to aid in removing brain. soak in hydrogen peroxide, not bleach. I cover to just below the antler burr and use peroxide gel on the top of skull and up under the antler burr. leave in peroxide for a few days, rinse well and let dry for a several days. spray some clear satin acrylic on to seal it and give it a nice sheen.
 
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at1010

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so when you say soak in peroxide, just like hydrogen peroxide?

I have been hearing a lot of different ways to handle this so I have been soaking head for a couple days in dawn dish soap. I am going to boil it soon, i have heard if you let it soak - itll come clean even easier! I am anxious to get it boiled off.
 

Fletch

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Well if it don't clean up well... Get a skull mounting kit and saw horns off at bases and mount to kit... They look great... I have a set I'm going to do shortly....
 

Jamie

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Ohio
yes, soak in peroxide after you have skull completely cleaned up and brain matter cleaned out. this is the "bleaching" agent. I have always just used the 3% peroxide that you can buy at any pharmacy and just let is soak for several days. does the job, just takes longer than the high powered stuff they use at the beauty salon. use the peroxide gel on any part of the skull that is not submerged. after it's bleached to your satisfaction, rinse well and soak in plain water for a couple of days.
 

Bigslam51

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I tried regular peroxide soak for a few days, didn't turn out as white as the ones I've seen done with the stuff Mike is talking about. My buddy did his 2017 buck with the 40% stuff from the beauty store, turned out white as snow.
 
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Isaacorps

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I tried regular peroxide soak for a few days, didn't turn out as white as the ones I've seen done with the stuff Mike is talking about. My buddy did his 2017 buck with the 40% stuff from the beauty store, turned out white as snow.

Did he dilute it with water at all? I’m ready to bleach my deadhead and have heard some say to dilute it and some say don’t
 

Bigslam51

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I tried regular peroxide soak for a few days, didn't turn out as white as the ones I've seen done with the stuff Mike is talking about. My buddy did his 2017 buck with the 40% stuff from the beauty store, turned out white as snow.

Did he dilute it with water at all? I’m ready to bleach my deadhead and have heard some say to dilute it and some say don’t
Don't think so, it's a paste.
 

Isaacorps

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Columbus
I tried regular peroxide soak for a few days, didn't turn out as white as the ones I've seen done with the stuff Mike is talking about. My buddy did his 2017 buck with the 40% stuff from the beauty store, turned out white as snow.

Did he dilute it with water at all? I’m ready to bleach my deadhead and have heard some say to dilute it and some say don’t
Don't think so, it's a paste.

Cool, thanks!
 
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at1010

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Chad - I have been seeing where most guys actually use that VOL 40 stuff and a powder stuff to make a paste, then paint it on? Is that what you are referring too?

I have been soaking the head in soapy water for a couple days - today I checked it and the little hair/skin that was left on it, is starting to already come off. I am excited to pick/clean it soon, then boil it. I then plan to try that paste since that is what the majority of folks have been doing that I have seen.
 

Isaacorps

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Chad - I have been seeing where most guys actually use that VOL 40 stuff and a powder stuff to make a paste, then paint it on? Is that what you are referring too?

I have been soaking the head in soapy water for a couple days - today I checked it and the little hair/skin that was left on it, is starting to already come off. I am excited to pick/clean it soon, then boil it. I then plan to try that paste since that is what the majority of folks have been doing that I have seen.

I think I’m going to try the paste TOO. Mine is boiled, cleaned and ready for the peroxide
 
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Bigslam51

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Chad - I have been seeing where most guys actually use that VOL 40 stuff and a powder stuff to make a paste, then paint it on? Is that what you are referring too?

I have been soaking the head in soapy water for a couple days - today I checked it and the little hair/skin that was left on it, is starting to already come off. I am excited to pick/clean it soon, then boil it. I then plan to try that paste since that is what the majority of folks have been doing that I have seen.
Pretty sure that's what he used. All I know is the peroxide soak left a yellowish tint on the dead head I found.
 
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at1010

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Well boys it is coming pretty well. I have always noticed at home if I have a dish that is caked with food or something and I let it soak in hot water with a dishwashing pod, it always cleans up easy the next day. I wanted to try that with this buck and I can tell you it cleaned up EASY! I let it soak for 4 days. I used a wire brush, pliers, and a pressure washer thus far. I am letting it soak to clean up a bit more before boiling in a couple of days.

IMG_3457.JPG
 
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Mike

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Some dead heads are so stained that the gel peroxide doesn't even get them white.
 
I do quite a few heads as a side business. I use a combination of the hair bleach liquid and powder to make a thick paste as mentioned above HOWEVER there is a key to this step........UV light. Paste that baby up and stick it in the direct sunlight for a couple days and she should brighten up pretty easy. I have recovered some pretty bad ones before. The paste will dry and that's ok. The sunlight really activates the process and kicks it into high gear. Bring it in at night so it doesn't get damp. Hope this helps and if you have any questions shoot.
 

at1010

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Thank you, that makes a lot of sense. I have ordered the hair bleach stuff and poweder to make the paste.
 

steveOh

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I do quite a few heads as a side business. I use a combination of the hair bleach liquid and powder to make a thick paste as mentioned above HOWEVER there is a key to this step........UV light. Paste that baby up and stick it in the direct sunlight for a couple days and she should brighten up pretty easy. I have recovered some pretty bad ones before. The paste will dry and that's ok. The sunlight really activates the process and kicks it into high gear. Bring it in at night so it doesn't get damp. Hope this helps and if you have any questions shoot.
X2 on that!
 
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