Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Skull maceration

Looks good. I swap out the degreasing water about every week and refill with hot tap water. Not sure how much the hot helps but thats what I've been doing. Buy some of that creme peroxide for hair care when you get done and brush it on. I set mine in a plastic tub and coat the piss out of it for a few days. Keep that off the antlers.

On a side note was moving some stuff around the barn yesterday and kicked one of the blankets used to wrap the 5 gallon buckets used for rotting with. After 5 months it still stinks like heck. Wow.

Cool thank ya sir!

Got mine done finally, think it turned out pretty well. One thing for sure, the skull is in a lot better shape after masecration vs boiling. I need to get another fish tank heater or 2 to try to speed it up, that and I am finishing up a green house for the commander right now, so that should help as well, vs being in the cold shop. Very happy with the finished product.

did you bleach yours?

Don, went to the local beauty supply store and picked this stuff up. Mix er up to a paste consistency, brush it on, spray off with water a couple hours later. Seemed to work good.

I didn't bother to bleach this years buck after soaking in dishsoap. He looks clean enuff to nail to the wall as is, without the extra work. And besides, nobody but me is gonna be seeing him, to critique the job...

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I seen him. I think you missed a spot.

Looks good

Forgot the pic.

Only his hairdresser knows for sure.....

Thought I'd bump this one back up. Got 3 skulls in buckets with tank heaters and today marks the 6th day. Might have to go take a look at them today and check water level. 2 more heads are in the on deck circle so hoping to keep things moving. Based on the stench factor it appears the tank heaters are working.

Didn't want to risk my phone around the stench. After 6 full days in the 84 degree water, the 3 skulls are at least 85% cleaned off. Emptied out the initial water, refilled with hot water, dropped in tank heaters and wrapped by up in blankets. Total time expended on 3 skulls so far is around 20 minutes and only expense is 5 gallon buckets, water, and tank heaters. I may buy 2 more tank heaters to expand my capacity.

Pics in a week when these 3 should be done.

I’ve got a couple of Antelope skulls stewing in a covered rough tote as well. Cuts down on the stench enough that my wife will let me keep it on the deck.

First two are out of the rot bucket. Key is having water temp 85-90. These took 8 days and today I hit them with my garden hose with hot water. They are completely cleaned off. Now sitting in dawn dish water to degrease. Need to get the other 3 done so I can put the tank heaters in the dawn water. Then last step is hitting them with peroxide paste.

I have very little time in these and they have all the bones and crevices totally cleaned out. Will post finals when done degreasing.

Anybody do a antelope this way?

2017 Antelope....

I have lots done this way.. Nice easy to move around...

So take the sheaths off and let em soak? Thanks

I practiced on a small antelope last year. Just let the head rot a few days and keep twisting around on the horn sheaths. They eventually popped off from the decaying process. Hit them with hot water and then let them dry out. No damage and worked fine. Then let skull do its thing like any other one. I wouldn't hesitate to do a big antelope using that process.

Ackleyfan, that is one seriously big looking antelope, congrats.

30338, thats the way to go! To all you guys that have trouble, you're not getting the water warm enough, its that simple.

Regarding the dawn soak, I've had an unusually greasy mule deer skull soaking for over six months, change the water twice per month, and still getting a significant amount of grease floating on the top with each water change. Observing the skull shows the grease spots, mostly which are gone now, maybe its almost done. As a side note, I'm in Alabama so this buck was obviously killed out of state. Our laws require all skulls imported be cleaned before they get here. Beatles did the cleaning and I requested that the taxidermist not degrease, but he degreased by mistake. Whatever chemicals used did not even remotely work as well as dawn and water. Dawn has been continuously drawing grease out of a "degreased" skull for over six months.