Holy crap, boiling deer head smells aweful!

So I shot a buck last second rifle season. It was my first time looking for deer and it was a super exciting hunt. I ended up getting a buck that was okay, it was meat in the freezer for sure but it wasn't a trophy. I didn't want to pay to get a Euro mount but thought it might be cool to hang on to my first deer so I decided to try it myself.

So, you boil the head. Simple enough right? Oh my goodness it smells awful!!! Seriously, it's unbelievable. It probably doesn't help that it may or may not have frozen and thawed a hundred times sitting in the yard waiting for this to happen :) Holy crap it's amazingly stinky, it made me want to vomit most of the time, over and over. And over and over.

Anywho, I got it boiled and still have a bit of flesh to get rid of but it's coming along okay. I felt pretty red doing it in my driveway but now my neighbors know not to f with me cause I boil skulls in my free time, I'm hardcore like that :) I doubt I'll do it again next time, $75 sounds pretty good now.

I'll post a pic or two, hopefully they don't convey the smell to you all!

I took a Mule deer on my 30Th B-day I made it into Pope and Young record book, Boiled the skull same thing. Brain soup EMMMMMM Not.
I have a couple of taxidermy friends that said, 2 things. 1 way is to hang it and let the fly's ley their eggs in it let the larvy eat at it and pick it clean. But if you live in rural area that will piss off every one because of the smell. 2 nd, Bury the skull in loosend soil or a compost pile and let the worms do the rest. Just check it every now and then, if you can stomach the smell!!
I hope this helps!! [Coffee]

Quote:

---

I felt pretty red doing it in my driveway but now my neighbors know not to f with me cause I boil skulls in my free time

---

[ROFL1]

ugh, this reminds me that i have one of those under a wheel barrow in the backyard that i still haven't boiled...

toss the skull in to a full size plastic trash can. add 1/2 gal of bleach fill with water. wait a few days then remove. that should take care of the remaining flesh on it. OR find a friend with a compost pile and drop it in there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by nogaroheli

...I didn't want to pay to get a Euro mount but thought it might be cool to hang on to my first deer so I decided to try it myself.

...Oh my goodness it smells awful!!! Seriously, it's unbelievable. It probably doesn't help that it may or may not have frozen and thawed a hundred times sitting in the yard waiting for this to happen :) Holy crap it's amazingly stinky, it made me want to vomit most of the time, over and over. And over and over.!

---

And now you know why those pro's get so much for a simple Euro mount.

Personally, I couldn't do it. I'm not particularly squeamish, but my weakness comes through my sense of smell. Had I done what you did, I'd still be hanging my head over the toilet.

Anthill??

Soldier fly larva are supposed to be pretty efficient, too.

+1 for the use of ants.

Well now I know what not to do with a deer head. [ROFL1][ROFL2]