Has anyone ever done a...

[Oak]

...European mount of an antelope in the past? I had a local guy do mine from last fall because I didn't really have a place to do it (didn't think the neighbors in the condo building would appreciate me boiling a skull on the deck). I got it back today, and am not overly impressed. I've got a couple of questions:

1. I need to clean the horns up a little bit, as he left them "as-is". Is there a good way to do that without messing up the horns (color, etc)?

2. Is there a good way to get rid of that "goat" smell from the horns? If not, they may end up getting relegated to the shed.

I know the old pairs I have out in the shed from hunting seasons past still stink to high heaven, and some are several years old.

One thing I don't really like about how this one came out is that it looks like he used something pretty harsh (peroxide?) to clean the skull. It looks it actually ate away the bone in the thin spots, such as around the teeth and the nose. The European elk I have on the wall doesn't look like that at all.

Oak

 

[1_pointer]

No help as I've never done it. But, the best looking skulls I've seen have been cleaned by beatles and not chemicals. jjhack does 'em, but I don't know what he charges.

 

[Bambistew]

That sucks that your mount turned out crappy... Sounds to me like he used bleach, to much sal-soda to get meat off or left it in the peroxide to long. Use only a solution of 15-20% peroxide or a mix of peroxide and magnesium cabonate they will not eat away bone, but bleach will and will make it look just as you describe.

Not sure what you mean by number 1. If they aren't what you like, paint them... Matt black spray pant works pretty well. I would recomend doing it on one you don't care all that much about first though...

Will the sheaths come off? If not take them back to your Hacksidermist and have him fix it and make sure you tell him that he should do it for free cause if he charged you for the hunk he turned out you deserve it... European mounts shouldn't smell when done properly... or flake apart for that matter.

The smell is usally a result of the membrane being left atached to the insides of the sheaths... If the skull was done right there should be no membrane in the sheath or on the boney part of the horn.

I have done quite a few european mounts and have a couple antelope in my house... What I have done for the smell is... take the sheaths off and pack them with borax leave them for about two weeks.(usually can find borax at the grocery store) Dump them out and the smell should be gone. Take the skull thing and set it out in the sun for the two weeks or untill the smell is gone. That always seems to get rid of most of the smell.

Good luck

Ivan

 

[Oak]

He took the sheaths off and cleaned the skull. It looks like he used some kind of cement (plaster?) in the sheath when he replaced them, so they won't come off. It seems like the sheath is what stinks, just like it does when they're freshly killed. I get a whiff of it occasionally, but the significant other (amazingly) hasn't smelled it yet, so maybe it'll be ok once I get it in the spot I'm going to leave it.

I told the guy I wasn't too impressed, but figured that there was little use in letting him try to "fix" anything. I think if you tell someone their work sucks, and then ask them to fix it, your not likely to get a good result. I have a taxidermist I normally use, but since I decided not to have a shoulder mount done I didn't want to make the long drive there on the way home from the hunt (460 miles vs. 170 miles). I figured that for a European mount I could find someone close to do the work. Live and learn...

Oak

 

[BuzzH]

Oak, I dont think the smell ever leaves antelope horns. It usually isnt that big of a deal.

When I take my antelope mounts to clean them, I can still smell them. The bottom line is antelope horns stink, and I dont think you can ever get it completely out. Over time, though it does go away some.

As far as the condition of the skull, thats just plain wrong, but I dont believe there is a darn thing you or any taxidermist can do about the stinking horns.

 

[Oak]

Buzz, that's what I suspected regarding the "antelope" smell. It's really not that bad, and if I'm the only one that notices, it won't be a problem.

I'll try to post a picture of it later...

Oak

 

[1_pointer]

Wonder if one could have the sheaths stuffed with potpouri (sp?) before having them mounted?

 

[Oak]

Pointer, you ever smelled those stinky things? I suspect they would just smell like flowery shit.

Oak

 

[Washington Hunter]

I don't know about the smell problem but I've been told they use Bondo to hold the inner part of the horn to the outer part.

 

[Jack O'Conner]

Chloride from the bleach will continue to eat away the skull unless neutralized. Typically, ordinary tap water with a small amount of vinegar is used. The skull is soaked in this solution.

Paint your horns with a latex based primer. then top coat with flat black. Gloss black looks fake.
Jack

 

[Wyodeerhunter]

Colorado Oak,

The best thing to color your antelope horns is the LIQUID Black shoe polish. It works great! Just rub it in and I promise it will look good

Here is a euro of my first antelope with the black shoe polish on it:

 

[1_pointer]

Nope, never smelled one, but if the draw people in WY make me happy I'm hoping to this year!