Velvet Euro Bou

[schmalts]

I sawed the antlers off the skull and had them freeze dried. I cleaned up the skull, and pinned/bondo'ed them back on. I forgot how much of a PITA it is to put antlers back on a skull.

No chemicals at all?? I never heard of this before. Interesting.

 

[Bambistew]

No chemicals at all?? I never heard of this before. Interesting.

There are a few options: chemical injection, soak in ethanol, or freeze dry.

I was lucky that the velvet was solid when killed him. He was probably 2 weeks out from shedding +/-. I did work out as much blood as I could, and pricked the tips of all the points and let it hang upside down. I think I got most of the blood out.

I then cut them off and sent them to the freeze dryer, cost me $80 IIRC. When I cut them, I left a small sliver of bone attached between them, and snapped them off. That way I could line them up when I glued them back on. I drilled each antler and inserted/bondoed a square rod, then drilled the skull and glued them on. its tricky to get all the angles right, but it worked out in the end. A little wood filler, and little paint and it's done.

I'll probably spray a little permethrin on the velvet for added protection from bugs.

 

[Rat Fink]

Freeze drying is the best way to preserve velvet IMO. I much prefer natural velvet to the fake stuff.

Your Bou looks really good.