I started my first Euro mount monday night on a 8 point my girlfriend shot. I have been simmering the head in water and dawn dish soap because thats what I read on the net. About every two hours i take it out and clean then stick it back in. I am just working on it in the evenings after work. I now have a lot more respect for taxidermist.

Is there a better way to get all of the meat and cartilage to fall off while boiling so that it does not require so much cleaning? Is there something else I can add to the water?

Thanks in advance. I am a rookie at it!

Disclaimer: I am not an expert, and not a taxidermist. I've only got one Euro under my belt. But, I read that if you toss around 1.5 cups of Borax into the water it can help.

I also found that some fine tools like a tiny pick and a fish hook here helpful for getting into the hard to reach places.

I'm looking forward to the answers you receive. Getting the cartilage out of the crannies at the base of the skull was by far the toughest part of doing mine.

It don't matter what you put in when boiling, it won't work. Free advise for you DIY guys. Before boiling cut/scrape as much meat off as possible, remove the eyes too. Boil until meat starts to easily peel off then pressure wash the skull. It's messy but it's the fastest and easiest way to get the job done. Whiting the skull is a different lesson kids!

I watched a video on youtube where the guy buried the skull for a couple months and then pulled them out. Clean as a whistle.

I am a do-it-yourselfer too. The first 20 or so I would boil and scrape and pick for a few hours before it got clean. I them boiled it in store bought peroxide from Walmart or HEB for about ten minutes to finish the cleaning and whiten it up a bit.
I have learned to hang them in a tree (out of dog reach) and let the bugs take care of all of the yucky stuff for a few months. I then boil the skull for only about thirty minutes, then peroxide. Much easier and less ick.
I have yet to try the power wash method, crosshare and others claim it works good.

I did the same thing as you. Then I found Mike @ MCTAXIDERMY in Hurst. He does it FAST/GOOD for $65. He puts it on a board. Heck you'll spend that much on propane. (PM mctaxidermy)

I use a small scoop of arm and hammer powder clothes washing soap, and a small squirt of dawn with bleach liquid soap in with the gently boiling water.

im not a taxidermist but have done over 100 of these stinking jokers, little degreaser, rolling boil, if skinned and trimmed up good before starting shouldn't take more than 2-3 hrs, not sure why its taking several 2 hr runs at him, what I found works best for the Bleaching part is to mix 40% gel peroixide and Bright White hair bleaching powder, both bought at sallys, mix to mayo consiency in solo cup, paint on with 2-3" brush let set 2 days, spray off with water hose after drys hit it with a matte finish clear coat sealer from wally world, they look great and don't yellow, be careful not to over do it with the boiling you will loose the nose pieces, if so alittle elmers will hook them back up

also sounds like it takes a good dose of patience.

i have done about 10 euro mounts for myself and it has never taken longer than 3-4 hours for a finished product. I fill my pot with water and 1 large bottle of hydrogen peroxide. Here is one I just finished a couple weeks ago for my mom.

I think it looks great and even though it is a bit of a gross job, it is always nice to have something you did yourself. Keep up the great work

After boiling I take my skulls to the carwash and blow all the brain matter out with a powerwasher. It works well.

throw it in the freezer and wait till summer. When the temps get up into the 100's thaw it out skin it remove bottom jaw and put in a 5 gal bucket cover with water and let sit in direct sunlight all day for 1-2 days.

Everything will come straight off, its like a crockpot almost when its hot outside. To whiten I boil in 50/50 peroxide water for 5-10 minutes. Do not get the peroxide water on the antlers, it will bleach them.

I've buried them with the antlers sticking out of the ground before worked good! just put a wire basket over the antlers otherwise squirrels will chew on them. in the end the $50. at the taxidermist is well worth it!