Know-How: The Easy Way to a Euro Mount

by
posted on November 9, 2017
easywaytoaeuromount_kayser_lead.jpg

With more than two decades of boiling skulls in my rearview I know the amount of sweat, stench and time that goes into a European mount. Some taxidermists utilize laborsaving dermestid beetles. Unfortunately, they are a year-round responsibility and high maintenance for the DIY hunter with a couple of skulls to clean annually. Plus, if they escape, look out. They’ll destroy anything carbon-based including leather furniture and mounted heads. On the other hand, a pressure washer can zip a skull clean in minutes.

Pressure washers that exert 3,000 psi or more clean skulls the most efficiently. My Mi-T-M pressure washer blasts at 3,500 psi for clean results. To boost pressure effectiveness outfit your wand with a rotating nozzle. It slices meat away with its gyrating power, effectively reducing the time of the process. With most species you can operate at full power. For thinner-skulled pronghorns, back off or use a standard nozzle. Too much pressure can break through the fragile skull. 

Fresh skulls work best. I clean mine the next day if possible. Dried meat makes the job more difficult. Before starting remove hide, hair, eyeballs and the lower jaw. Cover the base of the antlers or horns with plastic wrap and duct tape to ensure the natural color stays intact. The water pressure will move the skull around so secure it to a fence or other solid object you don’t mind blasting. I lodge the antlers into a shipping pallet and rotate as needed during the wash.

Don old rain gear, goggles and latex gloves. Now get to work. Direct the nozzle at the skull and move it back and forth to loosen the meat until it’s gone. To remove the brain, press the nozzle to the hole in the back of the skull where the spinal cord connects. Turn away and spray. Fresh brain matter will disperse in seconds.

After the wash, inspect the skull, brain cavity and nasal passages for any stubborn meat fragments. When the skull dries, you can either commence to hanging or take one more step toward elegance. For a blinding-white look use a whitening kit available through taxidermy outlets such as Van Dyke’s Taxidermy Supply. Just don’t show your friends the results, or they’ll be dropping off their skulls by the droves.

Latest

NRAAM 2025
NRAAM 2025

MidwayUSA Named Official Sponsor of the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings

Glock, Inc. is the Presenting Sponsor of the Freedom Experience on Saturday, April 26th

First Look: Montana Rifle Company Marshall Hunting Rifle

Montana Rifle Company (MRC) has announced its Marshall Hunting Rifle—a rifle the company bills as being 10,000 rounds in the making.

Spring Gobbler Gear Roundup

Mike Roux lays out his winter's turkey gear discoveries, just in time for spring gobbler season.

National 4-H Shooting Sports Signs on as Official +ONE Partner

The National 4-H Shooting Sports program has joined the +ONE Movement, a national mentorship initiative led by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) that encourages peer-to-peer mentorship in the hunting and shooting sports.

#SundayGunday: Wilson Combat NULA Model 20

On this week's #SunsdayGunday, we take a look at the Wilson Combat NULA Model 20. A descendant of the New Ultralight Arms rifles designed by Melvin Forbes, the Model 20 carries on Melvin's legacy of lightweight accuracy in a way only Wilson Combat can. For more information, check out this exclusive video.

New for 2025: Gritr 47-Inch Hard Rifle Case

Gritr has launched its 47-inch Hard Rifle Case, for shooters looking for portable security and protection for their firearm. 

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.