Personally, I think it would make a great name for a heavy metal band. *Insert headbang
In this context we are talking about animal skulls. Everyone loves a nice European mount. They're simple, sleek and add a nice touch to any room. Best of all, they're pretty simple to do yourself and with maceration, it's mostly hands free. All you need is water, heat and time.
The word maceration is derived from the Latin verb macerare, which means “soften” or “to steep”. Its first use in the English language was in the mid-1500’s and referred to the wasting away of flesh by steeping. When I think of steeping, my first thought is of tea which after you understand what the process of maceration entails you’ll see that we’re basically steeping a skull in heated water.
I should mention that this process works best on medium to larger game animals. Smaller animals, like squirrels for example, have fragile bones as is and the maceration process can soften them too much. I haven’t experimented with anything smaller than a deer skull but I’ve read from other sources that a coyote sized animal is as small as recommended. Experimenting will be done and an update be provided!
I have found that it helps to skin the skull prior to starting. While not necessary, it makes the process easier, cleaner and takes less time to have a finished product. Skinning a skull is easiest when still fresh. There is a ton of information out there on the best way to skin a skull. A quick Google search and you'll find what you are looking for.
What You Need
- 5-gallon bucket
- Water
- Aquarium heater
- Big game skull
- Contractor bag
- Degreasing soap
- Hydrogen peroxide gel 40v
- Paint brush
- Large plastic tub (optional)
The first step is to place the skull in a 5-gallon bucket and fill with water about an inch above the top of the skull. For a horned or antlered animal, allow the antlers to rest on the sides of the bucket if possible. I drilled holes towards the top of my bucket to zip tie antlers in place. For non-antlered game, place the skull in the bottom of the bucket and fill with water deep enough to allow the aquarium heater to fully submerge.
I’d recommend keeping the bucket outside as the smell of this process can be downright unpleasant. It's basically creating a "flesh tea". Place the bucket in a contractor bag. I have also placed the bag/bucket combo in a large plastic tub just to keep things from messing with it. This is of course, optional. Nitrile or latex gloves are also recommended for handling. The smell "sticks" if it gets on you. Handle carefully! I promise you do not want to get remnants on you.
Place the aquarium heater in the bucket and turn it on. Set the heater to around 85-90 degrees. Tie up the contractor fairly tight to lock in the heat. Make sure you can untie for later steps though! After two to three days, dump the water and replace with fresh. You will start to see the decay as pieces of the meat and remaining flesh from the skull pour out along with the water. Every now and then it doesn't hurt to gently rinse the skull with a hose. Repeat this process every two to three days until the skull is completely clean. This takes around two to three weeks depending on the skull.
Once the skull is clean, repeat the process of water and heat plus add a 1/3 cup degreasing soap to the mix. This will help reduce yellowing of the skull over time. Refresh the water every three to five days now for about a week or two depending on the skull. They are all different and experimenting is okay.
It is worth mentioning that you will see some of the smaller bones and/or teeth loosen up and sometimes fall out. Don’t fret as a little fletching glue for arrows works perfectly for getting these little things back where they go! I promise you cannot tell things were glued back on. It dries clear as glass.
After degreasing, it is time to whiten the skull. This is another optional step but I prefer the look as opposed to the natural skull color. Take a small paint brush and brush on a generous amount of hydrogen peroxide gel. Place the skull in direct sunlight or bright artificial light for two to three days. Natural sunlight works best. Rinse the skull and repeat until you reach your desired whiteness. I have found that a couple rounds of whitening produces my preferred look.
Finally, place your skull wherever you want, sit back and admire your work. That skull on the wall is more than a trophy or bragging rights. It is a memory that will forever be ingrained in your head. It’s not for anyone else but yourself. Long live the beast!
Aquarium heater link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H2L8DZR/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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