Head preparation

[It’s a girl with a gun]

Best to skin the heads off , boils for approx 35 mins, jet wash flesh off including inside skull, peroxide while skull is still wet, then let it dry off. You won’t get them white the way you are doing it unfortunately.

Ok thanks.

 

[@theroedeerguy]

Have you guys attempted maceration at all by any chance? (Skull + waterbucket)

It stinks for sure but if you have a decent bit of land toss the skull in and just leave it will give you a perfectly cleaned skull

After that you can toss the skull in some water with dish soap and give it another few weeks then peroxide it total time maybe.... 10 minutes?

How long are you leaving a Roe skull in a bucket of water before it is clean enough to transfer into a secondary bucket of dish soap?

 

[nun_hunter]

Iv managed to clean off the skull down to the bone just by sticking it in a bucket for a while to get it nice and soft, and when the weather gets hot take it out and let the maggots do their bit. Just don’t have it too close to the house, or let your dogs find it! However one iv cleaned it up and washed it Etc iv struggled to get the bone white, someone told be to put peroxide on it so I brushed that on, but it’s still got a brown tinge and smells. Any idea how I can get it whiter and smell free? Thanks

Leave it in the bucket until all the flesh and gristle have been totally dissolved rather than take it out for the maggots.

My last roe came up lovely and clean with no smell after this method. Just letting it dry properly after helps. I'll not bother with boiling again.

 

[Dorsettaff]

Did a few skulls this year via compost and maggots. Bury the heads up to the antlers in grass cuttings or compost..as mentioned before keep out of way of dogs and urban foxes....let nature and maggots do the messy work...then out quick boil.....20% vol peroxide and job done!

 

[Jon P]

It only takes about an hour to do one head with boiling and jet washing. Would be much quicker doing that the filling buckets of water and having to hide it away for a few weeks and still having to sort skull at end off it, same goes with burying in compost heap, if head worth doing just put it in freezer until you got time to do it and get it done in a short time.

 

[Sol]

It only takes about an hour to do one head with boiling and jet washing. Would be much quicker doing that the filling buckets of water and having to hide it away for a few weeks and still having to sort skull at end off it, same goes with burying in compost heap, if head worth doing just put it in freezer until you got time to do it and get it done in a short time.

Time is subjective I'd rather fill a bucket of water every few days and tip it out than sitting around for an hour or two boiling a head and keeping an eye on it then scraping it.

I sell to painters so nothing I sell is boiled since the trapped oils in the head make the paint warp.
A raw roe doe head must be about £10 frozen right now since its the off season loads of money behind dead animals besides the carcass I dont think many people realise, topic I'm pretty passionate about tbh hobby I've came to really enjoy besides stalking.

 

[Jon P]

Time is subjective I'd rather fill a bucket of water every few days and tip it out than sitting around for an hour or two boiling a head and keeping an eye on it then scraping it.

I sell to painters so nothing I sell is boiled since the trapped oils in the head make the paint warp.
A raw roe doe head must be about £10 frozen right now since its the off season loads of money behind dead animals besides the carcass I dont think many people realise, topic I'm pretty passionate about tbh hobby I've came to really enjoy besides stalking.

You have your routine to suit your outlet for skull. I would not recommend to anyone boiling a head for a few hours, 35 mins max will do a roe buck head.

My post was more aimed for people who have shot there annual trophy animal. Don’t leave it to chance of something running off with it or having to dispose of rancid water every few days

 

[wisp]

You have your routine to suit your outlet for skull. I would not recommend to anyone boiling a head for a few hours, 35 mins max will do a roe buck head.

My post was more aimed for people who have shot there annual trophy animal. Don’t leave it to chance of something running off with it or having to dispose of rancid water every few days

A very good friend of mine always buries his roe or fallow heads in his back garden with just the antlers s clear of any earth and after 3 weeks or so they come out all nice and clean with no stains on them. I tried it myself with one of my roe heads n was well pleased with the result. Should have mentioned the heads are skinned first