Skull prep, order of doing it...

[karlbird]

Help please!!

I've just tried to skull cut 3 roe skulls that were put in my freezer, in a hurry, in the fur - thinking it would keep the mess down and make less skinning.

Problem is, because they are frozen solid, the bits of the jig that go in the eyes won't go in (obvious in hindsight) - which made me wonder - what's the 'correct' (read easiest) order of doing the following:

Skinning
Cutting
Freezing (assuming either lack of time or waiting for a few to do together)

 

[bogtrotter]

Help please!!

I've just tried to skull cut 3 roe skulls that were put in my freezer, in a hurry, in the fur - thinking it would keep the mess down and make less skinning.

Problem is, because they are frozen solid, the bits of the jig that go in the eyes won't go in (obvious in hindsight) - which made me wonder - what's the 'correct' (read easiest) order of doing the following:

Skinning
Cutting
Freezing (assuming either lack of time or waiting for a few to do together)

Thaw and skin before cutting.

 

[palmer_mike]

If you're using a jig you'll obviously have to take the eyes out first, which is much easier after skinning. Therefore skin then cut. You can freeze at any stage but must defrost before skinning.

personally I tend to freeze if I don't have time to clean the trophy straight away. I'll then defrost at a later date and skin and cut. I can either freeze again to boil later or do it after skinning if I have time.

 

[karlbird]

Brilliant - thanks guys. I thought I would be able to save mess by cutting frozen before skinning but it seems not!

 

[Jagare]

Defrost, skin and cut. I put them in the cutting clamp with there eyes still in. Easier to remove the eyes when they are boiled and the dogs love them.