Dip and pack skull, how clean?

[fourfive8]

I have always DIY'd my skulls here. But hunting in Africa then having to ship them back really doesn't afford the luxury and control for DIY. You are pretty much at the mercy of the taxidermist/dip/pack folks who prepare the raw skull before shipping. It's good to know how to do it correctly but that control is lost when shipping from Africa. When the skull arrives here and gets through the inspection process, many or most times it becomes a repair and salvage operation... replacing lost teeth, replacing/fabricating broken or missing bones, etc. I learned to keep a couple of similar sized skulls from deer, cow or elk around for cannibalizing teeth and bones. Another overlooked precaution is to have the prep and ship folks in Africa include the lower jaw from the skull of the animals shipped back. Good source of replacement teeth. Just pick similar looking tooth, reform the root section with a rotary tool and epoxy back in socket. Same process for missing or broken bones. Or of course pay your taxidermist to do it

 

[JimP]

I found that buying some Basic White at a beauty supply store along with peroxide works quite well.

You make a paste out of the Basic White and Peroxide and paint it on, then seal it up in a plastic bag and let it sit for a few days. Then just hose it off.

To get rid of the grease on pig and bear skulls I'll add Dawn dish soap to the pot on the final simmer.

 

[outwestidaho]

Can you self clear a dip and pack with mtn zebra included?

Yes but you will have cites permits involved

 

[Hunt anything]

Can you self clear a dip and pack with mtn zebra included?

You can but with a mt zebra make double sure all paperwork is in order. That is as I’m assuming the mt zebra is still a CITES controlled animal.

 

[fourfive8]

Final to finish a skull. The teeth once replaced if needed should be stabilized. The sockets will shrink and teeth will dry out and crack from drying out over time. Use a small artist's brush and some slow set epoxy to coat teeth and fix them to the sockets. Coat all sides of teeth and between the teeth up to the bone. They should have a wet appearance when epoxy sets. This will help protect teeth, keep them set in the skull and keep them from cracking. Also, try to minimize over bleaching to retain some of the natural tooth staining as it appears naturally.
A couple of pics of a DIY deer skull

 

[Spearhead]

Final to finish a skull. The teeth once replaced if needed should be stabilized. The sockets will shrink and teeth will dry out and crack from drying out over time. Use a small artist's brush and some slow set epoxy to coat teeth and fix them to the sockets. Coat all sides of teeth and between the teeth up to the bone. They should have a wet appearance when epoxy sets. This will help protect teeth, keep them set in the skull and keep them from cracking. Also, try to minimize over bleaching to retain some of the natural tooth staining as it appears naturally.
A couple of pics of a DIY deer skull

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Great tips @fourfive8 . Simple things I never thought of. Have you ever brush epoxied an entire skull?

 

[fourfive8]

Great tips @fourfive8 . Simple things I never thought of. Have you ever brush epoxied an entire skull?

No I haven't but some taxidermists will use a flat, off-white epoxy paint on skull for long term preservation protection.

 

[channelkat]

I had absolutely no intention of hunting zebra nor even ever thinking of eating one. I was so wrong wrong wrong. Mtn zebra are not easy. Best meat too.

I have, or maybe had, no intention of chasing zebra, but keep reading these types of comments really making me rethink things...