Skull prep

[Franco]

What is the best process for removing flesh/hair/etc from a raccoon skull, and prep for display?

Thank you

 

[JimP]

Here is a PDF that I follow for most North American game animals.

I'd skin as much skin off of the skull as I could before you place it into the pot, you can also adjust the amount of Sal Soda to the size of the skull. I believe that you can also pick up a kit that includes most of what you need from the WWW. I just use baking soda.

It is in the instructions and while it is refereed to boiling a skull you never want the water to come to a boil, a good hot simmer is best. For a racoon you may have to do a few extra cooking times because of oils in the skull

 

[Zinz]

Boil it in salty water. I've always used a propane cooker outside (to keep the smell out of the house). A slow, rolling boil is all that is needed. After an hour or so, the meat and such should just fall off. Dental picks or something similar can help clean the tougher pieces from the nooks and crannies. Get all brain out and use tweezers to remove the cartilage from the sinuses. After the boiling, place the skull in hydrogen peroxide. Just the stuff you can get from the drug store is fine. I use disposable aluminum pans for this. Let it soak 24 hours. Take it out and clean any last bits with a pointy knife and let it dry outside.

I've done all sorts of skulls over the years and this method works for me. I'm sure others will have ideas as well. My skulls turn out with a beautiful bone color and not that bleached-white color. I think a lot of that comes from not boiling it too much and only using hydrogen peroxide (NEVER use bleach, it will destroy the bone)

Hope this helps,

Ed Z

 

[Zinz]

Some examples of mine.

This feral hog came out nicely.

Done lots of whitetails

Here’s a Red Hartebeest done in Namibia. The bone is very white, which can also be very nice.

Ed Z

 

[Hillcountry63]

I use a "Buck Boiler" with some Dawn dish soap for all my euro/skulls. It doesn't make the bone brittle like standard over boiling can do.

 

[Flbt]

What is the best process for removing flesh/hair/etc from a raccoon skull, and prep for display?

Thank you

Do you have fire ants? Put the skull in a fire ant bed
When they eat everything put it in peroxided from the drug store that all ways worked for me
Just need to put something over the ant bed to keep another varment form running off with it

 

[Flbt]

Ants and the proxiced

 

[JimP]

I like to use Basic White and 100% peroxide that you can get from a beauty supply store. Mix the basic white and peroxide to make a past and then paint it onto the skull, place in a plastic bag for a couple of days and then rinse it off.

But then I don't live in a area that has FIRE ants anymore, or I'd just use them