Bear Skull

Staygold

Member
I killed a 325# sow opening morning of 2016. I put in a call to DNR to find out some info on her as far as age and what not. Hope to hear back tomorrow. She had the shortest legs on a bear that I've ever seen, bet her belly drug the ground. Beautiful coat! Got the rug back a while ago. I still have the skull in the freezer. Reading the Bear Forums last few days has got me thinking. Any suggestions on what to do? Anyone tried to DIY euro a bear skull?2016Bear1.JPG2016Bear2.JPG
 
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goshenmountainman

Senior Member
I have done a bunch of deer and a couple bear, if you watch how on youtube it is real easy. Just go to sally beauty supply and buy some 40 volume liquid bleach and after you have boiled it in water and dawn dishwashing liquid, take it out and pressure wash the meat of the bone being careful not to blow out teeth. If you loose teeth super glue them back in. After you have all the meat off, fill up a boiler with 3/4 hair bleach and 1/4 water and simmer for about 30-45 minutes, turn off and leave skull sitting in the mixture till it is room temperature. Take out and let air dry, then take a paint brush and brush entire skull inside and out with mop and glo... will look beautiful. Make sure to cover the skull completely with water when boiling and with bleach when you simmer it, the bleach is activated when it gets hot just simmer and when it starts to boil turn down a little so it just barely moves the water.
 

jp94

Senior Member
I have several euro bear skulls. I have had them done by boiling, beetles, and maceration. Between the three methods beetles and maceration I think give the best results and are the safest, but they are a lot slower. I have seen some that were boiled to long an became very soft and separated at the growth plates. I think a lot DIYers go the boiling route and get great results when doing it, I would just be cautious. Good luck.
 

twincedargap

Senior Member
personally, its such a hard earned trophy, why not drop $100 and let a pro do it! besides, mine was ready a days later. I'd have spent a whole day tending a pot.
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goshenmountainman

Senior Member
First bear skull I had done was 100, I had a deer done two years ago by the same taxi and it cost me 175, thats why I do them all myself. And the ones I done are better than the ones I had did by the taxi. Snow white on the ones I did and more of a yellow white for the beetle cleaned skulls.
 

Tio Hey Seuss

Senior Member
I have done a couple by boiling with dish soap and sodium bicarbonate and I'm happy with them but the beatles are definitely better because boiling will damage delicate structures like the nasal cavity. You're gonna pay at least $100 for a colony of them though so you might be better off paying someone else unless you plan to do multiple skulls. Plus, you have to keep the bugs in a climate controlled environment because they will grow wings and fly off if it's much warmer than 70ish. Still can't talk my wife into letting me keep a tub of flesh eating beatles in the house :cautious:
 

Bruin

Member
The ones that I have boiled have issue with tooth enamel cracking over time. I made a crate that sits outside so they can decompose over time naturally. It keeps big critters out, but lets the bugs in. I would recommend trimming all the meat off first if you go that route.
 

C.Killmaster

Georgia Deer Biologist
The trick is not to overcook them, just simmer them for 20 minutes then pressure wash. Put back in the simmering water for 5 minutes at a time and pressure wash each time until it's clean. I've done gator skulls like this and the bone sutures all hold together and none of the teeth fall out.

You don't need to boil in peroxide, just brush it on and rinse off after 45 minutes (if you're using the 40% hair developer). A day or two if submerged in the regular brown bottle peroxide, then leave it in the sun for a couple of days.
 

goshenmountainman

Senior Member
I don't boil in developer just simmer for about twenty minutes then I leave it sitting till cooled off. I have left them over night, heat activates developer and causes it to work faster. I rinse it off, let it air dry for about a day, then coat with mop and glo. No need to sit in sun, it is completely done after the mop and glo.
 

Staygold

Member
I do all the cooking at my house, so she won't care either way. I use the pot for large batches of tomato basil soup and boiled peanuts. Just thinking if I dive into this adventure, I may want a dedicated pot for skulls.
 

twincedargap

Senior Member
The pot I used for boiling / simmering had a really nasty boil line on it that didn’t want to wash off. I decided then it was dedicated to skulls only.
 

Staygold

Member
10-4, Thanks!

I just talked to DNR and this bear was 6 years old. He couldn't find any information about how many litters she had. I felt like she was mature. Her ears were spread wide on her head as you can and her legs seemed oddly short. Definitely need to do something with the skull.
 

Dana Young

Senior Member
just skin it out and trim all the meat you can off then boil lightly and scrape the rest off you can either bleach it in the sun or paint it white it will make a great conversation piece.
 
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