Attaching Antlers to a Euro Skull

[cnelk]

Here is the process we did to attach my sons velvet, non typical elk antlers to the skull.
After cutting them off, I sent them to a taxidermist to get freeze dried.
If you ever shoot an animal with velvet I would recommend this.



Let\'s start

 

[cnelk]

I drilled holes in the pedicles and the antlers

 

[cnelk]

Antler

 

[cnelk]

I cut some 1/4-20 all thread and bent it slightly

 

[cnelk]

We then mixed up some BONDO and set the pins in the skull

 

[iccyman001]

Some people were born with Silver spoons in their mouths.

Brad came out with a power drill in one hand and a hammer in the other.




Very cool Brad. Did you start doing this all on your own or did you have some guidance?

 

[cnelk]

We set the antlers on the pins. But soon found out the hole in the antler was too small for any adjustment.
So we drilled bigger holes on each antler, filled one with BONDO and set it in place and held it for a few minutes until it set

 

[cnelk]

Very cool Brad. Did you start doing this all on your own or did you have some guidance?

Matt @ RMHH assisted me as he had done one or two previously

 

[cnelk]

Ta Da!
Took a couple hours to complete

 

[cnelk]

Display

 

[cohunter14]

Looks great Brad!

 

[Wake26]

looks great Brad. Congrats to Cole again for a sweet bull.

 

[razorback]

That\'s sweet. I really like that mount. I remember you texting that pic to Terry while we were in CO. Proud for you guys.

 

[razorback]

At what point did you saw the antlers off? Were they so soft that they had to come off in the woods or was it after you got him back to camp, just curious.

 

[Zpd307]

At what point did you saw the antlers off? Were they so soft that they had to come off in the woods or was it after you got him back to camp, just curious.

I was wondering the same thing. why didn\'t you guys keep the head. it looks good, but, a plastic head isn\'t the same....

 

[bowhunter]

At what point did you saw the antlers off? Were they so soft that they had to come off in the woods or was it after you got him back to camp, just curious.

I was wondering the same thing. why didn\'t you guys keep the head. it looks good, but, a plastic head isn\'t the same....

I think that is the real head. It looks like saw marks on it. I think he cut it off near the buttons where the velvet started and then reattatched after cleaning the skull and drying the antlers. That is my take on the process.

 

[cnelk]

Yes. its the real skull.
We cut the antlers off just before I sent them to get freeze dried. We had the head in the freezer prior to that time
There were some points that were soft on the ends and I didnt want anything to rot,.

There wasnt much of a burr as the hair blended right into the velvet [look close at the bull when my son is holding it] but enough to determine where to cut

 

[iccyman001]

Is there any routine maintenance that you\'ll have to do over the years to keep the velvet still looking nice?

 

[cnelk]

ICCY
Im not real sure, but I may spray them down lightly with RAID come Spring just to be safe from bugs

 

[Deertick]

That looks great ... I\'m now wanting to shoot something in velvet!

Actually, I do have a velvet caribou rack at the house ... it was freeze-dried in Alaska and shipped down. I haven\'t done a thing to it and it holds up fine ... no bugs, etc.