Preparing animal skull

FaithNoMore

Hi, my OH came across a ram mostly rotten in a deep ditch while out hunting. Asked the farmer if he could have the skull as it has nice curling horns .
So it's been hanging in a bucket, de horned, in the poly tunnel since before Christmas 2014 and the flies haven't really gone for it, to de flesh it.
I put it on the shed roof in January and he has power hosed it this morning as he's threatening to throw it into the hedge if I don't hurry up and do something with it!
There's still a lot of grease on it, especially around the neck area. I don't want to boil it in the house,I've no way in boiling it outside for long enough.... Any suggestions? Would washing powder make it brittle? I'm also trying to source hydrogen peroxide cheaply, Boots is near E3 for 120mls @6%, far too costly!

looksee

I was recommended to boil bones with a handful of bio washing powder, it took an hour or so. If you can't boil it then I am not sure what to suggest. I think your OH's suggestion of throwing it in the (bottom of the) hedge is not a bad one, leave it for the insects to clean. You would not get the flies you need in the winter, and I think things like ants would do a better job anyway.

FaithNoMore

looksee wrote: »

I was recommended to boil bones with a handful of bio washing powder, it took an hour or so. If you can't boil it then I am not sure what to suggest. I think your OH's suggestion of throwing it in the (bottom of the) hedge is not a bad one, leave it for the insects to clean. You would not get the flies you need in the winter, and I think things like ants would do a better job anyway.

Sure, the flies had all summer and never really did much, useless!...
I think he means to leave it in the hedge fovever lol
I shall probably have to get the huge stock pot out of the attic and drag the cooker outside... I hope the boiling gets the meaty stuff out of the neck area and the brains are well gone, yurk
Did you whiten the bone? There's mould on this one...
Thanks for your reply

looksee

Yes they came white, though they were reasonably fresh. The guy who told me what to do (hunter) said leave them till they were rotten before boiling, but I couldn't cope with that! You need to boil them till the gristly bits are easy to rub off the bones.

FaithNoMore

O brill, gristley bits, vom! Thanks for the advice, will let you know how it goes, might wait a few weeks, give the flies a chance... The dogs jumped onto the 7' high ferret pen yesterday, got the skull and a horn, started to run off with them, cheeky sods! No damage done... (Disgusting how people let their dogs lick their faces lol)

aaakev

Bury it for a while, earth worms do a nice job on them!

Why not boil it inside tho? It wont smell bad and will strip it all

FaithNoMore

He reckons that it will take years? Also, I've read that it stinks the place out...? Not exactly looking forward to this lol

ronn

You should ask on the hunting forum, some lads there would clean skulls a lot,

FaithNoMore

ronn wrote: »

You should ask on the hunting forum, some lads there would clean skulls a lot,

Thanks, only a limited amount of options on my phone to choose from when posting the question, will go to the full site now ...

nomette

Hi,

I've been collecting skulls for years.

I bury them for a few weeks in the back garden, and then boil in water and bleach. Doesn't smell the house out with the bleach. Or alternative bury and then steep for a week or two outside in water and bleach.