Buried deer head

Archeryrob · Aug 29, 2021

So I just wanted the deer skull from my buck last year. Sawed off his head dug a hole 11/1 and planted it and set a steel pole in the hole to find it. Anyone else done this? I got the urge to dig it up next week or so, but don’t want to have to re- bury it because the worms and bugs aren’t finished yet.

Dig it or let it rest some more?

teratos · Aug 29, 2021

You’d probably be better off leaving it on the ground in a place where something bigger can’t drag it off.

outrider58 · Aug 29, 2021

I read an article in a bow hunting magazine once by a guy who would bury his skun heads in a compose leaf bin. Pretty much just kept it buried in leaves. He would keep an eye on it to make sure it stayed covered in leaves and by late spring(I believe), it would be completely cleaned.

I know a guy who uses old fish tanks. He keeps them filled and uses fish tank heaters to keep them from freezing and the low heat causes all the soft tissue to putrefy. By spring he sprays them down with a pressure washer.

Threeband · Aug 29, 2021

Put it on your roof for the birds, sort of like the Parsees.

Archeryrob · Aug 29, 2021

First I’ve left chickens in front of trail cameras and coons drag them all over in several nights. Plus squirrels already chew on my camera power cords. I’m pretty sure they’d mess up my antlers

My compost pile is not deep enough yet. I can bury a dead chicken in it but nothing as big as a deer head yet. The Mennonites compost the dead milking cows in the fields now

It’s been buried almost nine months now

Pale Ryder · Aug 29, 2021

I did that several years ago, don’t remember how long exactly. Close to 1 year, anyway it was very clean aside from the dirt.

I think you can dig it up.

CaptainAwesome · Aug 29, 2021

I used washing soda for the first time simmering in a stainless pot - very effective at degreasing and loosening the membranes fast. I kept the water from coming to a boil also. While watching the simmering flesh, drink beer and admire how lucky I was to pull off the shot and retrieve that rutting buck.

303_enfield · Aug 29, 2021

The above, boil it an power wash it. Look at you tube.

outrider58 · Aug 29, 2021

CaptainAwesome said:
I used washing soda for the first time simmering in a stainless pot - very effective at degreasing and loosening the membranes fast. I kept the water from coming to a boil also. While watching the simmering flesh, drink beer and admire how lucky I was to pull off the shot and retrieve that rutting buck.

I've done a bunch this way. :thumbsup:

Archeryrob · Aug 29, 2021

Okay, the question was not should I boil it, because I won’t. I don’t need it in a hurry and have been waiting nine months now. I just wanted opinions on if it was long enough and I thought I stayed that clearly

My buddy boiled one all day and fatted up a pot terrible and then power washed it and I watched all this and it took forever. I don’t care that much about quickness but do very much on spending and entire day or weekend cleaning one.

Pale Ryder, thank you

CaptainAwesome · Aug 29, 2021

Archeryrob said:
Okay, the question was not should I boil it, because I won’t. I don’t need it in a hurry and have been waiting nine months now. I just wanted opinions on if it was long enough and I thought I stayed that clearly

My buddy boiled one all day and fatted up a pot terrible and then power washed it and I watched all this and it took forever. I don’t care that much about quickness but do very much on spending and entire day or weekend cleaning one.

Pale Ryder, thank you

Sorry ArcheryRob, I understood your initial question. It's just that I want my antlers to be pristine with no UV damage or weathering. If you choose the burial method the antlers will dry out and appear aged. Maybe you want that effect. Maybe you could cover the antlers in tape stretch wrap or a tarp. Maybe not. Trade offs with any approach = time/money/results.

CaptainAwesome · Aug 29, 2021

outrider58 said:
I've done a bunch this way.

Atta boy...........nice memories. :thumbsup:

rseymorejr · Aug 29, 2021

My uncle used to put them on a bucket in his shop and the ants would do most of it in a couple weeks

Archeryrob · Aug 29, 2021

Captain Awesome, no big deal it’s just going to hang in my detached garage and probably get chicken bedding dust on it if my daughter raises chickens again. This won’t hangin the house. I won’t stuff ducks or geese because I don’t want to spend the money on that or dust them all the time

It’s just a small memory reminder without spending all the money

JamesDong · Aug 29, 2021

Archeryrob said:
Okay, the question was not should I boil it, because I won’t. I don’t need it in a hurry and have been waiting nine months now. I just wanted opinions on if it was long enough and I thought I stayed that clearly

My buddy boiled one all day and fatted up a pot terrible and then power washed it and I watched all this and it took forever. I don’t care that much about quickness but do very much on spending and entire day or weekend cleaning one.

Pale Ryder, thank you

Dig it up, I wanna see pics!!!!

pre64hunter · Aug 29, 2021

Yeah, just dig it up, why all the fuss?

Doco Overboard · Aug 29, 2021

outrider58 said:
I've done a bunch this way.

Altar of Critical Deer Theory. (CDT)
Ive seen similar shrines elsewhere before.
If they were all mapped, it would be a trail of illumination, wisdom and knowledge set across the countryside.

slowpoke · Aug 29, 2021

I did this a couple years ago. Wrapped the rack in aluminum foil to try to keep the rodents off and covered the spot with plastic storage box weighted down with bricks. left it buried about 8 months. I think I just hosed it off when I dug it up.

Doco Overboard · Aug 29, 2021

Sometimes we used to just put them in a bucket. Flesh them out, fill with water, let stand.
Stinks to high heaven when it gets hot.
Keep down wind from the house, or the old girl will freak if she gets a whiff hanging clothes out.
Not good.

MeatGrinder · Aug 29, 2021

I've buried them and dug them up a year later. (Your piece of rebar is a good idea. Wish I had thought of that.) Works great. The only issue is that it is not a pristine white. One I bleached with Clorox. Next time, I think I will look into hydrogen peroxide.
I did a full year just out of simplicity. Bury one in Nov, and year later go to bury a second one and remember the first!

Buried deer head

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