Horn processing?

[blipelt]

BB, you never mentioned about the wonderful aroma coming from the head. Silicon works well also for gluing, if you screwup it isn't permanent then.


Brent

[J E Custom]

Remember guys , These are horns not antlers and they have meat in side the horns
that will get pretty rank if you let it rot.

Boiling will release the horns and then you can remove the meat from the skull and
dry it with out the smell.

Then glue the horns back on the nubs (There is a technical term but I cant think of
it at the moment)left on the skull.

J E CUSTOM

PS: I'm just not as tough as BB.

[FEENIX]

Yep, too much trouble ... and I'm too lazy to do it myself. I had one done in European in 2004 ($125 processing + $50 for the base).



Happy safe hunting!

[Petersen]

JE is right. Antelope horns need a lot more care than antlers.. If you want to stay and hunt for a while, cape the animal out and keep the horns in a cooler.

When I boil these out I have the water simmering with the water level almost up to the prongs. After a while you will be able to twist the horns off. When you do this you measure how far the prong tips are apart and how far the tip of the horns are apart because when you reassemble the horns and skull you want him to look like your antelope.

When you take the horns off there is a hairy sheath underneath you need to take off the skull. When I put the horns back on I use bondo.

It will definitely be easier for you to drop it off at a taxidermist.

[300rum]

Hi,

Just Cut off the horns with skull plates and leave it outside on the tree for 2-3 days.
The flyers and ants will take care of all the brain and meat left, cleaning the skull very well.

No smell, and after you will come home you can prepare it how you like.
My self I just let it sit in salt for 3 mo after the skull was cleaned by ants and flyers. and no smell or loose hear

I will post a photo in few minutes.


Final product after 3 mo in salt.

this is how the ants cleaned the skull. No smell, no loose skin or droping furr.

I have another skull on my back yard at cleaning hang up on tree. In 2-3 days will be cleaned and then I have to placed on one bag with salt for 3 mo.

[gcamp54]

Thanks for all the info. I'm heading out tomorrow night. The weather doesn't look all that great in Wyoming next week but I still can't wait to get away and just hunt for 2 weeks.

Gordon
Niceville, FL