How to Set Up a European Mount at Home

Do This First, Or You Will Hate How It Turns Out

If you want a clean European mount at home, the fastest path is this.

Skin the head, remove as much meat as you can, simmer it at 170 to 190 degrees, pressure wash, whiten with Salon Care 40, then seal it.

I have done this in a garage that smelled like failure, and I have done it where the skull turned out snow white and didn’t flake a year later.

I process my own deer in the garage, and my uncle was a butcher, so I learned to be picky about the boring steps that make the finished mount look like a taxidermy shop did it.

Decide If You Want “Fast” Or “Perfect” Before You Start

You need to pick your lane, because speed and perfection fight each other on a Euro mount.

If you rush the simmer, you leave grease in the bone, and that yellow stain will show up later like a bad memory.

Here is what I do for a “fast but still clean” mount for a buck I am not entering in any contest.

I start the day after the kill, skin it, cut meat, simmer, pressure wash, whiten, and let it dry for 48 hours.

Here is what I do for “perfect” on a buck I really care about.

I simmer, clean, and then I degrease in warm water with clear Dawn for 3 to 7 days, changing water every day, before whitening.

Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, I did my biggest buck, a 156-inch typical, and I took the slow route.

I still have that skull on a plaque, and it stayed white through three humid Midwest summers.

Make The Cut: Cape Friendly Or Skull Only

This decision matters if you might want a shoulder mount later, or if you are mounting it for a kid’s first deer.

If there is any chance you want a shoulder mount, do not saw through the skull plate and do not cut the cape short.

I learned the hard way that you can ruin options with one careless saw cut.

For a pure Euro, I cut the head off at the atlas joint, and I keep the first neck vertebra attached until I am ready to trim meat.

If you want a wall hanger with a clean nose shape, leave the nasal bones alone and do not smash them while you are wrestling the hide off.

When I am teaching my kids, I slow down on this step, because a broken nose on the skull looks bad forever.

Tools I Actually Use, And The Stuff I Quit Buying

You do not need a taxidermy shop to do this, but you do need a few things that work.

I wasted money on gimmicks before switching to simple tools that do the job every time.

For simmering, I use a 30-quart aluminum turkey fryer pot, and it cost me $68 at a local farm store.

For heat, I use a propane burner that can hold a steady low flame without boiling the water hard.

For cleaning, I use a cheap set of picks, needle-nose pliers, a replaceable blade knife, and a wire brush.

For the “easy button,” I use an electric pressure washer, and mine is a Greenworks 2000 PSI unit that cost $179.

My buddy swears by scraping everything by hand to “protect the bone,” but I have found a light pressure wash at the right angle saves hours and does not hurt anything.

I also keep a roll of blue painter’s tape for antlers, because whitening cream on antlers looks like chalky regret.

And I quit wasting money on ozone scent control years ago, because it made zero difference for deer, and it has zero place in skull work.

If you are curious about deer behavior and why they bust you anyway, this connects to what I wrote about are deer smart.

Skinning The Head: Don’t Make The Nose A Problem

The hide is easiest to remove when the head is fresh, not three days later after it dries like rawhide.

Here is what I do.

I hang the head by the antlers, cut around the base, then work forward with short cuts and lots of pulling.

When I hit the eyes, I cut the eyelids tight to the skull, because leaving eyelid meat adds stink and time later.

The lips and nose are where people get mad.

I cut the lips right at the gum line, and I do not try to keep the nose cartilage pretty, because the cartilage comes out later anyway.

If you are hunting the Missouri Ozarks on public land and you drag a buck a mile, get the head cooled fast.

Heat makes bacteria work faster, and your simmer pot will smell like a crime scene if you let it sit warm.

Brain Out Or Not: Pick Your Mess

You can do a Euro without removing the brain first, but you are signing up for extra stink and extra simmer time.

I remove it first if I can, because it speeds up the whole job.

Here is what I do.

I use a long flat screwdriver and a piece of stiff wire, break up the brain through the foramen magnum, then flush with a garden hose.

If you have an air compressor, an air blow gun helps, but do it outside unless you want to repaint your garage wall.

I learned the hard way that brain soup in the driveway attracts every dog in the county.

Simmering: Boiling Hard Will Ruin Your Mount

This is the biggest mistake I see people make, and it is why their teeth fall out and the bone turns chalky.

If you are hunting camp style and someone tells you “just boil it,” forget about boiling and focus on a low simmer.

I keep the water at 170 to 190 degrees with a thermometer, and I never let it roll.

If you do not have a thermometer, watch the surface.

You want small bubbles and gentle movement, not a violent churn.

I add a small squirt of clear Dawn dish soap to help break surface tension and loosen fat.

I do not dump a cup of bleach in the pot.

Bleach can weaken bone, and it can make the skull look dry and dead, not clean white.

Back in 2007 in southern Missouri, I was still learning, and I boiled a doe skull hard.

The teeth loosened, and I spent an hour gluing them back in like a kindergarten craft project.

Cleaning Meat Off: Decide How “Clean” You Need It Before Whitening

Whitening is not magic.

If you leave meat in the nasal cavity, it will rot, and it will seep grease and smell later.

Here is what I do right after the first simmer.

I pull the skull out, let it cool for 10 minutes, then start with pliers and picks to peel meat off the back of the skull and jaw hinges.

Then I pressure wash lightly.

I keep the nozzle 12 to 18 inches away, and I do not blast the thin bone around the turbinates like I am stripping paint.

If you do not have a pressure washer, you can do it by hand, but plan on a long afternoon.

This ties into clean butchering habits too, and if you want my step-by-step on the harvest side, I wrote it here for a reason. I follow how to field dress a deer the same way every time so I am not dealing with extra mess later.

Degreasing: The Step That Separates A White Skull From A Yellow One

If your skull turns yellow after a month, it was not the whitening that failed.

It was grease that stayed in the bone.

Grease is common on older bucks, and it can be bad on deer from rich ag country like Southern Iowa.

It can also show up on thick-bodied deer from Buffalo County, Wisconsin, after a hard rut when they were eating heavy.

Here is what I do for degreasing.

I put the skull in a tote with warm water at about 110 degrees and a heavy squirt of clear Dawn.

I use an aquarium heater if it is cold out, because warm water pulls grease better than cold water.

I change the water daily for the first three days if it is cloudy or has a fat slick on top.

I learned the hard way that skipping degreasing saves time now and costs time later, because you will be re-whitening a yellow skull.

If you are the type that watches deer patterns closely, this is like checking your basics before you chase fancy tricks. When I am trying to time deer movement, I check feeding times first, not moon charts.

Whitening: Use The Right Peroxide And Protect The Antlers

I want white bone, not brittle bone.

I use peroxide cream, not household bleach, and not straight liquid peroxide sloshing everywhere.

Here is what I do.

I wrap the antler bases with blue painter’s tape, then I cover antlers with plastic grocery bags and more tape.

Then I paint on Salon Care 40 Volume Creme Developer from Sally Beauty, and a bottle is usually $9 to $13.

I coat the skull evenly, then set it in the shade for 12 to 24 hours.

If it dries out too fast, I add another thin coat halfway through.

After that, I rinse with water, and I let it dry for at least 48 hours inside the garage.

If you whiten in direct sun in July, you can get uneven drying and weird streaks.

My buddy swears by soaking in a peroxide bath, but I have found the cream method is cleaner and keeps the antlers safer.

My Quick Rule of Thumb

If the skull smells “sweet rotten” after the first simmer, do a second low simmer and then degrease for 3 days.

If you see yellow patches around the forehead or jaw hinge, expect grease to bleed out later unless you keep degreasing.

If conditions change to freezing temps in your garage, switch to a heated tote or an aquarium heater so the degrease water stays warm.

Jaw On Or Jaw Off: Pick The Look You Want

This is personal taste, but you should decide now, because cleaning is different.

I prefer jaw off for a clean wall look, especially on a whitetail with a narrow head.

If you keep the jaw on, you need to clean and whiten it the same way, and it will hold grease too.

Here is what I do if I remove it.

I cut the tendons at the jaw hinge after a short simmer, then pry gently until it pops free.

If you force it cold, you can crack thin bone near the hinge.

If you want a reference point for what you are looking at on a buck, it helps to know what a male deer is called in different places. I covered that here because people argue about it at camp. I still say “buck,” but here is what is a male deer called.

Teeth, Nose Bones, And Little Breaks: Decide What You Will Fix And What You Will Ignore

Euro mounts are tough, but they are not indestructible.

The little nose bones can break if you pressure wash like a maniac.

If a tooth falls out, do not panic.

Here is what I do.

I let the skull dry, then I glue teeth back in with plain super glue gel, one at a time.

I do not use wood glue, because it stays rubbery and looks bad if it squeezes out.

If you chip a thin edge, I leave it alone unless it is obvious from the front.

Trying to patch bone can look worse than the chip.

Sealing: A Tradeoff Between “Natural” And “Easy To Dust”

Some guys like raw bone, and some guys want a sealed finish that wipes clean.

Here is the tradeoff.

Unsealed bone can absorb humidity, dust, and smoke, and it can yellow faster in a kitchen or a garage with a heater.

Sealed bone is easier to dust, but too much shine can make it look like plastic.

Here is what I do.

I use Rust-Oleum Matte Clear spray, two light coats from 12 inches away.

I do it outside, and I let it cure 24 hours before handling.

I learned the hard way that heavy coats pool in the cavities and turn glossy.

Mounting Options: Decide Wall, Table, Or Plaque Before You Drill

Do not drill holes until you know how it will hang.

I like a simple plaque for most bucks, because it looks finished and it hides the back of the skull.

Here is what I do for a plaque mount.

I buy a basic walnut Euro plaque from Hunter Specialties, usually $24 to $39, and I pre-drill a pilot hole in the skull’s brain cavity area.

Then I use a single long screw with a washer, and I snug it down, not gorilla tight.

If you crank it, you can crack bone around the mounting point.

If you want a clean table mount, I set the skull on a metal stand and do not drill anything.

If you hunt places like Ohio with shotgun zones and you take a lot of deer, stands make swapping skulls fast. It also keeps holes out of skulls you might gift to a buddy.

What I Remember From Real Hunts That Changed How I Do Euros

Back in November 1998 in Iron County, Missouri, I killed my first deer, an 8-point buck, with a borrowed rifle.

I did not Euro mount that one, and I wish I had, because I can still see that rack in my head.

Years later in the Missouri Ozarks on public land, I started doing Euros because I was broke and I wanted my deer on the wall.

That is still me in a lot of ways, even with a small 65-acre lease now.

And I still remember my worst mistake in 2007, gut shooting a doe and pushing her too early and never finding her.

That is why I am serious about doing the work right after the shot, whether it is tracking or skull work, because waste sticks with you.

If you want the hard truth on shot placement, I wrote it like I talk about it at camp. I follow where to shoot a deer to drop it in its tracks as a mental checklist before I ever draw my bow.

FAQ

How long does a European mount take at home?

If I am pushing it, I can finish one in 6 to 10 hours plus drying time.

If I degrease right, I plan on 3 to 7 days with daily water changes.

Can I boil a deer skull to clean it faster?

I do not, because hard boiling loosens teeth and can damage bone.

I simmer at 170 to 190 degrees and I would rather take longer than ruin it.

What do I do if my European mount turns yellow later?

That is grease coming out of the bone.

I soak it again in warm water with clear Dawn for a few days, then re-whiten with Salon Care 40.

Is hydrogen peroxide better than bleach for whitening a skull?

Yes, for me, because peroxide whitens without the same bone weakening that bleach can cause.

I use 40 volume cream so it stays where I paint it and does not touch the antlers.

Should I keep the nose cartilage and turbinates?

I try to keep the turbinates intact because they look cool and natural on a whitetail.

If you are pressure washing, back off the nozzle and accept “mostly clean” over broken bone.

How do I keep my garage from smelling like death while I do a Euro mount?

I do it outside on a calm day and I keep the simmer low, because boiling spreads stink.

I also bag and freeze scraps until trash day, because leaving meat in a can for four days is a rookie move.

What I Would Do Different Depending On Where You Hunt

Deer are not the same everywhere, and the skull work changes with age, fat, and weather.

If you are hunting Pike County, Illinois and you shoot an older buck, expect more grease in the skull.

That means longer degrease and a little more patience around the bases.

If you are hunting Buffalo County, Wisconsin and it is cold, your degrease water cools fast.

That means you need warm water changes, or the grease just sits there.

If you are hunting the Missouri Ozarks and you are dragging deer out of thick cover, you might have dirt and leaf junk stuck everywhere.

That means rinse the skull hard with a hose before it ever hits your simmer pot.

This also ties into where deer hole up during nasty weather. If you are trying to plan a recovery and timing after a storm, I keep notes on where deer go when it rains.

Next, You Need A Plan For Smell, Safety, And Disposal

This is the part nobody posts in their glossy photos, but it matters if you have neighbors, kids, or a small garage.

I have two kids, so I treat skull work like a shop project, not a kitchen project.

Here is what I do next, step by step, before I even light the burner.

I set up outside, I put down cardboard, I keep nitrile gloves on hand, and I stage two buckets for “clean tools” and “dirty tools.”

I also pick a spot where the wind is steady, because a shifting wind will blow that smell right into your open door.

If you are curious how much meat you are giving up when you mess up a head and neck, it helps to understand yield. This connects to what I wrote about how much meat from a deer because I hate waste.

More on the cleanup plan is coming next.

Next, You Need A Plan For Smell, Safety, And Disposal

This is the part nobody posts in their glossy photos, but it matters if you have neighbors, kids, or a small garage.

I have two kids, so I treat skull work like a shop project, not a kitchen project.

Here is what I do next, step by step, before I even light the burner.

I set up outside, I put down cardboard, I keep nitrile gloves on hand, and I stage two buckets for “clean tools” and “dirty tools.”

I also pick a spot where the wind is steady, because a shifting wind will blow that smell right into your open door.

If you are curious how much meat you are giving up when you mess up a head and neck, it helps to understand yield.

This connects to what I wrote about how much meat from a deer because I hate waste.

Decide Where The Smell Is Allowed To Live, Or Your Family Will Ban You

You need to decide if this is an “outside only” job or a “garage with the door open” job.

If you try to simmer a skull in a closed garage at 42 degrees and raining, you will regret it by minute fifteen.

Here is what I do when I have the space.

I run the burner in the driveway, 25 yards from the door, and I keep the pot lid cracked so it does not fog up and stink-bomb the whole block.

Here is what I do when weather forces me inside.

I crack the garage door 18 inches, run a box fan pointing out, and I keep everything on cardboard so I am not spraying skull goo on concrete.

Back in 2014 in the Missouri Ozarks, I tried doing one in a small attached garage during a cold snap.

My wife said the whole house smelled like wet dog and soup bones for two days, and I never did that again.

Mistakes That Make You Sick, Not Just Mad

This is real bone and real bacteria, so you need to decide how careful you are going to be.

I do not mess around with bare hands and little cuts on my fingers anymore.

Here is what I do every single time.

I wear nitrile gloves, I keep eye protection on for pressure washing, and I wash tools with hot water and dish soap right after I am done.

I learned the hard way that a pressure washer will flick tiny chunks of hot meat back in your face.

If you are doing this with kids around, forget about “they will be fine” and focus on keeping them away from the pot and the pressure washer.

Decide If You Are Saving The Cape, Or You Are Throwing It Out

This sounds obvious, but it changes your whole cleanup plan.

If you are keeping the cape for a taxidermist, you need a clean bag, a tag, and a freezer plan before you cut anything.

If you are trashing it, you still need to do it the right way, because a head hide in a trash can for four days will turn your garage into a buzzard party.

Here is what I do.

I double bag scraps in contractor bags, freeze them, and put them out the morning of trash day.

If you live out in the country, you can bury scraps deep, but I still do it away from the house and away from where my kids play.

Disposal Tradeoff: Trash, Bury, Or Burn

You need to pick a method that fits your place and your neighbors.

Trash is easiest, but it stinks if you do not freeze it first.

Burying works if you can dig deep and you are not right next to a creek.

Burning can work for small scraps, but I do not like stinking up the area or dealing with half-burned hide.

Here is what I do 90 percent of the time.

I freeze the scraps and send them with the regular trash, because it is clean and it does not draw coyotes into my yard.

If Your Skull Still Smells, You Skipped Something

A finished Euro should smell like nothing, not like old meat.

If it stinks a week later, there is meat still in the nose, the brain cavity, or the jaw hinges.

Here is what I do if I catch it early.

I re-simmer at 170 to 190 degrees for 30 to 60 minutes, pressure wash gently, then go right back into degrease before I re-whiten.

My buddy swears by dumping more whitening cream on to “cover the smell,” but I have found stink always comes from leftover tissue.

Decide How You Will Protect Antlers Long Term

Once the skull is clean, the antlers are the part you can mess up with fingerprints, grease, or whitening streaks.

If you like a natural look, leave them alone and just dust them.

If you want darker antlers, you can stain or oil them, but that is a tradeoff.

Darkening can look great, but it also can look fake fast if you overdo it.

Here is what I do.

I wipe antlers with a barely damp rag, then I leave them natural, because most deer antlers look right the way they are.

If you want to understand why bucks carry antlers in the first place, it helps you appreciate the rack you are trying not to ruin.

This connects to what I wrote about why do deer have antlers because it is not just “bone on the head,” and it changes how I handle them.

What I Tell Friends Before They Try Their First One

Do not do your first Euro mount the night before work, because you will rush it and hate it.

Do not hard boil it, do not bleach it, and do not blast the nose with a pressure washer from six inches away.

Here is what I do when a buddy asks for the easiest first win.

I tell him to do a clean simmer, a gentle wash, then a 3-day degrease, and only then do the whitening cream.

I also tell him to do it on a smaller buck or a doe first, not the best deer he has ever killed.

And yes, a doe Euro looks cool too, and it is a good practice run.

If you want to settle camp arguments about names, I covered the basics on what is a female deer called and it is handy when you are labeling plaques for the kids.

My Last Reality Check From The Field

I hunt 30 plus days a year, and I still mess stuff up if I get in a hurry.

I have lost deer I should have found, and I have found deer I thought were gone, and that same rule applies in the garage.

I learned the hard way that shortcuts show up later, usually as yellow bone or a sour smell.

Back in November 2019 in Pike County, Illinois, I did my 156-inch buck slow, and it is still the best looking Euro I have on the wall.

That is why my advice is boring on purpose.

Skin it clean, simmer low, degrease longer than you want, whiten with Salon Care 40, and seal it light.

If you do that, you will end up with a mount you are proud to hang in the living room, not one you hide in the garage.