BushWear's Guide to Trophy Prep - Part 1

From Field to Shield;

BushWear's Guide to Trophy Preparation 

Part 1: Trophy Cleaning

A well prepared and displayed trophy is the ambition of many of us who stalk. Yet the process of working through the necessary stages from field to shield are seen by many as a bit of a black art; an experience which can be a bit hit or miss. The reality is that it doesn't have to be, and with planning and the use of simple tools, you can achieve it.

Stage 1: Initial Cleaning

You will need;

  •     A stable work-surface (Table or bench)
  •     1 Plastic bucket
  •     Clean water
  •     Boning knife or scalpel
  •     Pliers
  •     Flat bladed screwdriver
  •     Washing soda crystals
  •    Cutting jig
  •    Protective glove

 

Method

Ensure a safe working area. The first stage will take about 90 minutes.

Start by removing the head from the animal by severing at the atlas joint. Fill the bucket with clean cold water then add 50 grams of soda crystals and put the whole head in the bucket (the head can stay there for up to 24 hours until you are ready to skin it.) The soda crystals will act as a blood release agent. When ready, skin the whole head, starting at the back cut through the ear canals and work around the pedicles. Next skin over the eye lids, down to the nose, and then free off the jaw and bottom lip. Dispose of the skin responsibly. Place the skinned head in a new solution of cold water and soda crystals and leave to stand for 20 minutes. Next, cut away all the flesh and tissue from the head, carefully separating the lower jaws by cutting out the tongue, severing the jaw muscle and easing the jaw clear.

Decision time

With the jaws separated from the upper skull and as much of the tissue removed. A practical choice then needs to be made... to cut or not. If you think your trophy will achieve CIC medal status, and its one of the following; Red, Roe or Fallow, our advice is don't cut. If it's a Sika, Muntjac or Wild Goat, unlike the first three, there is no weight element and no disadvantage if you do cut.

So to cut, secure the skull in the cutting jig, set the guides to the desired angle and using the supplied saw cut through. Scoop out the brain tissue and the nasal cartilage* 

If the skull has been left whole, the next step is to take out the brain. There is no short cut to this, but if the head has been deep frozen for a few weeks the process will be slightly easier, as the formation of ice crystals will make removal much more straightforward. In either case use a screwdriver to loosen the brain and draw it out through the hole at the base the Foramen Magnum*

*Tip: Use a long handled spoon to help loosen the brain.

Stage 2: Boiling

You will need;

  • A boiler or metal pot & heat source

  • Boiling clamp

  • Soda crystals

  • Plastic bucket and clean cold water

  • Pliers, knife, forceps

Method

The second stage will take about 90 minutes.

Bring enough water to cover the skull to the boil (for a roe with a full skull about 3 litres). Add 25 grams of soda crystals, these will now act as a degreasing agent. While waiting for the water to reach boiling point, securely fix the antlers into the boiling clamp.

Fix the clamp to the boiling pot and position the skull in the solution. Make sure that no parts of the antlers go into the solution. Remember, old animals will require more boiling than young ones. The key to a good finished trophy is to not over-boil the skull. If you do you will permanently weaken the bone structure which will become chalky and fragile to touch.

Young roe trophies should not be left in the boiling solution for more than 20 minutes, and even for very old specimens, an absolute maximum of 30 minutes. Remove from the solution and place in your bucket of cold clean water and allow to cool. Carefully pick off the remaining tissue. The older the animal, the more difficult this will be, and whole skulls are more difficult than cut ones. The use of any pressure washers is not recommended, as they will often cause damage to fragile structures, detaching small bones. When you have removed the last adhering tissue replace the trophy in cold clean water.

Tip: Make sure you keep putting the head into cold water. Aim to keep the skull wet between working operations.

In Part 2 we will look at how to deal with horned animals, the bleaching process, and how to fit to a shield. Stay tuned!