Bleaching the Tissue

• 1). Remove all skin from the skull with a knife while the skin is soft and supple. Skin that has dried to the skull will be more difficult to remove.
  
  
• 2). Remove the soft tissues and organs from inside the skull. Scrape away marrow inside the antlers.
  
  
• 3). Boil the head in a mixture of bleach and water to ensure that all tissue is removed. This also will prevent the head from giving off an odor. Add a tablespoon of bleach to each gallon of water so that there is enough water to cover the skull. Boil the skull for 15 minutes without submerging the antlers.
  
  
• 4). Flush the skull with a garden hose to remove any remaining tissue caught in the upper cavities.
  
  
• 5). Remove the jaw from the skull if it has not fallen away. The lower jaw is not mounted with the rest of the skull.
  
  
• 6). Coat the base of the antlers with petroleum jelly to protect them from the bleach used to whiten and preserve the skull.
  
  
• 7). Mix two parts bleach and one part water in a plastic bucket deep enough for the skull to be submerged. Soak the skull for 24 hours or until it reaches the desired color. Overbleaching the skull can make the bone fragile.
  
  

Mounting the Skull

• 1). Use Super Glue to install any loose teeth back into the mount. Allow the glue to dry.
  
  
• 2). Coat the skull with a clear acrylic. This will give the mount a high gloss and provide a layer of protection.
  
  
• 3). Predrill holes into the mounting block and base of the skull. This will prevent the wood or skull from cracking when joined.
  
  
• 4). Screw through the predrilled holes to affix the skull to the mounting block.