Here's what you need to make a DIY skull mount for less than $50 after a successful deer hunt without leaving your campsite.
Marcus Hockett works with Randy Newberg as a camera man and field producer. Like Randy, Marcus is a Montana resident who does a lot of out-of-state hunting on public land.
Unfortunately, the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) has really made things complicated for hunters like Randy and Marcus, and they need to take special precautions when transporting deer carcasses across American state lines.
Specifically, most states restrict the import of brain or spinal matter from deer and elk taken in states where CWD is present. Fortunately, the majority of states make exceptions for finished taxidermy or cervid skulls that have all soft tissue removed from them.
So what do you do if you're hunting out of state and don't want to take your deer or elk to a taxidermist there? You aren't hung up on a full shoulder mount, but you aren't sure what to do. Simple: just make a DIY skull mount at your campsite.
Watch the video below as Marcus gives a detailed breakdown of the Euro mount process with a couple of Coues deer taken on a recent hunt in Arizona. All told, it cost him about $36 to buy the necessary gear at Wal-Mart. However, you won't have to make that shopping trip if you bring a large pot, a propane burner, some dish soap, and some baking soda with you on your hunt.
You might want to consider a similar process of boiling your skull at your campsite even if you're hunting in your home state.
As you can see, it's not very difficult or expensive to do out in the field and you won't stink up your home or your backyard if you take care of that work in the woods. A pair of latex gloves and a pressure washer would be nice, but they aren't entirely necessary if you take the right precautions. Antler bases come pretty cheap these days, or you could go with something meant specifically for the job, like a Skull Hooker.
Making your own European mount is a great way to memorialize a deer skull. There's nothing like a little DIY taxidermy to save you money, time, and the trouble of tracking down dermestid beetles.
Like what you see here? You can read more great articles by John McAdams on The Big Game Hunting Blog. Follow him on Facebook, YouTube, & Instagram.
NEXT: IT DOESN'T GET MUCH CLOSER THAN THAT: RANDY NEWBERG SHOOTS NEW MEXICO ELK AT 2 YARDS
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