Trying my own European mount - Advice

Got one in an ant pile right now

I thought of the ant pile but the only ones I have aren't in my fence. They are behind it which connects to a 75 acre field filled with coyotes that would run off with the head.

It's a long process. First thing is to get as much meat off as possible before boiling a pressure washer works well for getting meat off once it's boiled but it's messy you will have to get a stick or screwdriver and stir it in the brain cavity to get the brain out. Repeat several times. Will end up using a lot of propane

Also look up cold water maceration. Had a girl in a biology class and she worked in the museum she would preserve skulls for the museum and they came out awesome White as could be

never boiled them or anything

Here is a link
LINK

I just did one and its pretty easy. Skin the head completely, take off any meat that you can get to. Put head in pot of water mixed with liquid soap (dawn) and a little bleach. Only put enough water to cover head to base of antlers. Bring pot to slow boil and boil for 2 hours.(slow simmering boil)

After 2 hours, take head out of pot and get your pressure washer. Wear gloves! Jaw will separate from skull. Should be loose meat and tongue visible. Remove by hand any visible loose meat. Tape or tie nose end of skull so nasal cavity doesn't break away. Secure head to a post or fence. Pressure wash skull completely. Concentrate on the holes to nasal cavity and brain. Use a screwdriver or wire to loosen material in skull. Pressure wash CLEAN and then let dry.

Go to beauty salon store and pick up a pint or quart of Peroxide. Lay skull in small pan and pour in peroxide. Using disposable brush, brush peroxide over full skull. Periodically brush and let sit for a day or so. Take out and let dry. Skull should be white and not smell.

Skinning and prep to boil, 1 hour. Boiling takes 2 hours. Clean up by hand and pressure washer, 30 minutes. Peroxide soak and brush, 2 days. If necessary, touch up horns with stain. Dry completely and mount.

Thanks for the tips. If i cant find an ant pile I'll probably leave it in the freezer until next weekend and give it a go.

You don't need an ant pile. Just bury it with the horns sticking out the ground. Put a bucket over the horns and something heavy to secure the bucket. Takes a while though.

I assume bugs in the ground would eat it away?
I may bury it behind my fence with the bucket over it and ratchet the bucket to fence. I know there are tons of bugs and ants back there.

Instead of putting it in the ground, skin out the head and soak it in a bucket of water with the antlers covered for about 3-4 weeks, changing the water about once a week. Spray with a hose to get whatever is remaining off the skull, then boil the skull for about 10-15 minutes to get the oil out of the bones (you should be able to tell once it's all boiled out). Finish it with a couple coats of peroxide cream if you want the nice white finish on it. If you don't boil the oil out, the skull will start turning brown/tan again over time.

If you prefer to do the all boiling method like others have suggested, know that the bones become very brittle and break easily, particularly the nose bone.

Correct. I also take a knife to it first get as much of the hide and meat off as I can without spending too much time on it. But I don't boil it, I hate the smell of it.