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Jan 30, 2024

Turn your deer head into a work of art

NORFOLK The mount of a trophy deer head is a valued part of a hunter’s

NORFOLK

The mount of a trophy deer head is a valued part of a hunter's experience.

But one can cost several hundred dollars.

European-style skull mounts are a cheaper alternative.

For a simple one, the skin and meat are removed using a variety of methods, followed by bleaching the bone before mounting it to a wooden plaque .

But recently, several taxidermists and individuals have been taking the technique to a new level, turning the Euros into works of art.

Using a practice known as hydro-dipping, Norfolk's Jon Boyd has been enjoying the results.

"People do some really cool ones with neat combinations of colors," said Boyd, 39. "But they don't give up too many trade secrets. So I’ve been learning.

"The thing is, you can dip absolutely anything to give it a good look."

After the skull mount is finished, before attaching it to a wooden plaque, cover the base of the antlers and tape them down tight to prevent paint from getting on the rack.

Fill a bucket large enough for the skull with cold water.

Spray paint on top of the water and layer different colors – using anywhere from five to 20 sprays.

Then take a small stick and swirl the paint, bringing out the layers of colors. Don't swirl too hard, as you don't want to actually mix the colors.

Slowly dip the skull into the water, then use paper towels to remove any paint that didn't attach to the skull so you don't mess up the pattern. Pull the skull slowly out of the bucket . Once it's dry, spray clear-coat to protect the paint and you’re done.

"It's cheap," Boyd said. "And it's easy.

"No two will ever be alike."

Boyd, who works as an athletic specialist for Norfolk's Park and Urban Forestry Division, has been asked to make a few mounts for friends. He confesses it's a form that could earn him a few dollars on the side.

"I’m not opposed to that," said Boyd, who hunts in Southampton County and fishes several of the water-supply lakes in Suffolk. "I want to do one using Obsession Bows’ Storm Hardwood pattern with red, black, white and gray.

"It's going to be neat to experiment with different color combinations and swirl patterns.

"When my dad first saw it he said he thought it was incredible, that he’d never seen anything like it."

Another technique Boyd is thinking of employing would use several paint-clear coat layers to provide the impression of depth.

"There are so many different things you can try," he said. "It's just a neat way to do things."

Lee Tolliver, 757-222-5844, [email protected] Follow @LeeTolliver on Twitter.

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