I have a deer skull I need cleaned. I have done the boiling in turkey cooker method and it turned out ok, but not as good as a beetle cleaned skull.

I had one beetle cleaned by a guy in Terre Haute a few years ago, not sure if he is still doing this or not.

Does anyone on here have a colony of beetles and offer this service?

Cheaper to bury it for a few months...does just as good.

Boil it in baking soda be sure to keep the antlers above water

I do mine just as powder does I bury mine as well. If you do so make sure you secure it. The 9 ptr I took last yr was taken by yotes.

how do you protect the antlers from mice?

+1 on advice to bury good! I had a nice one carried off by something a few years back.

IMO I think as long as there is the rotting flesh they will stay away. I also but a tote container over it. Like I said earlier try and suecure the head. I have never had any issues with anything bothering it until last year.

My brother does the beetle cleaning up here in central indiana, Peru to be exact, S&G beetle cleaning and euro mounts

Justin- I am interested in this as well for my state park buck.

Maybe we can work something out

Awesome. You buy the beetles and I drop my deer head off at your house?

We had the same idea...except my plan was to drop off with YOU

how much to clean a deer head and stain the antlers?

I have barn wood to mount it on, I just need it cleaned.

I wasn't even going to charge you for the food for the beetles.

Seriously thought about getting some beetles, but I am worried they would get out and eat something important, like my furniture. I will leave the beetles up to the professionals.

I wrapped the antlers in foil with a tote buried in the ground, something dug it up twice and the second time it broke the nose off, done a mountain mikes reproduction skull with it...if i get one this year before its all over think i will put it in the chicken coop, should have done that in the first place

A friend of mine ties a rope around the antlers and throws the head in a pond. It will be ready by late spring.

If you have mounts that the capes have not been professionally tanned, and treated, the Dermestid beatles will find them if thy escape.

If you are still looking for someone who does the beetles, Bakers Camp in Bainbridge is using them.

You can buy beetles on line.