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The following is the article titled:
"Bugs, Skulls and Deer" written by C.J. Winand featured in the December 2008 issue of Bowhunter Magazine.
At a recent Archery Trade Association show, I originally was attracted to
Ghost Camouflage's stand in
search of western camo. But what caught my eye
wasn't for sale. It was the camouflaged, European elk skull mount hanging
in
the booth. As camouflage produtcts flood the outdoor market, someone
finally figured it would be cool to dip a cleaned
European skull mount in camouflaged film material. This is the same process the manufacturers
do to your bow risers/ limbs
amd gun stocks.
As I conversed with the folks at the stand on the unique skull, I learned
that a guy in Pennsylvania
called "The Bug Man" just started creating these
unique European skull mounts. I instantly wrote down the information
on The Bug Man. butut upon returning home, I promptly lost it.
Fast forward two years and I found
myself speaking at the Pennsylvania
Bowhunting Festival in Forksville, PA, oldest bowhunting show in the nation, going
on 52 years. After giving a deer seminar, I started to wander the many aisles of vendors and guess who I came across---Jeremy
Boyd, The Bug Man!
We talked about taxidermy and the best ways to diplay hard-earned tropies. With the rising
cost of full shoulder mounts, and with wall space at home or in the office often at a premium, many hunters are finding European
mounts to be the logical way to display deer antlers and other big game trophies. And camouflaged European mounts,
besides being less expensive, are attractive and will definitely bring attention to any skull.
If you're thinking
of saving money by preparing your own European skull
mount, let me tell you from experience, the smell (which your wife
and
neighbors will never let you forget) and the time involved, are minor compared
to the challenge of making your
skull as white as possible. My skulls never
attained the whiteness of a professionally bleached skull, perhaps because
all
I can buy at the store is a 12-percent solution of hydrogen peroxide.
Some argue that you do not need higher concentrations
of hydrogen peroxide to
turn a skull white, but this has not been my experience. I think taxidermists can get skulls gleaming white
because they use the proper degreasing techniques prior to whitening, and have access to a 30-percent solution of hydrogen
peroxide for maximum whitening results. Of course, they buy hydrogen peroxide in large quantities, which is beyond
the scope of the average hunter. In short, although you may save a few dollars by preparing your own skulls and
European mounts, you probably will never equal the perfection attained by a taxidermist. And you'll never match The
Bug Man's cool cam.
ANY ONE CAN BUY Dermestid beetles over the Internet in colonies of 30-200 adults. These beetles
are late-stage decomposers, meaning they do not eat fresh meat. Since each female can produce several hundred eggs within
45 days, the beetle option seems like the good alternative to the smells of boiling or the ever-present chance of
over-boiling and ruining a skull.
However, sustaining a beetle colony is no simple task. Jeremy tells me his
wife, Danielle, keeps the bugs in a semi-darkened room within a perfect temperature range of 75-80 degrees.
Even
under perfect conditions, beetles won't start cleaning skulls efficiently about six months. and they
must be fed regularly. To keep his colony thriving, Jeremy generally feeds his beetles one dried skull per day. Clearly,
maintaining a healthy colony of Dermistid beetles is a science and, in truth, The Bug Man owes his well-earned nickname to
his wonderful wife, Danielle, the true Bug Lady.
Many taxidermists don't have thier own beetle colconies because keeping
beetles requires so much work. Most taxidermists send skulls and other bones to Jeremy and Danielle or other individuals
across the country who keep beetle colonies.
Jeremy and Danielle Boyd can turn new deer skulls into a work of art through beetling, whitening and
camouflaging, and they can restore old skulls through the same process. If you want to preserve and display your trophies,
consider European mounts. They're far cheaper than full shoulder mounts, and you can choose from an assortment of camouflage
patterns to turn any skull - or other bone, for that matter - into a work of camouflaged art.
For more information on skull whitening and camouflaging, contact: Jeremy and Danielle Boyd, Dodge City Cape,
Hide and Skull, RR1 Box 21C, Granville Summit, PA 16926; (570) 364-8181; www.dodgecitychs.com
C.J.'s Summary: Dermestid eggs can hatch in three to four days. The larva
go through seven molts,
reaching the pupa stage in about 45 days. Adult beetles are fertile for about two months and die within five months.
Oh, one more important note: Dermestid beetles smell, because the larvae actually consume the manure of the adults,
which, of course, eat decomposing meat. If you choose to purchase a Dermestid starter kit, more power to you! As for
me, it's just one more hunting product I have to keep from my wife.
All Bowhunters love put fresh venison on the grill, and they also love to display the antlers of their
hard-earned deer. European mounts cost much less than full shoulder mounts, and they can be just as attractive if the skulls
are celaned, whitened - and even camouflaged - properly. You can do these tasks yourself, but for a truly professionsal
job, leave the job to the professionals.
"We want to thank C.J. and Bowhunter Magazine for featuring us in the magazine, this is a great honor to us! And
C.J., thank you for everything, it has been awesome getting to know you and we look forward to meeting up with you again soon!"
J & D Boyd
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