hare piece

[Realgar]

I buried a hares head about 10 inches down in the garden in November. Any idea how long before it's a reasonably clean skull? It's a clay soil relatively neutral if that helps.
Realgar

 

[Buckshot]

Never tried it but..
If you left hair on your hare it will take longer.
I also think it will take longer during winter because there aren't so many bugs and creepy crawlies in the soil to feast on it.
I'd be inclinded to leave it in for a bit longer...
Or you could dig it up and have a look :?:

Cheers

Mark

 

[Paganwolf]

Find an ants nest and bury it in it itll clean up much quicker, and yes skin it 1st.

 

[Stew]

I find that wasps do a good job of stripping meat of carcasses! :shock:

 

[hootchi]

Would it be too risky to put it in bleach? :?:

It may be a bit thin so easy to leave it in for a bit too long.

 

[tomtom]

isnt it better to leave it above ground? im always finding perfectly clean sun bleatched sheeps sculls..

 

[shinobi]

Would it be too risky to put it in bleach? :?:

It may be a bit thin so easy to leave it in for a bit too long.

Bleach softens the bones, so i wouldn't recommend that method. I usuall "Do" skulls by hiding them somewhere above ground and let the flies get to them. The maggots will have it cleaned before you know it. Just put it somewhere where no carnivores can get it and most importantly where you can't smell it. :yikes:

Cheers,

Martin

 

[Adi007]

Around here it's not uncommon to find whole sheep skeletons lying about like some kind of macabre jigsaw. I have a skull in the garage. Seems like on the surface they clean up pretty quickly.

 

[Scally]

When i used to shoot trophy heads i used to put them under a rock 1/2 buried in soil with a gap between the rock and the skull used to clean up within 6 months but were talking a lot more tissue and head and that was in the highlands.

 

[Realgar]

I buried it to stop the local wildlife wandering away with it - I had a deer pelvis go missing once. I might dig it up, throw in a handful of maggots and cover it again. I wouldn't use bleach as I've seen it turn bones greenish, I have access to 50% hydrogen peroxide though....

 

[Justin Time]

Compost heap?

 

[zackerty]

Compost heap might stain the bone weird and wonderful colours? Hmmmmm.

 

[Justin Time]

I've used a compost heap once for this without any ill effects. I also seem to remember Tom ? surname (taught a tracking class at the First Wilderness gathering) talked about doing the same.

 

[Realgar]

My compost heap's only just getting going. I could get some museum beetles ( aka flesh beetles ) but I know what they can do to a house. - they'll eat anything protein rich, wool, hair, leather.......