Mounted Deer Antlers

Mounting Deer Antlers

Serrate the pattern for the mounting flat area from a piece of paper. You can make whatever design you wish, just be sure it's large enough to hold the deer antlers.

Choose a flat area. Oak or another wood with a nice grain works well. Use the pattern to mark the flat area. Serrate it with a table saw or jigsaw. Sand the edges straight or use a router.

Cover the flat area with two coats of polyurethane. Let the flat area dry between coats for best results.

Leave an oval skull plate intact, after cutting the antlers from the deer skull with a sharp saw. Remove skin and membrane. Boil the skull plate in water for ten minutes to remove the remaining tissue.

Drill two holes through the skull plate. Hold the antlers on the flat area to check their position. It's best to mount the antlers about a third of the way from the top. Drill two corresponding holes in the flat area.

Mark a piece of leather large enough to cover the skull plate. Allow ½ inch extra all the way around it.

Mount the antlers on the flat area with two screws. Stretch the leather over the skull plate. If necessary, add foam padding over skull plate to fill out the shape. Attach leather to flat area with tacks. Turn leather under the entire way around for a more finished look, if possible.

Mounted deer antlers video from Youtube: Wildlife wood burning art. European skull mount. Antler plaques.