Author Topic: Has anyone ever asked... (Read 7626 times)

Small Farmer · « **Reply #15 on:** May 17, 2012, 05:27:04 pm »

If one left the head outside for a while wouldn't nature's refuse disposal system do it for you? You'd need to filter out things larger than insects.

Bramblecot · « **Reply #16 on:** May 17, 2012, 08:01:57 pm »

Quote from: Small Farmer on May 17, 2012, 05:27:04 pm

If one left the head outside for a while wouldn't nature's refuse disposal system do it for you? You'd need to filter out things larger than insects.

My neighbour fails to manage a 2 acre field next to mine.

Last year I found 2 deer carcases stripped bare to the bones in a matter of weeks - they had been caught in his dodgy barbed wire fences.

It does not bear thinking about but the skulls were picked clean.
If you have some land well away from public view, it could be an option after a home kill. I'll stick to eeping the skins as rugs though

deepinthewoods · « **Reply #17 on:** May 17, 2012, 09:41:01 pm »

wouldnt burying the head for a few months do the trick?

Sylvia · « **Reply #18 on:** May 18, 2012, 07:31:29 am »

Yes, bury the head with the tips of the horns showing out of the ground, this is so you can find it again, and leave it for a couple of months. If your animal is tested for scrapie and found clear I don't see the harm.

MrsJ · « **Reply #19 on:** May 18, 2012, 08:18:23 am »

Quote

The horn core bleeds profusely.

Our bottle fed ram lamb had a tangle with something and made both his little horns bleed quite badly. We sprayed them with purple spray (he does look funny!) and he has finally lost one of them, but it does seem to be growing back.

Dougal · « **Reply #20 on:** May 18, 2012, 12:00:27 pm »

Old game keeping trick for stripping prize heads, bury them in an ant hill for the summer. Left as clean as a whistle.
As for horn removal, I always left about a 1 inch stump and did it the same way as the vet showed me (he didn't use anesthetic either). Tie a string around both horns right at the base good and tight and that prevents the blood flow and leave the string for 20 minutes after the removal of the horn. You have to take the string off or you'll kill the second horn! We only did it right at the head where there was an infection in the horn or a growth between the horns and the ear so it was done to relieve the animal rather than trophy colllection.
Not sure you'll get the head back if the animal is over 12 months old? They still have to split the carcass to remove the spinal cord in any ovine with adult teeth erupted. That said the rules are far more relaxed than they were even 3 years ago so worth calling and asking about.

TheCaptain · « **Reply #21 on:** June 03, 2012, 04:35:50 pm »

well we got skins the back and have decided to give it a go ourselves - they're currently in my garage all salted up although I have started to work over the skins removing the salt and any pieces of flesh etc. Got ourselves a tanning kit off the t'interweb for £29 which does six skins I think so will be crackig on with the rest of it over the bank holiday. Fun fun fun!

TheCaptain · « **Reply #22 on:** June 03, 2012, 04:36:52 pm »

and I had lamb (hogget) chops last night - holy sh*t, blew my mind in the deliciousness that they had. Portland meat really is awesome.

nom nom nom

Fleecewife · « **Reply #23 on:** June 03, 2012, 07:17:15 pm »

Oh do let us know how you get on with the home tanning.

Home grown lamb/hogget/mutton is totally delicious

- I could not eat it from another source now

goosepimple · « **Reply #24 on:** June 03, 2012, 07:29:03 pm »

If you can get the head then perhaps befriend someone who takes out shooting parties, they strip the animal quickly once dead and boil (or whatever it is they do) the same day or so as trophies for the people attending the shooting party. Sure they would do it for you.