Dwarf - Forest Buffalo Horn Removal

[Sarg]

Just thought Id see if any one on the forum knows if Forest / Dwarf Buffalo horns can be removed from the skull when preparing or cleaning the skull ?

I'm hoping not like Cape Buff, Wildebeest & Muskox ?

 

[buck wild]

Almost any horn can be removed including all those you mentioned and a few others. The question is, are you willing to go through all the extra effort and time/money to do so.

What is your biggest concern if they don't easily slip off?

 

[grand veneur]

That's correct, you can get them all removed, with more or less effort. Whether you should do it or not is controversially discussed among the taxidermist. I prefer it because there is a lot of organic material left behind in the depths. I had no problems with it so far, except by some trophies a light smell at first, but the majority of the trophies of my horn bearers had their horns removed.

 

[Sarg]

Thanks guys, well normally those tricky ones are left on & different people have different ways to preserve (eg stop smelling/rot) them such as drilling holes or just straight injecting formalin or such ?

I was hoping (if I get one) to clean up my own heads as I normally do but I don't have a lot of time & was hoping these horns may come off, other wise I need another plan, like splitting from the back ?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

We remove similar bison horns by simmering the skull for several hours. Keep the horns out of the soup and cover the pot with a hood of tinfoil to steam the top of the skull. It takes a while. At least an all day project. I seem to recall we consumed 2.5 five gallon tanks of propane.

So you're planning to do this before you leave Africa? I presume you've done it before.

 

[Sarg]

lol yes I have don't this a lot & boiled out hundreds of heads in my work & off time, even skinned out my own Muskox in Greenland, prepared all my animals in Alaska & much more.

I think you boiled your Bison too long, 10-15min or so of the horns in the boiling water & bump off, the cores should still be pink, then turn over with the nose out of the water, simmer a few hours, tip nose in for a while, remove & power wash if available, keep skull damp, then peroxide.

Oh to add, I remove as much meat as possible before boiling, including jaw, tongue & eyes so the skulls are in the heat/hot water the least amount of time .

 

[Ontario Hunter]

lol yes I have don't this a lot & boiled out hundreds of heads in my work & off time, even skinned out my own Muskox in Greenland, prepared all my animals in Alaska & much more.

I think you boiled your Bison too long, 10-15min or so of the horns in the boiling water & bump off, the cores should still be pink, then turn over with the nose out of the water, simmer a few hours, tip nose in for a while, remove & power wash if available, keep skull damp, then peroxide.

Oh to add, I remove as much meat as possible before boiling, including jaw, tongue & eyes so the skulls are in the heat/hot water the least amount of time .

The bison was only a yearling raised on a farm and slaughtered. Because the horns were not mature, I think that greatly complicated removing them. The bases were essentially part of the core. I was surprised how stubborn they were to remove. Pronghorn or mountain goat horns pop off much more easily. We have a pair of young longhorn steer skull caps that are similarly stubborn.