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Mold Question
md1634
Member Posts: 644 ✭✭✭✭
I posted this in the general dicussion forum without much luck. I've got a shoulder mount of boar that I shot about 6 years ago. I just noticed that the inside of one of the ears is getting moldy. I can brush off most of the grayish white spores but some still remain. Anybody know I can do to get rid of the rest without damaging the ear or knows where I can get that sort of information ?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Comments
I am not anywhere near being an expert on taxidermy, so let's get that out of the way first.
I had a bear skin some time ago that I picked up at a church sale. Not only was it a bit moldy, like your boar's head, but it also had these little maggot-like moth caterpillar things about 1/4 inch long all in it.
I cured it of both the bugs and mold with rose dust from Ace Hardware or the home center. This rose dust is usually a combination of superfine sulfur and a benign insect killer, such as boric acid. Since your boar's head is considerably thicker than my bear skin, you might have to remove the plaque that it is fastened to if that's easy for you to do. Then sprinkle a good slug of the rose dust in whatever cavity you have in the head of the thing (leave that in there). Then sprinkle the rose dust all over the outside of the boar's head. Do a good job of this! Make sure you get the dust all down in the fur between each hair! Set the thing in the garage or some other place out of the way and wait a couple days. Then come back in with your shop vac or a soft brush and get all the rose dust out of the fur. Obviously you want to leave a little bit behind, but not a noticeable amount. That oughtta do it.
If I'm right (and it's been so long ago that I don't recall) about the rose dust (i.e. its make up is sulfur and boric acid), the stuff is not toxic in the way that insecticide is toxic. However, make sure you wear a bandana over your nose and mouth (or one of those cheapy filter-paper particle masks) while you use it so it does not get into your airways!! Also, please wear safety glasses!!
Another thing you could do is to call a taxidermist and ask him what he would charge to solve your problem or if he has any suggestions for you to follow.