For Trophy Care

Once roe deer antlers or wild boar tusks have been cleaned of soft tissue, the second stage begins: bleaching the skull or bone, removing residual fat and mounting it on a plaque. This section covers the supplies for doing that work at home or in a hunting club workshop, without hiring a taxidermist.

Who these supplies are for

Trophy care supplies are for the hunter who wants to prepare and display a skull, antlers or tusks after a successful hunt without outside help. They come into play after the first stage of trophy preparation, once the bone or tusk has already been separated from soft tissue and is ready for further work.

Most hunters bleach the skull or antlers, protect them with wax and mount them on a wooden plaque themselves, since a taxidermist's service costs money and the work on small roe deer antlers or boar tusks is not complicated. These supplies suit a hunter preparing a trophy for the first time as well as someone who mounts several trophies every season.

Types of trophy care supplies

The range consists of four groups: bleaching agents, wax, wooden plaques and additional care products. Each one covers a different step of the preparation process.

Bleaching agents

TROFI-BP skull and bone bleaching powder and TROFI-BP trophy bleaching paste remove fat and give the bone a light, natural shade. Trophy bleach EUROHUNT UN1759 in paste form (150 g) suits smaller surfaces, while trophy bleach EUROHUNT UN2984 (1 l) is meant for a larger volume of trophies per season. The liquid bleach is usually used for soaking, the paste for spot treatment on local stains or harder-to-bleach areas.

Trophy wax

Trophy wax EUROHUNT UN1950 (150 ml) is applied to bone that is already bleached and dry, giving the surface a shine and protecting it from moisture and dust. Wax is the last step, once the skull or antlers are ready for mounting.

Wooden trophy plaques

The wooden plaque mounted with the antlers or skull is the final display element. The range includes round dark plaques (17 cm, 20 cm, 29.5 cm, ARTURE), an oval combined ARTURE plaque, decorative Frankonia plaques in light and dark finishes, a FRITZMANN plaque with oak leaves (22x10 cm), and plaques shaped specifically for roe deer antlers (031701, 031703). Match the shape and size to the trophy itself, a plaque sized for a red deer will look oversized under roe deer antlers.

Additional care products

Trophy care product Hagopur Universal (400 ml) and the universal product VYVASOL EXTRA are used for periodic care of an already mounted trophy, cleaning off dust and grime. The oak leaf for boar tusks is a decorative piece, often paired with a plaque to complete the composition with a traditional motif.

How to choose the right supplies

Consider these points when picking supplies for your trophy:

• Trophy type: a skull with antlers needs a different amount of bleach than a single tusk.
• Volume per season: one trophy is easier to handle with paste, several in a row call for the litre bleach.
• Plaque size and shape: it should match the antler or skull dimensions so the composition looks proportional.
• Ongoing care: if the trophy will hang in a hunting lodge or a country house where dust builds up, buy a care product at the same time.
• Style: light or dark plaque, with or without oak leaves, depends on where the trophy will be displayed.

Practical advice for working with a trophy

Before bleaching the bone, remove any remaining fat thoroughly, a bone that still holds fat will yellow over time even if the initial bleaching looked successful. Use the bleaching agent in a well-ventilated space and protect your eyes and hands, it is a chemical product.

Let the bone dry fully before waxing, moisture trapped under the wax layer causes stains or mould later on. Apply the wax in a thin, even layer and buff it with a clean cloth after a few minutes. Mount the trophy on the plaque only once the bone is completely dry and cool, screws and hooks hold better that way.

Wipe an already mounted trophy with a care product from time to time, this keeps the wax layer's shine and protects it from dust, especially if it hangs near a stove or a window where wood and bone go through temperature swings.

Brands

Bleaching agents and wax come from EUROHUNT and the Lithuanian brand TROFI-BP, care products from Hagopur and VYVASOL. Wooden plaques are made by ARTURE, the German brands Frankonia and FRITZMANN, whose range covers both classic round shapes and decorative plaques with an oak leaf motif.

Related categories: traps, lures and feed and hunting stands and blinds. If you are not sure which bleaching agent or plaque suits your trophy, write to us and we will help you choose.