Idaho elk

[James Riley]

While hunting up near Bull Trout Lake in Idaho, my wife and I came across this winter kill bull. He was fully articulated and still had hide all around. I soaked his skull in an old bathtub and went to scraping (not much on meat beetles or bleach) and got blood poisoning due to some cuts I had on my hands. Doctor and wife tried to shame me for being stupid. I got cured and then did it all over again. I guess I'm not invincible (or too bright). Anyway people, put a little bleach in the water to kill bacteria if you are gonna do this.

While cleaning him up I noticed he'd been shot in the mouth by a .22 caliber bullet. It had healed over and the bone grew a little pocket.

 

[shoots-straight]

Just one the poachers missed getting. Sorry to hear about the blood poisoning.

 

[2rocky]

Ya didn't pull his ivories?

 

[James Riley]

Ya didn't pull his ivories?

I thought about it but I rarely see a skull-mount elk with the ivories in and thought I'd like to keep him as whole as I could. I do have a bunch from bulls I've killed or winter kills without antlers, and cow elk.