Quality on Display ~ Dakota Skulls ~  Quality on Display

1515 7th St NW       ~         Minot   ND       ~        58703                 ~               701-720-0447

European Mounts are the fastest growing trend in taxidermy!
With the increasing interest in trophy mounts many sportsmen are looking for a lower cost option to preserving the memory of the hunt. European mounts fill that void for today's budget conscious hunters. Dakota Skulls specializes in skull whitening and bone preservation using flesh eating Dermestid beetles. On the leading edge of the latest trends in skull preservation Dakota Skulls can be trusted with your business for quality, lasting European Mounts.

Whitetail Deer-Mule Deer-Elk-Moose-Bear-Mountain Lion-Sheep-Antelope-Boar
 Anything with a skull can be preserved as a European Mount.

How we got started

 
Custom Taxidermy

European Mounts

European Mounts

Gallery

Antler/Skull Restoration

Pricing

How we got started

We first got interested in flesh eating beetles from a taxidermist in MT. He mentioned that European mounts are extremely popular and beetles have many advantages over more traditional methods commonly practiced.

After a search on the Internet I discovered we had a colony of beetles living just down the road from us. Minot State University museum curator Guy Hanley opened the door for us into the dark world of flesh eating beetles. I was intrigued by his colony and all of the fascinating specimens his Dermestids have stripped clean and are now proudly on display. Everything from tiny frogs to full-blown owls, pelicans and turkeys are standing stately behind display glass. Mr. Hanley took the time to educate me in the intricacies of preparing, cleaning, degreasing and whitening of bone. He also got me up to speed on how to develop a colony of beetles I could call my very own. 

I brought my first little babies home in the dark of winter and carefully placed them in their incubator. A refurbished chest freezer complete with heater, bedding and circulating fan. I was new to caring for such delicate critters and constantly monitored their development over the next few months. I was careful to make sure they had all a tiny flesh eating bug needs. Deer heads, a warm bed and of course love. 

Before many months had passed I was on the phone excitedly telling my museum curator friend the unbelievable news. I was the proud parent of tiny baby larva. What a day, little units of my very own. 

Today the freezer has multiplied into freezers and I have bugs by the billions. They have transformed from tiny little babies into hard working adults and they can strip a deer head clean in a matter of just a few days. 

Deer, bear, antelope, elk, moose even paddlefish taste good to a hungry Dermestid. Beaver, mink, fox, coyote are all just another snack but Musk Ox is their hands down favorite dinner.