I'd love to have more than I do, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Currently I've got a coyote skull, a silver fox tail, and a set of ten-point deer antlers with the skull cap. Also a bunch of feathers and shells and some fossils. I'd found a roadkill squirrel and took the skull, but while it was soaking outside, some neighborhood animal ate it :b I know BoneClone is a great place to get replicas; here's to having a replica sabertooth skull some day.
I'd love to have more than I do, but I'm not sure how to go about it. Currently I've got a coyote skull, a silver fox tail, and a set of ten-point deer antlers with the skull cap. Also a bunch of feathers and shells and some fossils. I'd found a roadkill squirrel and took the skull, but while it was soaking outside, some neighborhood animal ate it :b I know BoneClone is a great place to get replicas; here's to having a replica sabertooth skull some day.
While I am fascinated by vulture culture, I have yet to start a collection. I'm still trying to figure out the laws and how to prepare things before I go searching in my local woods. My uncle is really into it, he has a pair of buzzard wings, a badger skull and a large collection of feathers.
If there are any UK vultures around can you give me some tips?
While I am fascinated by vulture culture, I have yet to start a collection. I'm still trying to figure out the laws and how to prepare things before I go searching in my local woods. My uncle is really into it, he has a pair of buzzard wings, a badger skull and a large collection of feathers.
If there are any UK vultures around can you give me some tips?
Here's a photo of my room to give an idea of how much stuff I have LOL;
[img]http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f372/LiquidOnyx/2008/3040ef87-8460-49c0-a983-cb9804dda066_zps2c81d8e4.jpg[/img]
That's only a tiny fraction of what I own. I have tons more stuff not shown including bags full of bones and furs and stuff.
Red fox parts are probably my biggest obsession. Especially pelts, I'm aiming to get examples of as many different naturally occurring color variations/sub-species as possible. xD Not got that many right now but someday!
Some of my other favorite non-fox items include two golden jackal pelts, an antique dhole pelt from 1942, a lurcher skull (favorite dog breed), my taxidermy crows (a carrion and a hooded) and a massive reindeer antler shed. I have so much stuff it's hard to pick just a few though. x_x
Here's a photo of my room to give an idea of how much stuff I have LOL;
That's only a tiny fraction of what I own. I have tons more stuff not shown including bags full of bones and furs and stuff.
Red fox parts are probably my biggest obsession. Especially pelts, I'm aiming to get examples of as many different naturally occurring color variations/sub-species as possible. xD Not got that many right now but someday!
Some of my other favorite non-fox items include two golden jackal pelts, an antique dhole pelt from 1942, a lurcher skull (favorite dog breed), my taxidermy crows (a carrion and a hooded) and a massive reindeer antler shed. I have so much stuff it's hard to pick just a few though. x_x
I have been collecting for a while. I'm a biologist/zoologist and, like @
Lanius, I do study skin preparation (often along with Lanius :P).
To address what @
Preytorian said, there is nothing inherently wrong about buying anything from hunters if done legally. They pay for licensing, which goes right back into the pool of money used for research and management of wildlife and their habitats (in the USA, which you must be in if you are finding pronghorn and coyotes). Many hunters are the best conservationists, and many hunting organizations have contributed more to conservation than most other organizations out there.
Anyone interested in collecting natural history items should definitely ask themselves about the ethics of doing so, and importantly, what their
personal ethics are. If your personal ethics don't support getting material from hunters, that's fine, but it's not inherently unethical for others to get their materials from legally harvested animals that are regulated.
I have been collecting for a while. I'm a biologist/zoologist and, like @
Lanius, I do study skin preparation (often along with Lanius :P).
To address what @
Preytorian said, there is nothing inherently wrong about buying anything from hunters if done legally. They pay for licensing, which goes right back into the pool of money used for research and management of wildlife and their habitats (in the USA, which you must be in if you are finding pronghorn and coyotes). Many hunters are the best conservationists, and many hunting organizations have contributed more to conservation than most other organizations out there.
Anyone interested in collecting natural history items should definitely ask themselves about the ethics of doing so, and importantly, what their
personal ethics are. If your personal ethics don't support getting material from hunters, that's fine, but it's not inherently unethical for others to get their materials from legally harvested animals that are regulated.
Nice to see another vulture thread! The Plague one isn't very active right now, unfortunately.
I'm a bit of a beginner, but i have a small bone collection. I currently have a raccoon buried at my cottage that i am waiting to rot down to bones. it is almost there, but it still has some weird slimy flesh on it.
Nice to see another vulture thread! The Plague one isn't very active right now, unfortunately.
I'm a bit of a beginner, but i have a small bone collection. I currently have a raccoon buried at my cottage that i am waiting to rot down to bones. it is almost there, but it still has some weird slimy flesh on it.
Oh cool, there's a whole bunch of people here! I'm not a huge vulture just yet, but I have a friend who used to skeletonize animals for museum collections and he's gotten me quite interested. I'm mostly looking into collecting reptile-related things--while it makes me sad when they die, I figure it's fitting to still take care of them in death. I have a couple of turtle shells and some assorted turtle bones, and some other organic bits and bobs, but I'm hoping to come across more someday.
Question for you vultures (and I say that with love): how do you deal with flesh still on animal bones without using insects? I ask because, while I'm not squeamish about things, maggots and their associated environment are a serious nope for me. While luckily everything I've found so far has been already pretty desiccated, are there alternatives to cleaning them that don't harm the bones or yourself?
Oh cool, there's a whole bunch of people here! I'm not a huge vulture just yet, but I have a friend who used to skeletonize animals for museum collections and he's gotten me quite interested. I'm mostly looking into collecting reptile-related things--while it makes me sad when they die, I figure it's fitting to still take care of them in death. I have a couple of turtle shells and some assorted turtle bones, and some other organic bits and bobs, but I'm hoping to come across more someday.
Question for you vultures (and I say that with love): how do you deal with flesh still on animal bones without using insects? I ask because, while I'm not squeamish about things, maggots and their associated environment are a serious nope for me. While luckily everything I've found so far has been already pretty desiccated, are there alternatives to cleaning them that don't harm the bones or yourself?
@
SageKorppi -- Nah, sport hunting is bad. There are actually a whole lot of politics surrounding modern "wildlife management" (especially in the USA) that makes it particularly bad, but even besides that ... don't kill animals unless you have to, seriously.
@
SageKorppi -- Nah, sport hunting is bad. There are actually a whole lot of politics surrounding modern "wildlife management" (especially in the USA) that makes it particularly bad, but even besides that ... don't kill animals unless you have to, seriously.
they are hovering nervously.
you will watch the skies.
you will wait.
@
Vhyxalas - There are many ways, but the safest methods depend on what kind of skull. For example, mammal skulls are usually easy to simmer flesh off of, or macerate, but bird skulls will fall apart.
I also recommend this book if you are just getting started:
http://www.skullsunlimited.com/products/4796/bone-builders-notebook-.htm
It's pricey, but worth it :)
@
Merlyn
Your skulls are lovely! I really like the amber coloring when the sun shines through.
@
Lanius
If you don't mind my asking what kind of schooling do you need to get a job like that? It sounds like the perfect job for me and goodness knows I need to get back to school.
@
Merlyn
Your skulls are lovely! I really like the amber coloring when the sun shines through.
@
Lanius
If you don't mind my asking what kind of schooling do you need to get a job like that? It sounds like the perfect job for me and goodness knows I need to get back to school.
