All right lets get this started. Remove the head from the body. Cut right behind the ears. your cut should be at the atlas joint ( where the spine connects to the skull). you do not need to cut thru bone. If done correct, you can use just a knife.
Proceed to removing the hide, I start at the back of the skull. Proceed as if you were caping out the head. Remove all the hide. use a knife. You can use a screwdriver and hammer around the antler burs. give a few light taps and push and pry the screw driver to loosen up the hide around the burrs. This is usually the most difficult spot to get the hide off of. Work your way forward to the nose. You need to be somewhat gentle with it. the nose is the most fragile spot.
Remove the lower jaw. grab ahold of the nose with one hand, grab the jaw with the others and begin to open the mouth. You will feel the flesh stretch. Stop, cut around the jaw more. Pull apart more, it will free up more with each pull. Eventually the jaw will pull free.
Now you have a decision. Some guys like to clean the lower jaw as well. they put it back on the skull and sit the entire skull and lower jaw on a table and display that way. For our demo, I am going to discard the lower jack and only do the european that will hang on a board.
When you have the hide off and the jaw removed, go back and remove as much flesh as possible. The more flesh you remove now, the easier and quicker the boiling process will be. Don't be shy, grab ahold of the eyeball and cut around it to free it up. Use different angles. Just get them out.
When your done with removing flesh, it should look like this.
