My collection of treasures

Leather! 

The chromium method I’m using has one perk that has me hooked on it. Its strong enough to tan through membrane. I am absolutely TERRIBLE at fleshing skins. I don’t have proper fleshing tools so it takes me forever. 

Hey guys, I was browsing around on YouTube and came across the channel US Skull Hunter. Thought his videos about skull cleaning were useful and worth sharing over on here. He shows how he does it, he does multiple skulls with slightly different variations so you can get a full idea of how each method works, shows the end product, talks about the pros and cons, doesn’t use any bad methods like bleach-bleaching or boiling skulls, and all of the videos are well made and well edited. Feel free to browse through the comments sections for additional info! He’s got other great videos on additional bone-related topics as well.

Burial Method:

Maceration Method:

Ant Hill Method:

Pond Method:

As some other vultures have said, we are getting a lot of fresh faces in the vulture culture community! Id like to clear up a very popular question I’ve been getting recently for those who are new to the community. 

There’s been a bit of debate on the term “ethically sourced” in regards to animal based products obtained in the VC community. And the community generally agrees that the term “ethically sourced” is entirely subjective.

SO, I thought I would go over what I personally consider to be “ethically sourced” in regards to the content on my blog specifically. Sources I use to obtain the specimens on my blog, and sources which I consider to be ethical include:

Roadkill: Though incredibly unfortunate, and often involves the animal suffering, I consider salvaging roadkill to be an ethical way of obtaining animal based products like fur, feathers, bones, or meat. In most places, roadkill that isn’t salvaged by the person who hit it is simply removed and incinerated by highway cleanup crews. A lot of my collection is sourced this way.

Bush finds: I think most people can agree that there isn’t anything unethical about picking up a random skull or antler you found laying out in the woods. Or some shorebird feathers you found on the beach. Most of my collection is sourced from bush finds. 

Meat Byproduct: Byproducts of livestock, could be bones removed from your chicken dinner (greasy af), or a pig head purchased from a butcher. These animals were killed for food, salvaging anything that would otherwise go to waste isn’t generally a problem in my eyes. 

Sustainable hunting: Though I don’t hunt myself, I see nothing wrong with people who do. Especially when they go out of their way to use as much of the animal as possible. I only occasionally source products from hunters. A friend who hunts says they got a deer, I ask for the skull if they arent going to use it.

Vintage Objects: Antique stores can sometimes be a great place to get a bargain on super rare VC items. For example, an old leopard rug from 1802. At this point leopard hunting is pretty much non-existent so there is very little likelihood you would be supporting the sport. As long as the product is legal, I see no issue with antique items. 

Things I do not consider ethical. Fur farms: I’m 50/50 on my opinion of fur farms. Chinese fur farms and farms with very little animal welfare laws are an absolute NO go for me. However, american and Canadian fur farms tend to have equal, if not better standards of animal welfare than general livestock. So my opinion of them is about the same as farming and hunting. But they are illegal in the UK so I cant really get a silver fox pelt even if I wanted one. 

Trophy hunting: Hunting animals just for their pelts, horns, etc… nah.