# How many hunters butcher their own deer and elk?



## deeker

I do, and sadly been butchering a couple of deer for two friends that are unable to do so. One of them has an out of state funeral to attend and the other got a cut ( he is in his late 70's ) while dressing out his deer.

Now has a severe infection from it. He some how jabbed his knife, dirty of course into his mid thigh. He was diagnosed as a diabetic almost ten years ago.

He had been hunting alone......

Back to the butchering.....I HATE shoulder shots. Or gut shots. I also don't like dealing with the dang silver skin.

My best trick at fighting the silver skin....as well as making the best/straightest cuts possible is to partially freeze the meat.

The partially frozen meat is easier to handle..and shave off the "blood shot" and the fat.


I prefer to vacuum seal the meat. Lots of jerky and sausage for the tougher cuts. One thing I started a few years ago...is to grind the lean meat even for jerky. Easier for the older ones to chew it.

What other tricks do you guys use?

My son and I hope to pop two trophy cow elk later this month....at least then it will be cool enough to hang them for at least 10 days.


Kevin


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## robfromaz1977

I butcher my own game. I like being able to see exactly what happens to every piece of meat that goes into my freezer. And I don't exactly trust local butchers.


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## deeker

robfromaz1977 said:


> I butcher my own game. I like being able to see exactly what happens to every piece of meat that goes into my freezer. And I don't exactly trust local butchers.



The local butchers, which in all honesty do a good job...with what they are brought...charge EXTRA if you want the meat from the deer/elk/moose/pronghorn that you brought in.

I prefer to butcher my own. Then I know what cuts I have...and from where they came.

What do you think about cutting the steaks and jerky while it is partially frozen?

We bone all of the meat, to save space and I believe it is a bit less gamey.


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## Deprime

robfromaz1977 said:


> I like being able to see exactly what happens to every piece of meat that goes into my freezer. And I don't exactly trust local butchers.



+1 Used to take them to the local processor but was very disappointed with the quality of work. I have done it myself for the last several years. Honestly, I enjoy processing my own deer. I know exactly what I have and don't have to worry about whether or not the meat that I get back is from the deer that I brought in. All the local processors that I know of use a saw and I like to bone them out. I think you get much better quality meat that way.


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## robfromaz1977

deeker said:


> The local butchers, which in all honesty do a good job...with what they are brought...charge EXTRA if you want the meat from the deer/elk/moose/pronghorn that you brought in.
> 
> I prefer to butcher my own. Then I know what cuts I have...and from where they came.
> 
> What do you think about cutting the steaks and jerky while it is partially frozen?
> 
> We bone all of the meat, to save space and I believe it is a bit less gamey.



I couldn't imagine getting meat from someone elses kill. That would never fly with me. I also do the boneless process. I even grind all my own burger with a little beef fat added. As for cutting steaks while it is partially frozen I think it could help keep the cuts nice and even. It seems to me that when the meat is only cold it can move around alot more and be harder to hold on to. 

Do you let your game hang for any period of time before you butcher it? I have let mine hang anywhere from 3 to 7 days depending on when I can get to it. Seems to make it better to me.


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## sbhooper

I have done all of my own processing for many years. We have grinders, stuffers, mixers etc.etc. I know exactily what goes into my freezer and do not have to speculate on whether it is my stuff or someone elses gut-shot mess. 

I kill too many animals for it to be feasible to have them commercially processed anyway.


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## ddhlakebound

Been butchering my own deer for years and years. Just hung a doe this morning, and we've got a cool few days so I'm hoping she can hang til the weekend. 

I prefer almost freezing for the butchering, and use a sharp filet knife for stripping off silverskin. Steaks, boneless roasts, and grind, and we can eat a deer every month. 

Grocery store meat sucks horribly by comparison.


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## Burvol

Butchering at home is the only way. Hats off to all you who do. Real hunters in my opinion. 

Tip: I put my roasts into hamburger. Why not have some really good flavorful meat in the hamburger bin instead of just the tidbits? I am a patient man on the hamburger detail. No sinue, no fat. Clean meat ground up. Tacos, spagehtti, cassaroles, ect. Don't need fat to stick it together. Mix some with pork shoulder for burgers, oh my


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## deeker

One of the books I buy and give to new hunters is "Dressing & Cooking WILD GAME" Published by Creative Publishing.

Written by Teresa Marrone.

Very good tips and very very well written with detailed color photo's on field dressing from squirrels/deer/pheasants/geese to elk.

Usually under $25.


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## deeker

robfromaz1977 said:


> I couldn't imagine getting meat from someone elses kill. That would never fly with me. I also do the boneless process. I even grind all my own burger with a little beef fat added. As for cutting steaks while it is partially frozen I think it could help keep the cuts nice and even. It seems to me that when the meat is only cold it can move around alot more and be harder to hold on to.
> 
> Do you let your game hang for any period of time before you butcher it? I have let mine hang anywhere from 3 to 7 days depending on when I can get to it. Seems to make it better to me.



The only piece of equipment we don't have, but used to is a meat locker.

Bandsaw, for the frozen stuff. I prefer to have all meat boneless.

We hang the critters for up to 14 days if the weather permits.

I grew up on a farm. Yes, we used to cut up our own beef and pork.

We have smokers, grinders and "sausage stuffers", and dryers.

I prefer to grind the meat for sausage and burger...freeze it..and add the fat when I thaw it out for cooking.

We have found it best to grind the fat ( NEVER USE GAME FAT!! ) that is over 50% frozen.

I prefer game meat to store bought beef. We do, on occasion cold smoke our own bacon. Apple and or hickory.

I like to brine soak hind quarters from deer or pronghorn and then smoke em.

Much like a cured ham. NIIIIIIIIIICEEEE eating.

Have considered buying Salmon and smoking it commercially.

Ooops....enough projects already.


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## Winn R

Those handy light rubber gloves have taken the mess out of gutting. guess those Doctors know what they're doing!!

I have a separate cooler for game. Generally after skinning and quartering a deer it'll hang there for several weeks.

After it's "skinned over", I'll put it on the block and with a real sharp flexible blade trim the surface of the meat off. This removes the inner layer of hide which has the gamy flavor and cleans off anything that's got on it. 

We eat game rare.


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## CGC4200

*for the silver, try a fish fillet knife to separate*

I saw a how-to show on KY Afield a few years ago, that guy was a smooth
cutter. I haven't got around to using a chainsaw yet, but have used a sawzall,
butcher knives & an axe for rough cuts.


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## sbhooper

I have seen studies on aging meat and have read lots on the processing of it. This is my twist on it and my opinion from years of experience doing at least 10 a year, so take it for what it is worth. 

First, field care is the MOST important part of meat handling. You cannot make good meat out of crap. Meat must be removed from the carcass ASAP and processed imediately if the temps are moderate/warm. If it is cold, it can hang for as long as you want it to. Studies done by several colleges revealed that it does very little good to "age" wild meat. Aging works for beef because the meat is marbled with fat. Wild game has the fat on the outside and it should be removed as it spoils the taste. Wild game will age just as well in a freezer as it will hanging. I really do believe that it is a bit more tender if aged in the freezer, in a fridge, or in a tree, in spite of what the studies indicate. I laugh at people that say the meat from pronghorns is bad. Most are shot when it is warm and hauled around in the back of a truck all day. Butchered and put on ice IN THE FIELD make antelope meat fantastic. 

People also get all wrapped up about hair on the meat. This is something else that is nonsense as long as you wash all of it off before processing it. Hair and dirt are irrelevant as long as they are cleaned off. Gut juice, however, ruins meat and anything it touches needs to be removed immediately and discarded. 

I also hear people say that the burger is "gamey". Most of the problem with burger is that it is not cleaned well enough before grinding. Cut away all the tendons and "silver" skin that you possibly can before grinding. It is time consuming, but well worth it. It does you no good to have a little bit more meat if it tastes like the south end of a north-bound skunk. Take the time to clean the meat the best you can and you will notice the difference in the pan. 

We cut our wild meat into steaks, roasts, and backstraps. All of the other pieces are ground into 1 pound packages. We use it like beef and do not add anything to it for regular cooking. It makes the best grease-free meatloaf imaginable. Spagehetti is fabulous as well as any other skillet meals. It is not necessary to add fat to it unless you are doing something to try to make it stick together-like patties. 

We make bacon burger patties by combining 12 pounds of venison, 5 pounds of the cheapest beef burger available (for grilling purposes), and three pounds of bacon ends or bacon. This is all ground together and run through a Cabelas patti maker that fits on our grinder. The meat is then frozen over night and vac sealed into 8-patty packages the next day. 

We also make summer sausage, hot sticks and lots of jerky. Wild meat is fantastic and far healthier than beef. I like the roasts much better than beef as there is no grease. 

I hope this helps someone with their processing. I learned this through many years of doing my own processing. I killed 37 deer this summer on a damage job and not one bit of it was wasted due to high temps. It was as good as any meat that I have ever tasted. 

Another reason for doing your own processing is that you know exactly what is in the package. When dealing with commercial processors, you have to realize that time is money and they do not have the time to properly handle meat. They cannot make your ten pounds of meat into sausage or whatever. They will mix it with whatever old gut-shot buck that somebody else brings in to make a complete batch. Trash in, trash out.


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## poorboypaul

Worked in a slaughter house for a number of years processing deer. The fastest way to remove any remaining hair is to use a propane torch. most hair pops and snaps and just disappears. smells a little though. 
Seen some real winners over the years. Had a couple of guys just bring the deer in without field dressing it. Just handed them a knife and told to go to the woods across the road and dress it. Had some citiots drag the deer to their truck AFTER they skinned it out in the woods!! What a mess that was to clean up. I personally wouldn't have done it but the boss wasn't going to turn away business, especially when he didn't have to clean it. :censored:lol


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## ShoerFast

Silver-skin is no biggie it seems, I think we eat a lot of it in what stores call meat? 

Time seems the best tool, good knives are up there. Been raised on what we butchered our selves is seem fortunate. 

Here O-Dan-O, you might like this site seems to have a lot of good information. Link:


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## deeker

During the August into September Utah archery deer/elk/pronghorn hunts. The daytime temps can be in the mid 90's. 

One trick we use, we freeze as many 2 liter pop bottles filled with water as our coolers will hold.

Stuff the dressed carcases with frozen bottles...to drop the temp in the day time. And even cooler at night. After it is cooled down to the low 30's then we put it in a game bag then wrap it in a sleeping bag.

Pronghorns....hit the ground....and the fillet knife hits the critter...bone it out completely. Don't even gut the critter. Split it open along the spine and bone it. Get it cool asap in game bags with air flow....then on the ice in the coolers.

Most all big game the tenderloin gets cooked the first night.

I always age the big game. Prefer to keep the hide on when 34 degrees or cooler. 

Or skin it in warmer weather....and get the fat off asap.


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## Hunt'n'photos

deeker said:


> Have considered buying Salmon and smoking it commercially.
> 
> Ooops....enough projects already.



Hey Kevin, why don't you come up here and catch them your self to smoke!  its a whole lot more fun!


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## deeker

Hunt'n'photos said:


> Hey Kevin, why don't you come up here and catch them your self to smoke!  its a whole lot more fun!



Your just trying to make me feel bad.

Besides....that is not even big enough for bait here.



I want the Alaska-Youkon moose, Dall sheep, caribou, sitka blacktail, brownie's and polars and blackies.


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## bowtechmadman

Butcher my own whitetail. Quality, sharp, filet knives are your friends!


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## indiansprings

We always process our own game. It's the only way you can may sure you get your own animal around here. I don't want some ahole's carcass that was not cared for properly. Too many around here do a poor job of field dressing, then drag them out filling the cavity with leaves, hair and whatever else clings to the meat. Many times around here the temperature is not low enough for them to hang, but they will drive around with them on the truck 
tool boxes for two days, or until the eyes shrink lol.
Whitetail season starts in the morning, it will be in the 50's.

We field dress them immediately, game bag the animal, get it on the truck, bring it home and set up two of the 96" lifetime plastic top tables, mix up two hand held spray bottles with 50/50 bleach/water solution to clean the tables off and then skin the animals, wash the carcass off and then immediately bone the whole animal out. We seperate our meat in three categories, steaks/grind and jerky. We use the cuts typically uses in roast for strip jerky.
We have a dehydrator that will hold up to 28 lbs of jerky, it uses 30 trays.
We run it it until the meat hits 140 degress then finish up the jerky at 160 degrees for thirty minutes in the oven.

We are know the meat we process is done in a clean, sanitary enviroment and we use the vaccum bags to put our meat in and write the date on every bag.

I wish we were cold enough here to hang the meat, often we are just too warm. 

Once when growing up, my mother opened up a package off deer meat my Dad had processed and in it was the flatened carcass of a big grey dog tick in with the burger. That was the last one we ever had processed.

Good luck on the elk, imho they are some of the finest table God put on this earth. Much more palatable than the whitetail in our area, less of a gamey taste. If you ever get a chance try some Axis deer, it is fantastic.

We make sure we clean all our knives, meat saws and equipment off with the bleach water. In the last few years we have started wearing nitrile gloves when processing, mainly because we were bring back and butchering elk from Colorado, just taking precautions against cwd. When it first became a big deal we wouldn't even eat the meat from Colorado elk until we got our test results back from the Colo game department.

We raise and butcher our own chickens as well. There's nothing tastier than a farm raised, free ranging yard bird. No six week grown steriod fed chicken around here from the supermarket. Just a stroll out to the back yard and I've got fresh chicken and farm fresh eggs. They just taste better.


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## ronnyb

I bone out all of my own meat and tcherhem wait several months to take it to the butcher.


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## ronnyb

I bone out all of my own meat and then wait several months to take it to the butcher.


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## sbhooper

The only problem with doing that is that you freezing it and then thawing and refreezing it. Not good.


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## luckycutter

Just got home and my cow elk is hanging in the garage. I used to think of elk as big deer, but as I get older those elk are getting bigger. I wish my son was older because those solo elk hunts are getting old. 
I have a couple of days cutting and wrapping ahead. My least favorite part of the hunt, but like everything els in life, If you want it done right ya have to do it yourself.


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## deeker

luckycutter said:


> Just got home and my cow elk is hanging in the garage. I used to think of elk as big deer, but as I get older those elk are getting bigger. I wish my son was older because those solo elk hunts are getting old.
> I have a couple of days cutting and wrapping ahead. My least favorite part of the hunt, but like everything els in life, *If you want it done right ya have to do it yourself.*



I hope she never say's that.

I do prefer to cut up elk over deer. Bigger steaks and roasts. More sausage and burger as well as jerky.

Hope to have pics of elk asap. Huge blizzard warning in effect here. Wanted to hunt tomorrow...looks like saturday at the earliest.

Oh, well.


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## luckycutter

I did not have time to take pics as I had the storm front moving in. I had the choice of either bustin' a move or I would have been one of those stranded by the storm when the roads closed. Once I had the elk back to camp I had it on the 4Runner and was on the road in 25 min. Lesson learned, If you do not have the time to put things away correctly,just put everything on the trailer floor because that is where it will end up anyway after 200+ miles of wind, ruts, packed snow and washboard. 
As it is I dodged jackknifing 18 wheelers and absolute morons for 11 hours as I just made it before the troopers closed sections of the highway. Normally that route takes 4.5 hours. I thought of stopping a couple of times when the wind was blowing my trailer all over the road and the snow was so thick I could barely see the hood of my rig, but all the while I saw vehicles spinning into the median and/or the shoulder. Once you got on the highway there really was no "safe" place to stop so I just drove on into the night at 30MPH knowing that by morning even more idiots would take to the roads and drive 70 MPH on black ice, wind, and snow. Take care Deeker. If I got a taste of what is headed in your direction that is not a storm you want to be caught out in.

Agreed on the elk, For just a bit more work you get a lot more meat, but in the field, dragging out a deer is much easier. Even a quartered elk makes you feel weak and small if there is any distance involved. I also hate leaving parts of the animal behind and make trips when I see a lot of coyote and cougar tracks nearby. Seeing those tracks kind of makes one feel lonely when hunting solo. 


I do not mind if the wife starts the party with out me as long as I get to finish.


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## flyfshrmn

*processing your own*

I have been doing my own deer, antelope and elk now since I was 15. It's not difficult, just takes time and effort, but the end result is worth it. It's almost a necessity now in California because the state health regs have gotten so onerous for the meat processors that they just quit doing it. The best thing is you know exactly what you're getting and how it's been handled and you save some coin. I also think you get a better result than that from most game processors. You need a good meat grinder for your own burger processing. This means an all metal head and grinding assembly. It will pay for itself in one successful season. My current one came from Northern Tool and cost less than a hundred dollars, and it's done six deer, two antelope and an elk. It will grind 15 lbs of burger in about five minutes. When the game runs out, I buy top sirloin and make my own beef burger. I vacuum seal everything. I've gone through one vacuum sealer and now have a second one (Foodsaver) but we also have an old Reynolds hand held one and it works just as well, even though Reynolds quit making the bags. We just use the Ziplock or Foodsaver vacuum bags, in both quart and gallon size. You can grind the burger any way you want, with bacon, beef fat, ground beef, pork fat, pork shoulder, pork sausage. Most game is too lean to use without some fat as a binder for burger patties, but we grind most of ours without because we will use it mostly in spaghetti sauces and meatloaf. 

The important points are field care, cooling and good sharp knives. My meat processing knives are sharp enough to shave with and they have to be kept that way.

Once the animal is down, you are on the clock and you're working against two things, bacteria and temperature. If you've made a clean shot, leaving the gut intact, half this battle is over. If you haven't got far to move the animal, get him immediately to a place where you can control the cleanliness of the operation. If not, field dress him immediately. If I have to drag the animal any distance, I sew the abdominal incision back up temporarily to keep the cavity from getting full of dirt and foliage. Back to camp and in the shade if it's warmer than 40 degrees, immediately skin the animal and then cover to keep flies and varmints off. Prop the cavity open to promote cooling. Cool to below 40 degrees or, if the weather is hot, get the animal to a locker plant where it can be kept cool. If it warms back up, it's going to go bad. I always carry a lot of old surgical drapes and an old sleeping bag or quilt to wrap the meat in to keep it cold. 

For elk, cooling is especially important. Because they are so large and have so much thermal mass, cooling the meat quickly requires immediate skinning and quartering. They have to quartered anyway to handle them in the field and I usually quarter them right where they fall without even opening the body cavity except to retrieve the backstraps and heart. Skin the quarters where the animal lies, disjoint them, put in meat bags and hang to cool. Wrap in heavy cloth or old quilts and kept in the shade after they have cooled and they will not warm up, not in most elk country.

If you have time, bone the quarters in the field or in camp. Backstraps and tenderloins can be removed easily and bagged in small cloth bags. I carry several large (80 quart) ice chests on elk hunts and a complete quartered elk with the backstraps and tenderloins fits in three of them, if it's boned out. But they will be heavy.

At home, sharpen the knives, break out the vacuum sealer and the cutting boards. Cut into steaks, roasts, burger meat, etc. Keep everything cold while you're working. Trim as you go, getting rid of connecting tissue, fat, arteries, and gristly stuff. I fill a 20 quart stockpot for each batch of burger and grind it at the end of the day.


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## GoRving

I used to butcher my own, but don't any more. Heck, I don't hunt nearly as much as I used to, and health issues require me to need assistance with a deer kill. Getting old sucks.


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## luckycutter

GoRving said:


> I used to butcher my own, but don't any more. Heck, I don't hunt nearly as much as I used to, and health issues require me to need assistance with a deer kill. Getting old sucks.



Thats what the younger generation is for. You teach them the ins and outs of hunting/taking care of the game. They supply the extra hands and the grunt. Its a win win symbiotic relationship that ensures the next generation hunts while allowing the current generation to hunt more years.


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## ropensaddle

I have always done mine mainly because the butchers here use bone saw I prefer to de- bone and separate muscle groups those with much membrane get crock potted into deery joe and ropes wilderness stew lol. I have always used much seasoning for deer it is a bit bland to me without pepper's and other spice. I like Tony Chacharies spelling wrong cajun seasoning if a lack of garden pepper is unavailable. I usually pack the meat on ice to age a few days then bag it vacuumed depending on how long it takes me to eat it!


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## WesternSaw

*Deeker and others*

I was chatting not long ago with fellow AS member Thieroff about hanging game and temperatures.He's a meat cutter as well as I

I would say from the posts I have looked over just about all of you have excellent skills when it comes to game cutting that includes hanging and all the other associated processing skills.

I worked in the meat industry for 30 years started working slaughterhouse cleanup and worked my way up.In today's world of specialists if your getting someone to do your cutting for you,you want someone who knows the whole deal.Unless of course he tells you he doesn't and that's good too.In an industry setting there are fellas who have slaughtered thousands of animals but never processed one beyond that.And it works the other way as well.Someone may have cut up thousands of carcasses and never dressed an animal,field or otherwise
It used to be that a Master butcher was one who could take an animal from farm to table and know the whole trade.
I'll touch on another subject concerning aging.When the natural occurring sugars start to break down in a carcass they become an acid which in turn breaks down the connective tissue of the animal.You can get away with aging good finished beef over a length of time because of fat cover.If there's little fat cover on the game you have taken you will have waste from the meat that is exposed to the air over a certain length of time.
I have never heard of meat aging once frozen,I stand to be corrected however.Presently I know of only two ways to age an animal.Dry aged ie.hanging on the rail and so called wet aging when it comes to the store in primal cuts and is cryovaced.If I can answer any questions I'd be glad to help.Honestly though I'm sure some of you could teach me a thing or two,
Lawrence


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## deeker

petesoldsaw said:


> I was chatting not long ago with fellow AS member Thieroff about hanging game and temperatures.He's a meat cutter as well as I
> 
> I would say from the posts I have looked over just about all of you have excellent skills when it comes to game cutting that includes hanging and all the other associated processing skills.
> 
> I worked in the meat industry for 30 years started working slaughterhouse cleanup and worked my way up.In today's world of specialists if your getting someone to do your cutting for you,you want someone who knows the whole deal.Unless of course he tells you he doesn't and that's good too.In an industry setting there are fellas who have slaughtered thousands of animals but never processed one beyond that.And it works the other way as well.Someone may have cut up thousands of carcasses and never dressed an animal,field or otherwise
> It used to be that a Master butcher was one who could take an animal from farm to table and know the whole trade.
> I'll touch on another subject concerning aging.When the natural occurring sugars start to break down in a carcass they become an acid which in turn breaks down the connective tissue of the animal.You can get away with aging good finished beef over a length of time because of fat cover.If there's little fat cover on the game you have taken you will have waste from the meat that is exposed to the air over a certain length of time.
> I have never heard of meat aging once frozen,I stand to be corrected however.Presently I know of only two ways to age an animal.Dry aged ie.hanging on the rail and so called wet aging when it comes to the store in primal cuts and is cryovaced.If I can answer any questions I'd be glad to help.Honestly though I'm sure some of you could teach me a thing or two,
> Lawrence



Thanks for your post and information.

I doubt it ages while frozen, however before we freeze it we will age steaks or roasts at 33 to 34 degrees....seems to help a bit.

I prefer to hang the entire carcass, especially game meat.


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## ropensaddle

petesoldsaw said:


> I was chatting not long ago with fellow AS member Thieroff about hanging game and temperatures.He's a meat cutter as well as I
> 
> I would say from the posts I have looked over just about all of you have excellent skills when it comes to game cutting that includes hanging and all the other associated processing skills.
> 
> I worked in the meat industry for 30 years started working slaughterhouse cleanup and worked my way up.In today's world of specialists if your getting someone to do your cutting for you,you want someone who knows the whole deal.Unless of course he tells you he doesn't and that's good too.In an industry setting there are fellas who have slaughtered thousands of animals but never processed one beyond that.And it works the other way as well.Someone may have cut up thousands of carcasses and never dressed an animal,field or otherwise
> It used to be that a Master butcher was one who could take an animal from farm to table and know the whole trade.
> I'll touch on another subject concerning aging.When the natural occurring sugars start to break down in a carcass they become an acid which in turn breaks down the connective tissue of the animal.You can get away with aging good finished beef over a length of time because of fat cover.If there's little fat cover on the game you have taken you will have waste from the meat that is exposed to the air over a certain length of time.
> I have never heard of meat aging once frozen,I stand to be corrected however.Presently I know of only two ways to age an animal.Dry aged ie.hanging on the rail and so called wet aging when it comes to the store in primal cuts and is cryovaced.If I can answer any questions I'd be glad to help.Honestly though I'm sure some of you could teach me a thing or two,
> Lawrence



Ok I have aged it several ways this is deer only and I am sure its not perfect but we never are able to hang three days. I de-bone quarter and pack in ice chest keeping packed and drained for up to 7 days no longer. I have read where it is not supposed to be correct but have not once had a problem with doing it. I have also aged in the veggie crisper!


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## deeker

ropensaddle said:


> Ok I have aged it several ways this is deer only and I am sure its not perfect but we never are able to hang three days. I de-bone quarter and pack in ice chest keeping packed and drained for up to 7 days no longer. I have read where it is not supposed to be correct but have not once had a problem with doing it. I have also aged in the veggie crisper!



Same as I do.

I will get the elk sinew sent to you (poetic or pathetic?) as soon as I shoot my cow elk.


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## smilin possum

I just set her and read this hole thread and came to a conclusion. If ya'll do it and didn't tell thats ok, but nobody said any thing about deep frying. It might be a southern thing. We bone all our deer and then cut it across the grain. After it ages a bit. 

Now get ready cause this is the good part. Cut the meat into what we call nuggets add some Texas Pete dab of water and salt and red and black pepper to taste. Let it stand 30 mins. Then put all the meat in a zip lock bag and cover it with mustard real good. Take the meat out and roll it in House Autry SEAFOOD breader and drop it in 375 degree oil of your choice. When that breader turns golden brown and it floats back to the top yank them babies out and try one. It'll make a puppy pull a freight train. You have a very tender bit size peice of meat that will melt in your mouth. Just don't fry it to long or it get tough because it's over cooked. Just thought I'd throw this at ya'll and see what you think. My wife doesn't care for deer but she eats this like candy and says it's really good. Give er a try. 

Hunt Long and hard and enjoy Gods gift of bounty and thank him for your supper. Be Safe,
Joe
PS. NO I DON'T EAT POSSUM fried or otherwise.


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## deeker

smilin possum said:


> I just set her and read this hole thread and came to a conclusion. If ya'll do it and didn't tell thats ok, but nobody said any thing about deep frying. It might be a southern thing. We bone all our deer and then cut it across the grain. After it ages a bit.
> 
> Now get ready cause this is the good part. Cut the meat into what we call nuggets add some Texas Pete dab of water and salt and red and black pepper to taste. Let it stand 30 mins. Then put all the meat in a zip lock bag and cover it with mustard real good. Take the meat out and roll it in House Autry SEAFOOD breader and drop it in 375 degree oil of your choice. When that breader turns golden brown and it floats back to the top yank them babies out and try one. It'll make a puppy pull a freight train. You have a very tender bit size peice of meat that will melt in your mouth. Just don't fry it to long or it get tough because it's over cooked. Just thought I'd throw this at ya'll and see what you think. My wife doesn't care for deer but she eats this like candy and says it's really good. Give er a try.
> 
> Hunt Long and hard and enjoy Gods gift of bounty and thank him for your supper. Be Safe,
> Joe
> PS. *NO I DON'T EAT POSSUM fried or otherwise*.



Whatever.

What makes an opossom smile?

Never tried deep fried.

Have made lots of finger steaks, deer/elk/pronghorn/moose/bison steaks cut into small strips and battered and fried in oil.

Does that count?

And just how does possum taste?



Yes I will try your suggestion, sounds good.


----------



## smilin possum

deeker said:


> Whatever.
> 
> What makes an opossom smile?
> 
> Never tried deep fried.
> 
> Have made lots of finger steaks, deer/elk/pronghorn/moose/bison steaks cut into small strips and battered and fried in oil.
> 
> Does that count?
> 
> And just how does possum taste?
> 
> 
> 
> Yes I will try your suggestion, sounds good.



Chainsaws makes this un smile. 
Yes that counts.
I have no idea my Daddy used to eat um but I didn't so I don't know and ain't going to try unless it gets real bad here.
I've eat a bunch of critters but Possum ain't high on my list.


----------



## J.Gordon

deeker said:


> One of the books I buy and give to new hunters is "Dressing & Cooking WILD GAME" Published by Creative Publishing.
> 
> Written by Teresa Marrone.
> 
> Very good tips and very very well written with detailed color photo's on field dressing from squirrels/deer/pheasants/geese to elk.
> 
> Usually under $25.



Can't rep ya now but will get ya soon. Thanks for the tip!
Great I just put 5 books on my wish list because of this post.


----------



## 820wards

I've been butchering my game for the past 35 years. I know where it's been from hoof to plate. It goes pretty easy once you learn how to do it. 

jerry-


----------



## WesternSaw

*Rope*



ropensaddle said:


> Ok I have aged it several ways this is deer only and I am sure its not perfect but we never are able to hang three days. I de-bone quarter and pack in ice chest keeping packed and drained for up to 7 days no longer. I have read where it is not supposed to be correct but have not once had a problem with doing it. I have also aged in the veggie crisper!



Rope,what you have described makes sense to me as you are basically just making a small version of a large scale cooler.You are intorducing the meat to cooler temperatures yet not cold enough to complete the freeze cycle.
Lawrence


----------



## North by Northwest

Have Hunted Moose for over 40 yrs , always butcher the meat myself . Same with Venison , growing up on a Farm butchering domestic beef and pork the basics were learned at a relatively young age . Started smoking both venison and moose back in the 80's , primarily Hickory and Mesquite . Try to hang wild game for at least a week weather permitting . Have Vertical Meat Bands Saws but normally debone the Moose and Deer Meat . Just finished a batch of Smoke White Fish Link Sausage last week lol .


----------



## wampum

sbhooper said:


> I have seen studies on aging meat and have read lots on the processing of it. This is my twist on it and my opinion from years of experience doing at least 10 a year, so take it for what it is worth.
> 
> First, field care is the MOST important part of meat handling. You cannot make good meat out of crap. Meat must be removed from the carcass ASAP and processed imediately if the temps are moderate/warm. If it is cold, it can hang for as long as you want it to. Studies done by several colleges revealed that it does very little good to "age" wild meat. Aging works for beef because the meat is marbled with fat. Wild game has the fat on the outside and it should be removed as it spoils the taste. Wild game will age just as well in a freezer as it will hanging. I really do believe that it is a bit more tender if aged in the freezer, in a fridge, or in a tree, in spite of what the studies indicate. I laugh at people that say the meat from pronghorns is bad. Most are shot when it is warm and hauled around in the back of a truck all day. Butchered and put on ice IN THE FIELD make antelope meat fantastic.
> 
> People also get all wrapped up about hair on the meat. This is something else that is nonsense as long as you wash all of it off before processing it. Hair and dirt are irrelevant as long as they are cleaned off. Gut juice, however, ruins meat and anything it touches needs to be removed immediately and discarded.
> 
> I also hear people say that the burger is "gamey". Most of the problem with burger is that it is not cleaned well enough before grinding. Cut away all the tendons and "silver" skin that you possibly can before grinding. It is time consuming, but well worth it. It does you no good to have a little bit more meat if it tastes like the south end of a north-bound skunk. Take the time to clean the meat the best you can and you will notice the difference in the pan.
> 
> We cut our wild meat into steaks, roasts, and backstraps. All of the other pieces are ground into 1 pound packages. We use it like beef and do not add anything to it for regular cooking. It makes the best grease-free meatloaf imaginable. Spagehetti is fabulous as well as any other skillet meals. It is not necessary to add fat to it unless you are doing something to try to make it stick together-like patties.
> 
> We make bacon burger patties by combining 12 pounds of venison, 5 pounds of the cheapest beef burger available (for grilling purposes), and three pounds of bacon ends or bacon. This is all ground together and run through a Cabelas patti maker that fits on our grinder. The meat is then frozen over night and vac sealed into 8-patty packages the next day.
> 
> We also make summer sausage, hot sticks and lots of jerky. Wild meat is fantastic and far healthier than beef. I like the roasts much better than beef as there is no grease.
> 
> I hope this helps someone with their processing. I learned this through many years of doing my own processing. I killed 37 deer this summer on a damage job and not one bit of it was wasted due to high temps. It was as good as any meat that I have ever tasted.
> 
> Another reason for doing your own processing is that you know exactly what is in the package. When dealing with commercial processors, you have to realize that time is money and they do not have the time to properly handle meat. They cannot make your ten pounds of meat into sausage or whatever. They will mix it with whatever old gut-shot buck that somebody else brings in to make a complete batch. Trash in, trash out.



Great post,I agree with cutting ASAP. I have not hunted off of my property in well over 20 years for deer. I usually get 2 a year. I stopped dragging and gutting in the woods years ago. Like I said I hunt on my property,so when I get a deer,I get the tractor and bring it out in the bucket. I hang the deer(this is important) head down,so that it bleeds out.I skin it first and then gut it,allowing all the unusable parts to go in the bucket of the tractor. I then cut the deer in half and let it hang over night for cooling purposes. Like you said it does not do much good to let it hang for days,like beef. I cut it up the next day. Over the years I have gotten in the habit of cubing the whole deer. I take off all the fat I can and eliminate all the bones. Then I vacuum seal it and freeze the meat. This allows me so many options. When I have time I can make sausage,grind the meat,cook it in the cube state(I alway mark what cut the cubes came from)or cold pack it. If freezer space is a problem,it gets cold packed right away. The last thing is that from shooting to cutting it in half is all most always less then 1 hour, usually 45 minutes.


----------



## poorboypaul

Nothing better for tenderness than canning deer meat. Won't be the most edible thing to look at in the jar, but tastes just like beef. Goes great in vegetable stew where everything in it came from your garden.


----------



## sbhooper

We just canned 39 pounds of last year's meat from the freezer. It was elk and antelope. There is nothing better than canned venison. There is no grease and it is great even cold out of the jar. Dump it in a pan and heat it up, fire up some rice or noodles and you have an instant meal. 

My wife just adds some beef boullion and a few spices to the jars and then pressure cans it just to make sure. It keeps for years and you don't have to worry about your freezer quitting.


----------



## North by Northwest

Never tried the canning process , sound interesting . Usually cut most of the prime meat into roasts and double bag freeze for later steak cutting . Otherwise love venison burger and mucho smoked jerky . Shot a 8 point locally on my own property bow and went out of town to Rainy River for a 12 point with my Rem 700 . Still have over 100 pounds of Moose Burger (neck) to Process from October . Again Smoking and Beef and Pork Fat addition for taste is the norm . Usually have Link and Pattie Sausage combined . I will look into the canning online for additional info .


----------



## rob206

Still have some canned venison from '97, still edible, well at least I haven't gotten sick from it. Thanks to my poor marksmanship, I am not butchering my own deer this year. Me and my dad do our own, but boy does it take us awhile. I try to get every bit of silver skin off of every cut, so it takes me a couple days start to finish.


----------



## North by Northwest

rob206 said:


> Still have some canned venison from '97, still edible, well at least I haven't gotten sick from it. Thanks to my poor marksmanship, I am not butchering my own deer this year. Me and my dad do our own, but boy does it take us awhile. I try to get every bit of silver skin off of every cut, so it takes me a couple days start to finish.


 
No rush haste makes waste . A good Sharp filleting knife or boning knife really helps with the silver skin issues , but as you know always a tedious ordeal lol . I normally can process a deer in 3-5 hrs , moose on the other hand normally is a 2 day routine . Last yr had my son's help out and hand the moose (450 lbs) deboned in 8 hrs and the next day processed around 100 lbs of Line and Pattie Sausage in another 4 hrs . 
P.S. Always hang domestic or wild game as long as ambient temps will allow , no warmer than 43 degrees F . Ideally 34-38 is what I prefer . I also lightly score with a sharp knife the surface of all premium cuts steaks to relax or reduce surface tension of the cut prior to quick frying or barbecuing . All wild meat is rare to medium rare due to lack of marbling (fat) . Nothing worse than over cooking wild game , especially venison. I remember back on the farm when we butcher our own beef , Dad would leave the prime cuts hang in the root cellar until blue skin would appear then he would remove same with a sharp knife and cook to order talk about tender meat lol . Just finished the last of the Moose Burger and Venison Sausage Processing New yrs Eve Day . Had the Smoker full of both for presentation as appetizers with Aged Colby Cheese and 7-grain crackers on New Years Eve . Another successful Hunting Season is over for another Yr. All the Best to All for another Enjoyable Hunt Next Year !


----------



## poorboypaul

Broken said:


> Never tried the canning process , sound interesting . Usually cut most of the prime meat into roasts and double bag freeze for later steak cutting . Otherwise love venison burger and mucho smoked jerky . Shot a 8 point locally on my own property bow and went out of town to Rainy River for a 12 point with my Rem 700 . Still have over 100 pounds of Moose Burger (neck) to Process from October . Again Smoking and Beef and Pork Fat addition for taste is the norm . Usually have Link and Pattie Sausage combined . I will look into the canning online for additional info .


 
Be sure to use a pressure canner, not a regular canner. I've used a regular canner with success, but they say it's a no-no because the meat doesn't get to a high enough temperature. Better safe than sorry.


----------



## poorboypaul

One thing that will help, even if it's just one of you, is NEVER, never cut your deer in half. Can if you want to, but it's not a beef carcass. It's nothing but wasted labor. Leave deer hang whole, head down. When you're ready to process, cut the front half off directly ahead of the hindquarters. You can take the front legs off first, or leave them on. Then process the front half, then your hindquarters. They are not thick animals and will cool easily if the weather permits. This is how it was done when I worked at a deer processor for years. Saves you a LOT of labor. Not a know-it-all. Just want to save you guys some extra work. Hope this helps you!


----------



## jjett84724

Deek,

Did you get your cow elk? 

The family and I just got back from Monticello. We killed five cows. I would have taken some pictures, but it was too dang cold (-10). We gutted, and loaded five cows (actually two cows and three calves) into the bed of the truck in record time - 90 minutes. 

We usually cut up our own deer, but I have never tried to cut up an elk before. White's in Richfield usually gets our business. I need to learn the trade...it would save me a ton of money every year.


----------



## jrocket

I"ve been hunting for the past 30 somthing years, and my dad for ? long before that. Never even thought about having someone else do the cutting. I think thats the way it should be, see the job through from forest floor to the grill. 
years ago we would save the scrap meat to have made into sausage but you dont get your own meat back, they simply weigh it when you bring it in and dump your meat that you were very picky about cleaning, in with everybody elses crap. never done that since.


----------



## Duke Thieroff

I'm a butcher for a living, processed about 100 deer this year. I manage a retail meat department for a living.


If any of you guys have any questions about butchering or preparing your game meat for the dinner table go ahead and ask.


CT


----------



## deeker

jjett84724 said:


> Deek,
> 
> Did you get your cow elk?
> 
> The family and I just got back from Monticello. We killed five cows. I would have taken some pictures, but it was too dang cold (-10). We gutted, and loaded five cows (actually two cows and three calves) into the bed of the truck in record time - 90 minutes.
> 
> We usually cut up our own deer, but I have never tried to cut up an elk before. White's in Richfield usually gets our business. I need to learn the trade...it would save me a ton of money every year.


 
My tag no, but got one that was shot in the wrong area today.

Some clown had shot and wounded a cow elk on BYU's old dairy farm.

Not an area open to hunting. They have to be on the hills or the mountian above.

My son called me and said, "there is a wounded cow elk on the dairy farm".

Called the local CO (conservation officer) yes, he knows me quite well.

He told us to go finish her off and he would help us recover her.

The only weapon we had was a .380ACP which is NOT a weapon for a wounded 3-400lb elk.

Got to within 30 yards, after dark... she stands up and staggers off.....stops and I shoot her in the brain housing group.

Walk back out to the road in the snow.....The CO is on his way.

Go home and get my pickup to get her out. The CO has driven out to her and pulled her back to the road.
First time I have shot an elk with such a small weapon. Last time too.

Now the CO is laying in wait for the asshat that wounded her.


----------



## deeker

Thieroff said:


> I'm a butcher for a living, processed about 100 deer this year. I manage a retail meat department for a living.
> 
> 
> If any of you guys have any questions about butchering or preparing your game meat for the dinner table go ahead and ask.
> 
> 
> CT


 
You are hired.

Too bad you live in "Steelers" country.

You will get questions from me. Thanks for the post and information.

Kevin


----------



## Duke Thieroff

deeker said:


> You are hired.
> 
> Too bad you live in "Steelers" country.
> 
> You will get questions from me. Thanks for the post and information.
> 
> Kevin


 
Too bad you don't live in Steelers country!

Actually I've spent some time out in Ute', beautiful country you have there, that's for sure.

Just so you know, I will work for saws :biggrinbounce2:

Any questions feel free to shoot me a PM

CT


----------



## jjett84724

deeker said:


> My tag no, but got one that was shot in the wrong area today.
> 
> Some clown had shot and wounded a cow elk on BYU's old dairy farm.
> 
> Not an area open to hunting. They have to be on the hills or the mountian above.
> 
> My son called me and said, "there is a wounded cow elk on the dairy farm".
> 
> Called the local CO (conservation officer) yes, he knows me quite well.
> 
> He told us to go finish her off and he would help us recover her.
> 
> The only weapon we had was a .380ACP which is NOT a weapon for a wounded 3-400lb elk.
> 
> Got to within 30 yards, after dark... she stands up and staggers off.....stops and I shoot her in the brain housing group.
> 
> Walk back out to the road in the snow.....The CO is on his way.
> 
> Go home and get my pickup to get her out. The CO has driven out to her and pulled her back to the road.
> First time I have shot an elk with such a small weapon. Last time too.
> 
> Now the CO is laying in wait for the asshat that wounded her.


 
That crap pisses me off!! Make a good shot for hecks sake. There is no reason for the animal to suffer. I hope the person who shot the animal actually had a tag. BTW, that's a heck of a shot with a pistol, especially a .380. Nice shooting, Rex!!

On our trip to Monticello, I had a wonderful teaching opportunity about hunting ethics with my children. 

This was our second trip out there - it's about 5-6 hours from our home to the hunting grounds, and the first with a decent amount of snow on the ground. The first trip we saw some elk, but they were about 600 yards out there, and I didn't feel comfortable letting my 12 and 14 year old boys shoot that far. We left empty handed and planned another trip, hopefully after there was some snow on the ground. 

We got out to Monticello and there was about 10-12 inches of snow, with drifts between 2-3 feet. We were absolutely ecstatic. We hunted the first night and saw nothing (it was still snowing). The next morning we were out at first light. We tried to get to the area that held the elk on the trip before, but couldn't because of the deep snow drifts. We drove into a field that normally has a small herd and where I had killed elk before. After cresting a hill, we noticed a truck parked on the main road and two men working on a downed animal. We drove over and saw they had an elk down. They told us about 20 head had crossed the road right in front of them. They waited until the elk got off the road and shot a cow. We helped them load her into the back of the truck and then went looking for the herd. We followed the elk tracks into a piece of land that we couldn't hunt. So we circled the piece and saw, by the lack of tracks, that the elk had not left the trees. 

We loaded up and went to pick up the wife and have some lunch in town. After lunch we drove back out to the hunting area. On the way, I spotted some elk. The elk took off running as soon as I stopped the truck. They ran behind some trees and then toward the road. We grabbed the map (supplied by the landowner) and checked to see if the elk were where we could hunt them. They were less than 1/2 mile out of our hunting area, and running away from our hunting area. We drove up the road and the cows crossed less than 100 yards from the pickup, then they stopped and watched us. There was no one around but us and the elk. The kids were trying to jump out of the truck until we explained they weren't in the hunting area and that we wouldn't be shooting these elk today. They were dissapointed, but understood that we couldn't hunt here. We watched the elk trot up a ridge and into the trees. 

We drove further down the road into our hunting area. We turned into the field by the PJ, and there stood about 20 cow elk. My wife made an awesome shot on the lead cow (neck shot), my two son's shot their cows in the neck, and my FIL and I both shot our elk in the head. No wasted meat!! My boys learned that when you do the right thing (i.e. not shooting an elk out of the hunting area), it pays in the end.


----------



## poorboypaul

jjett84724 said:


> That crap pisses me off!! Make a good shot for hecks sake. There is no reason for the animal to suffer. I hope the person who shot the animal actually had a tag. BTW, that's a heck of a shot with a pistol, especially a .380. Nice shooting, Rex!!
> 
> On our trip to Monticello, I had a wonderful teaching opportunity about hunting ethics with my children.
> 
> This was our second trip out there - it's about 5-6 hours from our home to the hunting grounds, and the first with a decent amount of snow on the ground. The first trip we saw some elk, but they were about 600 yards out there, and I didn't feel comfortable letting my 12 and 14 year old boys shoot that far. We left empty handed and planned another trip, hopefully after there was some snow on the ground.
> 
> We got out to Monticello and there was about 10-12 inches of snow, with drifts between 2-3 feet. We were absolutely ecstatic. We hunted the first night and saw nothing (it was still snowing). The next morning we were out at first light. We tried to get to the area that held the elk on the trip before, but couldn't because of the deep snow drifts. We drove into a field that normally has a small herd and where I had killed elk before. After cresting a hill, we noticed a truck parked on the main road and two men working on a downed animal. We drove over and saw they had an elk down. They told us about 20 head had crossed the road right in front of them. They waited until the elk got off the road and shot a cow. We helped them load her into the back of the truck and then went looking for the herd. We followed the elk tracks into a piece of land that we couldn't hunt. So we circled the piece and saw, by the lack of tracks, that the elk had not left the trees.
> 
> We loaded up and went to pick up the wife and have some lunch in town. After lunch we drove back out to the hunting area. On the way, I spotted some elk. The elk took off running as soon as I stopped the truck. They ran behind some trees and then toward the road. We grabbed the map (supplied by the landowner) and checked to see if the elk were where we could hunt them. They were less than 1/2 mile out of our hunting area, and running away from our hunting area. We drove up the road and the cows crossed less than 100 yards from the pickup, then they stopped and watched us. There was no one around but us and the elk. The kids were trying to jump out of the truck until we explained they weren't in the hunting area and that we wouldn't be shooting these elk today. They were dissapointed, but understood that we couldn't hunt here. We watched the elk trot up a ridge and into the trees.
> 
> We drove further down the road into our hunting area. We turned into the field by the PJ, and there stood about 20 cow elk. My wife made an awesome shot on the lead cow (neck shot), my two son's shot their cows in the neck, and my FIL and I both shot our elk in the head. No wasted meat!! My boys learned that when you do the right thing (i.e. not shooting an elk out of the hunting area), it pays in the end.


 
If there were more hunters like you, be very few posted signs up! My property is posted souly because of slob, unethical, idiotic hunters. The expression "one bad apple will ruin a whole barrel". Yet many are whining that we're selfishly posting property anymore just so we can lease it to make money. Hunters need to realize that a hunting license doesn't give them free run of private property. I don't camp out in their yard. I pay the mortgage and taxes on it. If you want to hunt, ask. PA has finally imposed stiff penalties for poaching, including jail time. I hate the game commision, but it's about time the punishment should fit the crime. Add the trophy cost to it if it's a monster animal, and fines now will run thousands of dollars, not a couple hundred. As I said, I hate the game commission, but feel their loss of one of their fellow officers, who was gunned down by a convicted felon poaching deer. No one should have to die doing their job. Sorry. It's late and I'm ranting!


----------



## sbhooper

I also ended up with a deer this year that was wounded, but it was not a trespass issue. I looked out of my window one morning and saw a badly-crippled doe west of my house. I called the warden and he told me to go ahead and kill her and he would get me a permit. She had been shot in the front leg and was having a tough time of it. I did not need the meat, so I gave it away. I have two freezers full of meat, so I did NOT need it. The good thing is that I can find a home for every pound of extra meat that I end up with. 

I ended up killing 44 deer and two antelope for the year. I have two freezers full of great meat and I filled lots of other freezers! I guess that is my gift to the community. 

I will have to get busy eating, though, as I have to make room for a Newfoundland moose next fall.


----------



## WesternSaw

*Question*

I am baffled with the amount of game some of you fellas are taking in one hunting season.Can you explain this?
Lawrence


----------



## deeker

petesoldsaw said:


> I am baffled with the amount of game some of you fellas are taking in one hunting season.Can you explain this?
> Lawrence


 
In Utah I can legally shoot two elk per season.

And only one mule deer.

States like Mississippi people can shoot over 10 deer per season.


----------



## jjett84724

petesoldsaw said:


> I am baffled with the amount of game some of you fellas are taking in one hunting season.Can you explain this?
> Lawrence


 
I drew a big bull elk tag this year, along with a cow elk tag. My wife drew a cow elk tag, as did my two sons, my father in law, and my ex-father in law. My son also drew two deer tags. In Utah, a person can draw one buck deer, doe tags, bull elk tags, cow elk tags, moose and other animals. Some years we get lucky and draw lots of tags. Other years we don't. Just depends on the year.


----------



## sbhooper

It is easy to explain. Here in Nebraska, you can get two permits that allow the taking of a buck deer. Most are either sex permits. You can get as many antlerless permits as you want if they are left and most are good for two deer each. 

I killed six deer on regular permits-three antlerless with my bow, one good centerfire buck, and a good buck and a doe on a muzzleloader tag. 

Last summer, I assisted a neighboring farmer with a depredation issue. Game and Parks provided him with 50 tags in order to lower his deer damage. He gave the project to me and a friend of mine. I killed 37 deer between July 15 and September 1, which was the cutoff date the landowner gave us due to his pay-hunting operation. My buddy killed 13 as he did not have the time to spend at it like I did. It is great being retired! 

We butchered the deer in the field and took home only meat. The rest went into the bushes. I was sick of cutting deer meat by the time it was over. It was a real battle with the heat and walls of mosquitoes. I did find out that the Thermacel is the best thing that has happened to early-season hunting. 

I was asked,"What do you do with all that meat?" I had people standing in line for it and all I had to do was pick up the phone, fill out the transfer tag and it was gone. People are learning just how good that meat really is and there is nothing better than summer deer-especially the fawns!


----------



## meatwagon45

I dont hunt but am looking to get into it. We own farmland we opened it for hunting for the first time in over 35 years. 2 of my friends took 10 deer total and we recieved about a quarter of the meat for the permission. 

The deer population has gotten so out of control that we had to open for hunting. We have greenhouses and deer have entered them with people inside. Cars have been hitting them and new construction has been limiting their space. 

This spring I am looking to start hunting on my own


----------



## deer slayer

petesoldsaw said:


> I am baffled with the amount of game some of you fellas are taking in one hunting season.Can you explain this?
> Lawrence


 
In Maryland their are four counties that have unlimited doe harvesting. It's nothing to come home with 3-4 deer. WHY?? Not enough hunters, to much construction, I could go on but the fact is the deer population is growing at a rapid rate. I havnt read this whole post. I do my own butchering also, I like taking the back straps and butterflying them. Remove silver skin and cut in 1/2 to 3/4 inch thickness but cut partialy through every other cut, open them up and they look like butterflies. marinate in some paul newmans terriyaki and grill!!!


----------



## sbhooper

Meatwagon45, 
Once you start hunting and enjoying the great meat, you will be hooked and you won't go to the market very often for meat. You are lucky to have that kind of a deer PROBLEM to work on. If you have any questions on the direction that you want to take with the hunting, meat processing, weapon choice-anything-be sure to ask as there is always someone willing to give you some ideas. 

My email address is [email protected]. I will do my best to help you make the sound decisions on your quest to lessen your problem.


----------



## WesternSaw

*B.C. Info*

Thanks for posting up the information regarding the harvesting of wildlife down south of the 49th.I have not been able to hunt for the last seven years due to medical concerns but am hoping to give it a shot (pardon the pun) next fall.Lot's of the bigger game up here in British Columbia is Limited Entry Hunting (Draw).It just depends what species and what area in the province you hunt.But it's getting to be that you almost have to be a biologist and surveyor to understand some of the regulations
Lawrence


----------



## meatwagon45

sbhooper, 

My buddies all use bow and I found that I am a pretty good shot. I went with 1 guy to butcher a deer since I never witnessed it before and found it pretty easy and clean. In spring time, you can park your truck behind our farm, sit and read the paper, and chances are a deer will walk into you. I had a dozen standing around my truck one morning and they did not care that I had my pick up running, started a diesel, got out of my truck and made like I was aiming at them. 

I will be sure to ask any questions that I have


----------



## sbhooper

Until they wise up, you will have some outstanding shooting. If it is legal there, you may want to consider a crossbow. They are really good pieces of equipment now and lots of areas are allowing them. 

I can see where you would be getting frustrated with the deer. If they are that tame, they can absolutely be a hazzard. If you have small kids around or pets, those deer can be dangerous when they are like that.

Good luck.


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## deeker

deeker said:


> My tag no, but got one that was shot in the wrong area today.
> 
> Some clown had shot and wounded a cow elk on BYU's old dairy farm.
> 
> Not an area open to hunting. They have to be on the hills or the mountian above.
> 
> My son called me and said, "there is a wounded cow elk on the dairy farm".
> 
> Called the local CO (conservation officer) yes, he knows me quite well.
> 
> He told us to go finish her off and he would help us recover her.
> 
> The only weapon we had was a .380ACP which is NOT a weapon for a wounded 3-400lb elk.
> 
> Got to within 30 yards, after dark... she stands up and staggers off.....stops and I shoot her in the brain housing group.
> 
> Walk back out to the road in the snow.....The CO is on his way.
> 
> Go home and get my pickup to get her out. The CO has driven out to her and pulled her back to the road.
> First time I have shot an elk with such a small weapon. Last time too.
> 
> Now the CO is laying in wait for the asshat that wounded her.


 
Update.

Wish it were good news.

She has been in a meat locker, after we skinned and washed her. Since that day.

The meat locker thermostat has been too low. No problem. She froze.

Carved off a couple of steaks from one hind quater....meat is a beautiful healthy color....and it smells just like guts.

Cooked two steaks up....tastes just like guts.

She may have been wounded for four hours before I finished her off.

Never dealt with a gutshot/wounded animal before.

Sausuage or dog food?

Gamey meat is a no no in my world. And she is VERY very gamey....


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## olyman

deeker said:


> Update.
> 
> Wish it were good news.
> 
> She has been in a meat locker, after we skinned and washed her. Since that day.
> 
> The meat locker thermostat has been too low. No problem. She froze.
> 
> Carved off a couple of steaks from one hind quater....meat is a beautiful healthy color....and it smells just like guts.
> 
> Cooked two steaks up....tastes just like guts.
> 
> She may have been wounded for four hours before I finished her off.
> 
> Never dealt with a gutshot/wounded animal before.
> 
> Sausuage or dog food?
> 
> Gamey meat is a no no in my world. And she is VERY very gamey....


 
trash bag--no saving--been there--same with a animal thats been hit--adrenalin


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