The animal does not “bleed out” quickly, and hence the quality of the venison suffers. If you wait too long to recover the deer, the blood will spoil and ruin the meat. The old bowhunters’ rule is to wait
eight to 12 hours
before following a gut-shot deer.
How do you process a deer step by step?
- Shoulders. The first part of the deer we butcher is the front shoulders. …
- Back Straps. …
- Neck meat. …
- Clean up the front half. …
- Saw the backbone at the hips. …
- Cut out the sirloin. …
- Remove the rest of the hind quarter. …
- Finish boning out the hind quarters.
How do you process a deer for beginners?
Do you have to field dress a deer before taking it to a processor?
Some hunters have a meat pole or skinning shed where they hang their deer to remove the entrails. That’s great, but
most hunters field-dress their deer on the ground prior to bringing them home or taking them to the meat processor
.
What do you do with a deer gut pile?
skin it down to the neck, get the backstraps and front shoulders, open the inside down to the stomach and get the tenderloins but leave the guts inside the body cavity, then use a saw and cut across just in front of the hind quarters. then just either debone them hanging or leave whole for smoking.
Should you skin a deer right away?
SKIN IT TO WIN IT
When winter hits—especially in brutally cold areas—this natural insulation is what allows the animals to survive. But when you kill a deer, that same protective sheath needs to be removed quickly so the meat can cool.
Can you butcher a deer in the field?
Processing. While
processing is possible on the ground
, it’s easier to skin and debone a hanging carcass. Hanging the carcass will also keep the meat cleaner.
Can you butcher a deer right away?
On average,
five to seven days is the ideal length of time to let the meat age
. An aging process of five to seven days will allow the meat time to cool, move past rigor mortis, and let collagen begin to break down. This will result in meat that is both tender and flavorful.
How do you process a deer in the woods?
Can you process a deer yourself?
The reasons to process your own venison are many. I certainly could have used one of the many processors around Auburn, but there are a couple of major reasons I decided to do it myself. The first is simple – saving money!
After the minimal equipment costs are covered, it really pays to do it yourself.
What is the fastest way to process a deer?
How long should you hang a deer before butchering it?
The deer stiffens during rigor mortis in the 24 hours after being killed. If it is processed during this time, the muscles shorten and contract causing the meat to become tough. You should let your deer hang for
2 to 4 days at minimum
before processing to avoid this.
How long can a deer go without being field dressed?
If the temperature is warmer, and the area is not too humid or rainy, then you might have as long as
12 hours
; anything past that and you’re pushing your luck significantly. If the temperature is cooler, then 24 hours is around the maximum amount of time you want to wait before the meat starts to spoil.
How do you prepare a deer for processing?
Use clean water, premoistened wipes, or alcohol swabs to clean the knife frequently or between cuts to avoid dragging bacteria into the meat
. Place the deer on its back, elevate its front legs, and spread its hind legs. Support the carcass in this position with rocks or sticks.
Should you tip your deer processor?
Be sure to tip your skinners and processors whenever you can
. Yes, this sounds shallow and capitalist, but you will be surprised at the result. Many of these guys and gals are doing this as a side job because they could use the extra money, and a small token of appreciation goes a long way.
Should you bury deer guts?
After the viscera have been removed, place them in a non-porous garbage bag and pack them out of the woods.
You may dispose of them in a landfill or bury them where your deer was harvested at least two feet beneath the natural surface of the ground, and in accordance with local ordinances.
Should you rinse a deer after gutting?
Rinsing out the cavity with cold water soon after the deer has been killed can help by removing any bacteria that is a part of the spilled material
. Spraying the internal cavity of the deer with a simple 50/50 solution of water and vinegar is a great option to help destroy some of the bacteria that may be present.
Are deer bothered by gut piles?
David Pignataro, CT:
It’s not the gut pile that scares the deer
. It’s all the human scent around the gut pile that you put there while gutting. Sweat things your hands touched etc. Daniel Amend, WV: They are cleaned up In a day or two by the other animals.
Is it better to let deer hang with hide on or off?
Always leave on
. It will help keep the meat cool once the temp gets out of it and keep moisture in. If possible you should leave the deer hang at least 8 hours to let the body go through rigor mortis or it will be tougher. If the weather is warm you have no choice.
How long can a deer sit in 50 degree weather?
If the air temperature is 50 degrees, we have
three to six hours
to recover a deer after it dies. If the temperature is higher, or the animal has elevated its temperature by running hard, then the safe time available for recovery is shorter.
How do you process game meat?
How do you process a deer without hanging it?
Start down the center of the neck down through to the tail and work from there
. Google gutless method and it will be the same for the most part. I do one side at a time-skin one side, take strap and quarters, flip, skin,take strap and quarters. Not as easy as hanging it but it will get the job done.
Do you have to age venison?
Typically for the best balance of flavors, venison should age for between 18 to 21 days
. Provided you have the space, aging can be a very simple process. The key to dry aging is absolute temperature control.
Can you eat fresh venison?
As good as cooking venison is, there are ways to make it better. Fresh meat presents some challenges, especially considering it’s often carved from the bone well before it goes through rigor mortis, which causes even tender cuts to become tougher.
Cooking venison in camp is the best way to celebrate success.
How many pounds of meat do you get from a deer?
The average deer weighed 107.56 pounds field dressed and yielded
52.19 pounds
of venison, or a 48.52% meat yield. Below are the average yields for one deer according to Antlered (bucks), Antlerless (does and button bucks), and Combined (bucks, does, and button bucks). Several factors determine venison yield.
