Deer Processing; Do You Do It, Tips, Short Cuts, or Drop ‘em Off

[KroyWen]

It’s a lot of work, & time consuming , especially when I work full time. It’s satisfying though. I process, butcher , cut ‘n grind myself. My wife helps packaging the meat for freezing, yea !
My tip for skinning…. I’ll make a small cut near the hocks & insert a blower tip ( skinny 4” metal pipe ) hooked up to a compressor. This inflates the carcass separating the hide from the underlying musculature, making skinning a whole lot easier. I do it before I gut it . If you gut first, you will have too many “leaks”, so might have to make multiple inserts.
If you’re taking your deer to a processor, let us know who you recommend, and where they’re located.
Good Hunting !!!

 

[Mr.Glock]

Hand skinned/processed everything I shot and ate.

 

[dlbleak]

I’ve done about half of them myself. It depends on the temperature and how much time I have. Weeknights are tough so I usually drop them off.
I use Sallee’s at Sooner and Seward near Guthrie. Good service and good people.

 

[GnometownHero]

Bone out meat in the field and get it cooled down.
I work it cold, trim and cut jerky as I go.
Save backstraps in big pieces for smoking wrapped in butcher paper and freezer bag, and make alot of good cuts into jerky then grind the rest course grind.
My jerky I made in Nòvember is still really good and will be in my pocket opening day.

 

[OKRuss]

Drop it off whole. They gut, skin and process. Used to only charge $10 to field dress. Quite a bit more now so likely will dress and skin then drop off to process. Like to make my own summer sausage, snack sticks and jerky.

 

[retrieverman]

I’ve literally cleaned HUNDREDS of deer over the years. When my Dad was alive he would tell everyone he knew that deer hunted to bring whatever they killed to his house, and I would come over and clean it for them. It was shocking how many people took advantage of that offer.
If I’m not trying to save a cape, I can have one skinned, deboned, and in an ice chest in around 15 minutes.

Edit to add that when I try to move that fast cleaning, I do cut myself a lot.

 

[KroyWen]

Dang Retieverman, you’re freaking fast !!

 

[retrieverman]

Dang Retieverman, you’re freaking fast !!

I also have a lot of scars.

Since I started using McCrosky knives, I don’t try to work as fast, because the cuts tend to be worse.

 

[Ready_fire_aim]

Kill/gut immediately in field. Preferably get them skinned asap while still warm. I skin them using a cheap gambrel and rope tossed over a tree limb, hoist up with the truck.

From there I’ll qtr them and toss into a big cooler. If the weather is warm, or if it’s going to sit for a few days I’ll take measures to keep the meat from soaking in water. Like layer of plastic between meat and ice with drain plug open. Or use 2 L bottles filled with water and frozen instead of bagged ice. To prevent the meat from getting soaked.

I’ll let it rest for a day or two. Then from there pull out sections at a time and process them. If my schedule is busy I may do a little here and there in the evenings and take a few days at it. Adding ice to the cooler as needed to keep everything chilled.

Back straps get cut into steaks. Hind quarters get cut into roasts. Turn one front shoulder into stew meat. The other front shoulder goes into the grind. I try to get every scrap of meat off the bones, even cut the thin stuff between the ribs and put it in the grind pile. The hindquarter roasts can be turned into jerky or snack sticks later.

I normally don’t use a vacuum sealer. I like to wrap everything in freezer grade plastic wrap, then wrap that with freezer paper. Label with a sharpie. The ground meat gets put into those 1 pound bag straight out the grinder.

We make lots of venison stroganoff, venison chili, shepherds pie, etc

I enjoy butchery and process farm animals as well. I find processing deer to be easy and enjoyable.

 

[Johnny]

I quarter up in the field. And get all the meat in ice immediately. It stays on ice in an ice chest with some salt getting the water drained off and fresh ice on it daily or every other day depending on weather. Somewhere around the 5th day I process it. The majority of it gets cut up as stew meat to make chili.

Every now and again I will turn a whole one into jerky meat. I did but a grinder last year so I am hoping to make some sausage this year. But chili meat is the go to. Wife and I will eat it a couple of times a week until it is gone.