how to process a deer after kill

These cookies do not store any personal information. If hunting with a rifle, most hunter's still suggest waiting at least a half hour. Your deers ears and nose are susceptible to the cold, so make sure theyre well protected to avoid freezer burn. The first deer I ever took with a bow and arrow was shot just before dark. It will keep the image crisp and make your prized animal appear the most lifelike. Once you're done dressing the deer and removing the entrails, cool the carcass immediately. Thinking of processing your game yourself? Deer transport is the process of moving deer from one location to another. Young deer should be fed for two days after birth, while older deer should be fed for five to seven days. This is assuming, of course, that the meat was properly stored before being thawed. This method is popular for three basic reasons: it saves time, mess, and still allows you to salvage nearly every scrap of edible meat. I've struggled to find even broad ranges of time or rules of thumb online. How long after you kill a deer is the meat good? It is up to you to pose with your deer, but avoid over-the-top or vulgar expressions. In many cases, hunters must drag their deer from the woods or fields in order to get them. Plus, for some hunters its the only realistic way to get big game out of the backcountry. If you need to get a deer out of a tree stand, the old pickup truck or a Toyota Corolla can be used. Thats right, two weeks! The sight and smell can be a nuisance and unpleasing. Deer meat is very lean, so it doesnt keep as well as meats with more fat. You will learn how to dress, gut, and mount deer, as well as how to cook and process deer meat. Twelve feet of light rope or nylon cord. A properly hung deer can be tender as a young deer and give it a more flavorful flavor. This can leave you wondering how long deer meat is good in the fridge after thawing. Unfortunately, it is not always possible due to terrain or location. Remove excess fat, shiny skin, and tendon material from the meat. A deer doesnt have to be trophy size to be worth hanging on your wall. If you can't like a back strap or a leg steak, venison burger then I'm not sure what to tell ya. Aging meat can takeanywhere from a few days to two weeks. Step One: Prepare Your Gear. Here are five steps youll need to plan for ahead of time: Check out the links below for detailed info on butchering your own deer: Did you know? Click to reveal Clean the deer of any blood, hair, urine, or fecal matter on the surface. She feels she has never been so proud of herself as she was after shooting a deer with a bow. If you leave a deer lying on the ground, flies will quickly find it and lay their eggs in the meat, which can cause the meat to spoil. Additionally, if a hunting license tag is used, then the Hunting License Harvest Log (White . I'm not a big roast fan, never have been. If you wait until the next day, the meat will be firmer and the fat will be harder, making it easier to remove. John brings many more expert people to help him guide people with their expertise and knowledge. If your bullet did not cause immediate death, you can help keep your wounded animal from becoming scared and further pushed into the woods by waiting for a half-hour after the shot. This method results in the removal of most of the blood from the meat while also making butchering more simple. To do this, first divide the meat into quarters. Are you prepared to care for the animal? Cutoffthelower part of the intestines that connects to the anus, being careful to not get any feces on the meat,to completely remove the entrails. Being able to cut up your own meat saves you a lot of that cost. Gutting a deer as soon as you can after a kill is important to help cool the meat and prevent any meat from spoiling from bacteriagrowth or contamination from internal decomposition. Thisdeer processing 101guidegoes through the stepsfrom gutting to butchering to ensure you get the most out of your trophy. Next, you need to remove the hide. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Deer meat can be refrigerated for nine to twelve months without incident. If you refrigerate deer meat that is already Spoiled, it will not become safe to eat. Assuming that the deer meat is properly handled and refrigerated, it should be safe to eat for up to a week. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Be careful not to puncture any organs in the process. All you need for quartering is a good knife, some game bags, a small tarp to keep the meat clean, and a sturdy frame backpack if youre hiking out. So hunt down your favorite venison recipe and start enjoying the fruits of your harvest! After a gut shot, you should leave the deer alone to fall asleep. If youre lucky enough to have hunted and killed a deer, youre probably wondering how long you can keep the meat in your fridge before processing. Take a whiff of some salmon that's been on the counter thawing all afternoon. The procedure for skinning a deer can be found here. Smoked venison makes terrific jerky to take on the trail. This starts the natural process of decay that all animals go through. Its a community of interior designers, home experts, electricians, carpenters, and different professional expert people. If it is a doe, start your incision where thehindquarterscome together behind the belly. The temperature of the animal, as well as how long it should be kept, have a significant impact on how long it should be kept hanging. But with a little know-how, youll be able to turn that deer into delicious, nutritious meals for your family. Do a search for braising liquids and methods. The answer may surprise you. You risk ruining your meat because it will spoil if you do not, and the temperature is the most obvious cause of this. One intermediary step between skinning and butchering many hunters forego is aging their meat. If its above 40F, you may want to pack bags of ice inside the gutted cavity to help cool the meat and protect it from spoilage. If you didn't shoot a deer and wanted to hunt the stand again the following day, sneak out after you kill it along the same route. Cut around the ribs to detach them from the spine, then reach in and pull them out. The next step is to butcher the deer. By late November, the rut winds down and morning temps are falling below freezing. Our in-house photographer and avid hunter, Skylyn Christensen, gives five professional pointers on how to take tasteful photos of deer in those exciting moments post-harvest. A mounted animal is a story to share and a memory to rememberevery time you or someone else looks at it. But now what? Firmly spin the joint and slice your deer's hooves off. A whitetail deers nose has epic abilities. If you order jerky and sausage, the cost will increase, generally at per . How long is meat good after animal is killed? By using our website, you accept our use of cookies. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. However, if you keep the deer meat in a warm environment, such as a garage, it will not last as long. Can also take cut up meat and have places grind/wrap for you. Roast or bake it outside on the grill if you have one, or in a smoker. Paper towels. If a cell phone is what youre packing, no problem. In his professional life, hes a real-estate businessman. }, .av_font_icon.av-av_font_icon-345c73fd9354e360b108df86290a9a91 .av-icon-char{ The most comprehensive, entertaining guide on deer processing. Aim your shot behind the shoulder, about a quarter to a third up from the belly, where the heart and lungs are located. The reasons to process your own venison are many. Gut shot deer do not leave much of a blood trail, so be prepared for this when hunting them. If that still bothers you, set the crock pot in the garage. Oncetagged,you are ready to grab yourHavalon knifeand begin working through the steps in thisdeer processing 101guide. Its wicked sense of smell makes it a deers best How Hunters Can Help Deer Survive Post-Rut and Winter Stress. Avoiding bad decisions while field dressing a deer is what matters most on the table. The short answer is, not long. Deer meatnaturally becomestough immediatelyafter the deer dies andthis toughness can last for about a day. Do not be afraid to ask your processor for an estimate before making a final decision. Work the hide down to the deer's tail bone and cut through the bone by delicately pressing the knife until you split two tailbones. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. You should see a substantial blood trail in this area. You worked hard to catch your quarry, so what do you do after you harvest a deer to put it to good use? Finally, hanging a deer after you kill it helps to keep the flies and other insects away from the meat. Put on a nice smile and stance that represents the animal, and yourself as a hunter, well. You can then either cook the meat or process it for storage. Here are some of the most common pitfalls to avoid. Failure to do so can result in more meat being wasted. If youre new to the sport, your experience was probably enjoyable, exciting, and maybe just a bit nerve-racking. We must remove the hide from the deer before butchering it. A meat processor will take your field-dressed deer, skin and age it, then cut it up and return it to you in neatly wrapped packages. Deer meat must be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below to prevent spoiling. When grilling steak, the meat should still be juicy and pink on the outside but tender and juicy on the inside. The kill tag should remain with the head if the head and body of the deer are separated. Placed ice cubes or blocks in the bottom of the cooler. Its the ultimate field-to-table experience. Remove the hooves. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); .av_font_icon.av-av_font_icon-0a848e92cf4e5292ada6296deb4ec3b5 .av-icon-char{ If youre dragging the deer out, wrap it to keep the body cavity as clean as possible. So hunt down your favorite venison recipe and start enjoying the fruits of your harvest! After 24 hours or so, rigor mortis stops and the aging process begins. If you have a buddy with you have them keep the legs spread or you can use a stick or your weight to keep them apart and give you access to the belly. So before the camera clicks? All your hard work has paid off, you have a freezer full of deer meat and a dozen or more ways to use it. Deer processing 101involveshow to gut a deer,how to skin a deer,aging deer meatand finally butchering up yourmeatso it isready for the table. If you've ever had a beer that's been sitting out for a while, you know that it can start to taste flat. Split meat into meal sizes or by type andvacuumseal it before freezing. Meat will go on top of the ice with the following rule applied. Lets begin broadly with the three stages of processing your own deer. If the temperature is cold, you can wait up to four hours. Field Dressing: It's important to remove the entrails (organs in the body cavity) once your deer is down, so that the meat can cool and air-dry. Move your knife through the elbow joint as deeply as you can. Its common for a deer thats been fatally injured to prefer downhill running. To create a mount worth taking up real estate in your living room, you need to know how to cape the right way. She began bowhunting at the age of six and has been doing it ever since. So before the camera clicks? Here are step-by-step instructions on how to field dress a deer: Gutless field dressing, aka quartering, is a relatively new style. If you keep the deer meat in a cool place, like a refrigerator, it will last longer than if you keep it in a warm place. However, if you don't dress the deer properly you may have venison that doesn't taste right. Longer it ages the more gamey taste goes away. The purpose of hanging a dressed deer is to allow the carcass to cool and the meat to age, increasing both the tenderness and the flavor of the venison. While hunting requires a lot of skill, so does the processing. I like venison cooked a lot of different ways. After that, it should be frozen. Never had any that I could not eat. Deer meat is good for eating for a few days after the kill, but it depends on how it is stored. 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. Cut through the skin and flesh around the neck, then sever the spinal cord. how long can you wait to gut a deer? Just avoid the wide-angle featureunless you want to trick your buddies into believing your deer is waaay bigger than it is. If youre dragging the deer out, wrap it to keep the body cavity as clean as possible. The processing price for an already skinned deer is reduced from $137.50 to $95. Redmond makes high-quality deer minerals to attract and nourish deer and help you bag your next big buck. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Mark each packagewith the date and typeof meatso you know exactly when the meatwasprocessedandto keep it separate from other meat in your freezer. Reach in and carefully pull the intestines and organs out. This will help todrain out any remaining blood in the cavity. The collagen in the collagen breaks down faster, allowing you to shorten the hang time. Venison is tasty in chili, tacos, or meatloaf. Not field dressing completely. While most individuals hunt or fish for sport, many of them also do it to provide food for themselves and their family. The meat from hunted animals, birds, or fish is process Proper Field Dressing and Handling of Wild Game and Fish Age the meat longer. John loves to research the things he deals with in his everyday life and share his findings with people. Wrap the individual pieces in freezer paper or plastic wrap, then place them in freezer bags. After that, you are ready to begin the skinning process with these steps. Fold the cape evenly and flatten out any wrinkles. When it comes todeer processing 101, it is worth noting at this point that greater care has to be taken if you are planning to have your trophy mounted. View how to properly tag a deer. (1) Deer archery season is open in disease surveillance areas established under rule . The last step of field dressing is to remove the head. If you have a cool place to hang the deer, you can leave them there for up to two days. Not to mention, no one wants to see an animal carcass dumped on the side of the road. Therefore, it is important to keep the deer meat in a cool environment if you want it to last longer. Determine the joint at your deer's front knee and make an incision. Squinting the belly from the pubic bone to the breastbone is a fundamental part of field dressing. Its best to leave it in the shed for an extended period of time, from 8 to 5 days, if its moving into middle age. Here are five steps youll need to plan for ahead of time: Check out the links below for detailed info on butchering your own deer: Did you know? Taxidermy: How to Care for Deer You Plan to Mount, How to Cape a Whitetail Deer for Taxidermy, and they can double in number in just 20 minutes, Field Dressing a Deer: The Gutless Method, Michigan Venison: How to Field Dress, Butcher, Prepare/Cook, How to Butcher a Deer at Home Economy Style. Cloudflare Ray ID: 78b8cfb73bfeefda After taking the shot comes processing, which determines how much meat from a deer you get. Some say you have to freeze it for 3 months before you eat it and some say you can eat it the day you kill it. Butcher the deer. Venison is a great substitute for other meats and super tender if done right. People tell me that hanging for a day is the only way to go. Turn your knife blade side out and carefully remove the rest of the hide from the leg. To do this, cut the deer meat into the hams, shoulders, and loins. After that, it is best to process the deer into cuts and freeze it. Cut toward the bone. Required fields are marked *. Answer (1 of 22): It can be quite exciting to kill your first deer. Thanks Reply 07-14-2007, 10:30 AM # 2 longknife12 Fork Horn Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 291 If you let meat soak in ice water, the juices that make venison taste great will leach out. Skinning and Butchering: 1. You want to showcase your deer in a dignified way. After we skin and gut the deer, it goes straight in the cooler, if its not cold enough outside to hang. Of course, there are a few things you need to do in order to ensure that your deer meat stays fresh for those two weeks. It shall be unlawful to hunt, take, or possess deer except in accordance with Chapter 1531. or 1533. of the Revised Code, division 1501:31 of the Administrative Code, or as otherwise authorized by the chief of the division of wildlife or the chief's designee. So, there you have it. Thesedeer processing stepswill help guide you throughhandlingyour next whitetailtrophymore efficientlyand getting that good venison ready for the table faster. Telechecking Your Deer: You are required by law to report your deer harvest by midnight on the day you recover the animal. Scent control In the warmer weather, Ill debone them first. If it is very cold, the meat will last longer. The final stage when it comes todeer processing 101is cutting up your deer meat. According to the USDA, deer meat is safe to eat up to four days after thawing in the refrigerator. Jerky is expensive to have made, very easy to do, 1hr oven time if no smoker. How does meat get aged? After that, the quality of the meat will start to decline, so its best to eat it within a week of the kill. For those fortunate hunters who bag a deer in the upcoming season, a food-safety specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences offers some advice for field dressing and storing the carcass properly and processing the meat. Before sealing the meat, tightly wrap it in tightly wrapped foil and remove all air from the bag. With smoked venison, it is difficult to go wrong with a jerky for a hike. This will help the blood to drain from the meat and keep it from spoiling. If youre not sure how long the meat was stored before you thawed it, its best to err on the side of caution and assume its only good for two days. I have heard so many theories from people about how early after the kill you can eat deer. Which method of dressing you pick depends on personal preference. 1. When it comes to deer, there is no hard and fast rule for how long you can wait before processing. The first step is to gut the deer. The key to obtaining top-quality venison starts the very moment you pull the trigger or release an arrow.. By Dr. Phillip Bishop. Fold the cape evenly and flatten out any wrinkles. Assuming you are talking about raw deer meat, it can last in the fridge for up to two days. Depending on the type of meat, it can last for days, weeks, or even months after the animal has been killed. Hunters must continue to attach a paper kill tag to a harvested deer. Here everyone works together to make a better world by assisting you in decorating your entire house with all sorts of furniture, electronics appliances, emergency tools, accessories, etc. Hang the cape by the antlers until youre ready to transport it to the taxidermist. line-height:30px; Congratulations! If the venison taste is weird, try spicing it up for tacos, burritos, nachos etc. Try it in soups, on the grill, or baked in the oven. This involves cutting open the stomach and intestines and removing them from the body cavity. In most cases, I leave the quarters in the refrigerator overnight and debone them the next day. Cleaning You want to showcase your deer in a dignified way. font-size:30px; You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Check out these detailed instructions on how to cape out: Once youve caped your deer, follow these tips to keep it in top shape: Backstraps, tenderloin, rump roastsall those cuts you crave begin with properly dressing your deer. Clean off any blood that's visible to the camera, tuck the deer's legs, and even up the head. A lot needs to be done in the hours after the deer has been harvested. The remaining intestines and anus will be removed in a later step. If you dress the deer immediately, within 30 minutes of killing it, the meat will last longer than if you wait longer to dress it. Now, remove the back straps by running the knife along the spine. A lot needs to be done in the immediate hours after shooting an animal. Next, you need to remove the heart, lungs, and liver. It all comes down to transporting people. . You can remove them after two to four days by hanging them at the rigor mortis stage and then processing them. A whitetail hunter who can back up their truck and sling a deer across the tailgate will probably choose traditional field dressing. To increase female hunting participation, keep an open mind about hunting and increase the number of females who are interested. Hang the cape by the antlers until youre ready to transport it to the taxidermist. Venison is a great substitute for other meats and super tender if done right. Keep it in a cool dry place, out of direct sunlight and away from heat, water, fumes, and dust. How you pose with your animal is up to you, but you should avoid any over-the-top or vulgar positions or expressions. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. For poultry, red meat, and seafood, its best to eat the meat within a few days of cooking, or freeze it for longer storage. Once the hide is pulled to the base of the neck, simply use a saw to remove the headand the hidefrom the skinned deer. For poultry, the USDA recommends eating it within 1-2 days of cooking, or freezing it within 2-6 months. Making butchering more simple trail, so it doesnt keep as well as with... Of processing your own deer with the head if the venison taste is weird, try spicing it up tacos! Kill your first deer bothers you, set the crock pot in the after! Allowing you to pose with your animal is a relatively new style then reach in and pull... To puncture any organs in the hours after shooting a deer is reduced from $ 137.50 to $.! To shorten the hang time a security service to protect itself from online attacks intestines removing! Not leave much of a tree stand, the rut winds down and morning temps are falling below.. Deer transport is the only realistic way to get a deer is process... On a nice smile and stance that represents the animal has been.! Deer into delicious, nutritious meals for your family for poultry, the old pickup truck or a Corolla! In your browser before proceeding a nice smile and stance that represents the animal fumes, and yourself a. Substitute for other meats and super tender if done right cape the way! Before proceeding by Dr. Phillip Bishop crisp and make your prized animal appear the most of. If its not cold enough outside to hang only way to go wrong with a bow or.. Them first how long after you kill a deer: Gutless field dressing, aka,... If you keep the body cavity as Clean as possible open the stomach and intestines and removing the,... A whitetail hunter who can back up their truck and sling a deer: you are ready grab..., nachos etc from people about how early after the kill tag to a harvested deer good venison for. Animals go through eat deer to cook and how to process a deer after kill deer meat is properly handled refrigerated. Stepsfrom gutting to butchering to ensure you get the most comprehensive, entertaining guide on deer.! Tendon material from the meat will go on top of the most comprehensive, entertaining guide on processing. No smoker very moment you pull the intestines and anus will be removed a... That represents the animal and their family individuals hunt or fish for,... Deals with in his professional life, hes a real-estate businessman kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit below. Process deer meat is safe to eat deer are separated butchering many hunters forego aging... Of dressing you pick depends on how it is stored hunters must drag their deer from location... Quartering, is a great substitute for other meats and super tender done. Mount deer, as well as how to cape the right way mind. Blood to drain from the spine, then the hunting license tag is used, then sever spinal... Begin broadly with the following rule applied that all animals go through and Winter Stress guide! Most out of the backcountry be used hes a real-estate businessman his professional life hes... Are interested into meal sizes or by type andvacuumseal it before freezing from! People about how early after the kill, but avoid over-the-top or vulgar expressions which method of dressing pick... Recover the animal, and loins done right the backcountry meals for your.! Then i 'm not a big roast fan, never have been us analyze and understand how pose! A week fold the cape by the antlers until youre ready to grab knifeand!, if its not cold enough outside to hang to puncture any organs in process! Belly from the pubic bone to the taxidermist table faster what to tell ya nose... Sure theyre well protected to avoid freezer burn to rememberevery time you or someone else looks at.! Last as long taking up real estate in your browser before proceeding great! Of smell makes it a more flavorful flavor mortis stage and then processing.. Process it for storage option to opt-out of these cookies maybe just a bit nerve-racking third-party cookies that us. The entrails, cool the carcass immediately ca n't like a back or! Throughhandlingyour next whitetailtrophymore efficientlyand getting that good venison ready for the table, it how to process a deer after kill... Of this participation, keep an open mind about hunting and increase the number of females who interested! Can remove them after two to four days after birth, while older deer should fed. So make sure theyre well protected to avoid like venison cooked a lot of that cost makes high-quality minerals. Young deer should be fed for two days and help you bag your next big buck down,! Outside but tender and juicy on the type of meat, it is important to keep the image crisp make... X27 ; s front knee and make your prized animal appear the most obvious cause this... This method results in the immediate hours after the kill you can eat deer was shooting... Cloudflare Ray ID: 78b8cfb73bfeefda after taking the shot comes processing, which determines how much meat from a doesnt... Wait before processing need to know how to cape the right way for! The temperature is the meat or process it for storage wrap it in tightly wrapped foil and remove air... Are required by law to report your deer & # x27 ; ve struggled to find broad. And a memory to rememberevery time you or someone else looks at.! Safe to eat a properly hung deer can be refrigerated for nine to twelve months without incident it... Is assuming, of course, that the deer meat into quarters: it can last in the of... Estate in your browser before proceeding be left unchanged the belly you harvest a doesnt. After that, it can be found here spin the joint and slice your deer.!, for some hunters its the only way to get a deer is from. Shot, you are ready to transport it to the USDA, deer meat meal! The hide from the pubic bone to the taxidermist is important to keep the image crisp and make an.. Can eat deer the aging process begins meat saves you a lot of that cost handled refrigerated. After shooting an animal substantial blood trail, so be prepared for this when hunting them of! Vulgar expressions the sight and smell can be used injured to prefer downhill running being wasted that.! Cooler, if a hunting license harvest Log ( White how it important! $ 95 that is already Spoiled, it should be safe to eat first deer i ever took a... Many hunters forego is aging their meat, most hunter & # ;! Much meat from a few days after the deer are separated like venison a., aka quartering, is a great substitute for other meats and super tender if done right three... Way to go wrong with a little know-how, youll be able to cut up your &! Yourhavalon knifeand begin working through the elbow joint as deeply as you can up... Expensive to have made, very easy to do so can result more! Fan, never have been remain with the following rule applied bit nerve-racking help... Salmon that 's been on the table to ensure you get method results in the fridge after.... Determines how much meat from a deer you get the most obvious cause of this steps! Each packagewith the date and typeof meatso you know exactly when the keep! Other meats and super tender if done right most comprehensive, entertaining on... You want to trick your buddies into believing your deer & # x27 ; s hooves off Phillip. Avoid over-the-top or vulgar positions or expressions most of the hide from the leg over-the-top or positions. Hair, urine, or meatloaf alone to fall asleep keep it from spoiling the... Ribs to detach them from the pubic bone to the cold, so it doesnt keep as as... Meat because it will not last as long took with a bow and arrow was shot just before dark required! Female hunting participation, keep an open mind about hunting and increase the number of who... Steak, venison burger then i 'm not a big roast fan, never have been knowledge. Becomestough immediatelyafter the deer alone to fall asleep straps by running the knife along the spine the gamey. Comes processing, which determines how much meat from a few days two! Is already Spoiled, it should be safe to eat for up to days... In a smoker to cut up your deer: Gutless field dressing the refrigerator taking up real in... N'T like a back strap or a Toyota Corolla can be a nuisance and unpleasing into believing deer. Belly from the body cavity as Clean as possible a smoker with your deer meat into sizes! Animal is up to you to shorten the hang time hunting them early after the,. And intestines and organs out by type andvacuumseal it before freezing deer processing to days! Able to cut up meat and have places grind/wrap for you process deer meat in your browser proceeding. Fat, shiny skin, and the temperature is cold, the will! Between skinning and butchering many hunters forego is aging their meat done in the hours shooting. Females who are interested tailgate will probably choose traditional field dressing is remove... Wants to see an animal carcass dumped on the type of meat, tightly wrap it in soups on... The trigger or release an arrow.. by Dr. Phillip Bishop are step-by-step instructions on how is...

Volume Icon Missing From Taskbar Windows 8, Disadvantages Of Citizens Advice, Articles H