Community
Bowhunting Talk about the passion that is bowhunting. Share in the stories, pictures, tips, tactics and learn how to be a better bowhunter.

Process your own deer....

Thread Tools
 
Old 12-13-2007 | 01:03 PM
  #61  
shed33's Avatar
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,436
Likes: 0
From: Northern Idaho's Panhandle
Default RE: Process your own deer....

may as well add in, if you dont skin, cape, tan, and do your own taxidermy your much less of a hunter too! lol

in regards to butchering though.. yeah we do it all ourselves, I find it to be another rewarding aspect of hunting.. nothing like knowing exactly what you are digesting ...
shed33 is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 01:45 PM
  #62  
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
From: WI
Default RE: Process your own deer....

I do all my own. By myself, it takes roughly 8 hours per deer, regardless of size. That includes skin, quarter, cut, wrap, clean up. If its warm, I skin and quarter immediately, then into the fridge. I trim out shoulder and neck roasts, as well as the ribs. Backstraps, of course. The hind quarters yeild 3 muscles each, which I freeze whole after trimming out. I slice these for steak when they are half thawed. I also save clear tender chunks from the hinds, which I label "tips". These are used for stir fry, stew, stroganof, fajitas, etc. Yes, I've done my own bow shot deer. I just use freezer paper, those vaccum sealers suck IMO. My dad did canning, and I'm aware of that whole process, never tried it myself. Processing is definitely not my favorite part of deer hunting, but it is what it is.
waiting_for_a_gift is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 03:07 PM
  #63  
Lubricious's Avatar
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,044
Likes: 0
From: H.R., Virginia
Default RE: Process your own deer....

I dont oppose having someone do your deer for you, I just have a thing about my food....could be OCD. I need to know exactly what parts are going into my sausage. Kinda freaks me out a little []
Lubricious is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 04:23 PM
  #64  
gzg38b's Avatar
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,355
Likes: 0
From: Flushing Michigan
Default RE: Process your own deer....

I think it's funny how you guys that freak out about the purity of your processed venison likely have no problem eating a big mac or a steak from the Outback. [8D]

I've never processed a deer myself. I've never had anybody show me how. I might try it someday if I can get somebody to teach me the right way. My dad always paid the processor, and that's what I do.

I just drop it off whole, gutted with the skin on, and pick it up the next day wrapped, packaged, and labeled. It looks exactly like what you'd see at a grocery store. Sausage, burger, steaks, roast, you name it. For $75 that's worth it to me. It would take me 5 or 6 hours to do it myself, and it wouldn't be as good as the professional butcher who does it for me. I can work 2 hours of overtime to pay for it. No brainer.

I have no problem paying somebody to plow my driveway when it snows either. And I pay to get my oil changed too! Does that mean I'm not a real driver? If you take your bow to the shop to have work done, are you not a real archer? Come on....
gzg38b is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 04:31 PM
  #65  
BigJ71's Avatar
Site Bouncer
 
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 4,099
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
Default RE: Process your own deer....

ORIGINAL: gzg38b

I think it's funny how you guys that freak out about the purity of your processed venison likely have no problem eating a big mac or a steak from the Outback. [8D]

I've never processed a deer myself. I've never had anybody show me how. I might try it someday if I can get somebody to teach me the right way. My dad always paid the processor, and that's what I do.

I just drop it off whole, gutted with the skin on, and pick it up the next day wrapped, packaged, and labeled. It looks exactly like what you'd see at a grocery store. Sausage, burger, steaks, roast, you name it. For $75 that's worth it to me. It would take me 5 or 6 hours to do it myself, and it wouldn't be as good as the professional butcher who does it for me. I can work 2 hours of overtime to pay for it. No brainer.

I have no problem paying somebody to plow my driveway when it snows either. And I pay to get my oil changed too! Does that mean I'm not a real driver? If you take your bow to the shop to have work done, are you not a real archer? Come on....
This is a great post...I'd bet most do this as well. I make no bones about it (pun intended) I'll use a processor in a heartbeat. If I know the butcher and happy with the work, I'll let them do it. It takes me a long time to do my own as well and I never seem to get it packaged as nice as the butcher does.

I'll continue to process my own deer when I have the time or the inkling...but I have no problem taking my deer to the processors I use...none at all.
BigJ71 is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 04:34 PM
  #66  
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,443
Likes: 0
From: Norwalk, Ohio
Default RE: Process your own deer....

My neighbor and i processed our own deer this year, took about 3 hours to cut off all the meat, mix it with suet and grind it.
AmateurHunter44857 is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 06:58 PM
  #67  
ericstacy's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans, La. USA
Default RE: Process your own deer....

I do my own just because I want to not because I can't afford it. Anduille and
smoked I don't do myself. Let the pros do them.
1. Clean deer broken down about 30 minutes.
2. Aging _ None. Soaking in water or milk or whatever_ None!!
3. Clean meat, steaks, roasts, etc...vac pack fresh and red.
4. Cook or marinate properly and they will be tender and delicious.
5. Use bacon wrapped around meat for fat contentand tenderizing.

Good Luck,

Eric S. Stacy


ericstacy is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 07:04 PM
  #68  
Uncle_Buck's Avatar
Spike
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Lewisberry, PA, USA!
Default RE: Process your own deer....

I cut my own up, and do everything beyond that as well...Sausage, Jerky, Bologna, Burger, etc, etc...
Uncle_Buck is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 09:12 PM
  #69  
in da woods's Avatar
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 798
Likes: 0
From: wi
Default RE: Process your own deer....

I butcher my own deer for a few reasons. Saves $$. I control the quality of the cuts, & package them the way I want. I know what goes into the sausage.
in da woods is offline  
Reply
Old 12-13-2007 | 10:02 PM
  #70  
sandilands's Avatar
Nontypical Buck
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,094
Likes: 0
From: Winnipeg MB Canada
Default RE: Process your own deer....

Funny stuff........ I don't care what people do with their deer. As long as its all used! This past yr Ididn't have much time to hunt..... 4 days out of 90 possible hunting days. I didn't taga single deer. Lucky for me I cut about 30-40 deer a yr for friends..... this yr I had enuf deer given to me that it may carry me through the winter. May the lord bless all their souls........ God only knows that I have.
I don't charge much..... $35 per deer no matter the size and that includes skinning. I made 100lbs of sausage an still have roasts to cook. NO CHEATING ON MY PART...... they sit there whil;e I cut and wrap their deer. B/w skinning and cuting and wrapping it usually takes me 1-1.5hrs per deer. This yr I was thankfull I had the skill to do so. I also make jerky and sausage but only do so for myself........ soon to change.
Nobody should feel bad about how they proces their deer.... if you pay then you are helping someone out. If you do it yourself then KUDO's to U.

sandilands is offline  
Reply


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.