I have a problem eating Big Macs but not steak from outback. I know its a steak and I know whats in it. Its ground meat I have a problem with.

Yes... you must be a terrible driver [:-] Get out there and shovel some snow ya wimp.[8D]

So - all you self-processors: How fast can you skin and quarter adeer (without using a winch or a mechanical aid)?

I give all my deer away, and at least one always goes to an old timer who really does depend on the meat. I always hang & skin it for him. With just my knife sharpener, a good knife and my butcher saw - I can have a decent sized buck hung, skinned, and quartered with the backstraps ripped out and everything laying on his cutting tablein just about a half-hour(if the carcass is still warm).

The reason I ask is that I was at a butcher's place this fall, and I watched a 20 year old kid skin a deer in 8 minutes flat. That's pretty damn good. This guy would'vemade Hannibal Lechter look like an amateur. LOL Like some kind of deer skinning ninja. A few minutes later, he had the backstraps and sweet meat in a bin, with both front shoulders - and the hind quartersseparated. 15 minutes total. Max.

Respect.

What do y'all do with the ribs? I think everybody I give my deer to...they just scrap 'em.

And what about Gangrene? If you hit a spot of gangrene, do you throw the whole deer out, or just the area around the damaged meat? Not that uncommon around here to see a gangrenous spot occasionally -lots ofauto collisions.

This was my first year processing my own deer. I did three of the four I've taken. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, but it feels like it takes me an eternity to to the skinning. My hat's off to someone who can skin one by hand in less than a half hour. I was temped to try the advice of one of my friends.... hang it up by the head, skin the neck, tie a rock into the skin, tie that to my quad, put it in low-diff lock and pull the rest off. (Not sure how that would work out).

I found a video on how to bone out the entire deer while it's hanging, and I tried that on the last one. It worked out really well. When I got finished, what was left was a stripped skeleton. No waste at all.... even got the strips between the ribs. It was also easier.... no sawing. I'm still a newbie at this, but I'm learning.

i agree i think your no better of a hunter if you kill a deer and do it yourself then to have it done but i do think everyone should know how

I don't have a problem with taking it to a butcher but I just prefer doing it myself. As shed33 said, it is just more rewarding to me that way. I don't do it in 8 minutes or even 30 minutes. I take my time and trim everything to my liking. Also, we are eating some of it that night. No real reason other than it just seems cool to me to eat that night what was living that day. Kind of anti grocery store if you will. I also kill and process my own chickens. Eat one of them the night of also .

I butchered three deer this year and I'll be honest, that $50-$60 processing fee wasn't looking all that bad by the end. Between setup/cleanup time and the actual butchering, Iwas often trying to decide between butchering and either hunting or sleeping. I think I'll go back to dropping off at the processor (after I take out the tenderloins).

20 min or less.

About 10 min with the 4 wheeler.

Are there any special tricks to using the 4 wheeler method of skinning?

My cousin and I did 3 one night. It sucked bad...we do them outside in the barn and my fingers were numb.