Have some questions on butchering deer and and what you need to do it thought I would get more responces here. First what are some of the essentials/ suppliesyou needwhen you are butchering your deer. Next what temp do you feel you can leave your deer hanging and for how long before actuallybutchering it. Next I would say I may butcher 3 or 4 deer a year I am looking at getting a meat grinder do I really need a automatic or can I get by with a manual one Bass pro has a manual one for 40.00 does anyone have this one alsowhat size plates should I get. I want to do some bologna do I have to have a smoker to do this or is that the only way.Thanks for answering my questions I am just getting started and plan to do my own next seasoon. Brian

Watch this video.... http://www.inberg.ca/hunting_essentials/deer_cutting_&_butchering_(video).htm Follow the directions on the link to the video, it's a decent video to explain basics. Pretty much follows what I do when I butcher one actually.

Easiest way to to it in cold weather leave your deer in the cold about 3 days, this will age the meat and make it taste better it also makes it easier to cut with a saw. Get yourself a sawz-all it is a good investment and get yourself A flexible fillet knife. After it hangs for a couple days start by skinning it wit the fillet knife the adjustable blade ones work better if you have one. First start by cutting out the back straps then cut down the front of the ribs with the saw, after cut the ribs into two so you will have four racks of ribs. Then cut the legs off at the hip and the same with the front legs. After cut the meat of the neck with the fillet knife. Now you can debone the legs. As for the grinder get it from cabelas, it will be cheaper, and unless you go commercial a manual grinder is fine. In about 50 degree weather a deer can safely hang about two days any colder like 20-30 degrees, it can hang for a long time, I fyou have a barn and it is about 50 degrees hang it in the barn it will be alot colder.

I would disagree with 50 degrees. Aging is suppose to be between 33 and 37 degrees at a set humidity. You can get away with it for a day at 50 but it is not aging
there is a fine line between aging and rotting. colder than that and it freezes but not aging. I debone the whole animal there is no need for cutting bone and getting
fragments in the meat. Hand grinding can be done but an electric one is much nicer.

Yeah, if you follow the natural contours of the meat (muscle seams) and the joints a saw isn't needed. Less likely to get bone chips in your meat. I hang mine and quarter it hanging and then debone. Front shoulders are free floating so they come off easy by circling the muscle. Backstraps just cut along the spine and then get your finger in there and lift and you will see the muscle has natural seperation near the ribs. Slide your knife along this seperation and cut off the ends. Same with tenderloins but on the inside. With the hams you have to find the socket but once you do cutting the tendons makes it come off easy. I like to skin mine while it's warm, seems to come off easier to me.

I butcher my own as well. I let the deer hang at least a week to 14 days to age the meat with the hide on. The enzymes don't start breaking down until it hangs for 7 days. All I use is a sharp boning knife, meat grinder, ziploc bags and freezer paper. I may upgrade to a food saver type sealer. Very easy to do and I actually enjoy it!

ALSO - if its bvelow freezing it can get hairy ! (frozen) lots of ifs here ya know it

Thanks Keep them coming

I butchered a deer for the first time this year. I followed the same videoin OHbowhntr's link. It was easy to do. It probably took me a little longer than it needed to, but im sure it will get easier the more I do. The only investment I made was in a gambrel and hoist (about $12). I used a fillet knife and my drop point hunting knife to do all the work. The only thing I used a saw for was to cut off the legs below the joints.

I went last weekend and saw someone do it and it didnt look to hard main thing he said you need is a sharp knife just getting tired of paying 75 dollars every time. Also I am doing this in a 2 car garage how does everyone hang there deer up thinking of just putting2 eye hook bolts into a beam and use some rope to hold it up.