jtownsend86

A buddy of mine and I recently had a conversation about eating deer meat in the field after shooting the animal. I personally don't know if I could stomach the meat after cleaning the deer, but he swears by it. He says, "It is a hunter's reward for the hard work." What are you thoughts on eating meat in the field?

I ran across this article talking about it as well: http://harvestingnature.com/2015/11/...-in-the-field/

Champlain Islander

Many years ago I used to be a member of a deer camp in a very remote area of northern Vt. Other members were some old guys who were kind of set in their ways. I shot an 8 point buck and took it home to process and on the way back to camp saw and shot a doe since I had a permit. I brought the doe to camp and figured we would be eating well since we had about 5 more days of camp. I cut out the tenderloins and the started to take the different cuts off the deer. One of the old timers said no way I am eating that. It has to hang for a day or more or else who ever eats it will get the runs. I said no problem you better find something else to eat since we will be eating fresh tenderloins for lunch and steaks for supper. He was a hard head and went out of camp muttering something about kids who didn't know what they were doing. He came back a couple hours later and my doe was quartered and hanging with some tenderloins on the griddle. He pulled out a grouse and said that was what he was going to eat. I guess he hit it with his truck. We ate deer tenderloins and he ate a grouse with tire tracks on it. We all had a good laugh over that one. For the record he ate steaks for supper and finally admitted he was wrong. As to your question...in the field I am not bothered by going from knife to pan but when I process a deer at home I usually eat something like take out pizza for supper that night.

uncle matt

?????

If you don't think you could stomach the meat after gutting the deer will you be able to stomach it anytime later? After all, it is the same meat.

As to bringing along something to cook it right in the field, as in at the kill site, I certainly don't do that nor do I know anyone who does.

We will sometimes cut the tenderloins out at camp and cook them up.

super_hunt54

Personally, I like to let the meat age. Better flavor and more tender that way. I've done like CI at camp a few times and while the backstraps are usually pretty good, everything else really needs to age and let the muscle fibers settle.

Champlain Islander

I agree with SH-54. I usually try to hang my deer from 4 to 7 days depending on temperature and my schedule. They are always good.

flags

I'm not sure exactly what the OP is talking about? Is he asking if we hold off on eating any part of an animal until it gets to town? The article he links doesn't show them eating raw meat but shows a guy cooking it on a pack stove.

I can't speak for anyone else but I always have some of the meat in the field. The heart and liver are always eaten for supper the same day the animal is taken unless it is taken right at dusk in which case it is eaten the next day. I've also been known to take the shanks and slow cook them in a dutch oven in the field since they simply become burger later. I've also been known to roast marrow bones in the fire in the field. Eating the meat is why I hunt and I'm not in the least bit squeamish about eating it after I shoot, clean and cut an animal.

Champlain Islander

All this talking about meat...just took some elk steaks out of the freezer. Got to be careful though with my supply...this years elk tag went into soup.

tndrbstr

If I'm spending the night in the woods with what ever I've killed I won't hesitate to eat part of it, IF it's cooked. But I would not put off the chores at hand in getting the animal out and taken care of just to say that I ate part of it in the woods.

Lets be honest, if the animal is still in the woods then the hard work is not anywhere near over yet. At least not where I hunt at.

Topgun 3006

As long as the meat is allowed to cool out properly there is no problem eating it later that day or the next day in camp. I think the old gent was talking about cooking it while it was still warm and that could give you the runs. I've never done that and wouldn't know if it's true or an old wive's tale.

tndrbstr

I don't think that would be an issue either.