hunters, how do you handle your deer once it is down?

[Mike in FL]

Cutting the throat serves no purpose if the deer is dead.

 

[Century to late]

Cutting the throat serves no purpose if the deer is dead.

I agree just a waste of time. Just another chance to cut yourself.

 

[BillyC]

I've been in FL 7 years and have yet to go hunting here. Even winter is too warm. I go north to SC or VA. Being too old to drag a deer very far, I butcher in the woods, keeping only edible parts, which are placed I side a duffle bag lined with garbage bag. Rear hind quarters and back strap are all of a deer I want to fool with.

I’m not sure if this is true but I read once to turn the garbage bag inside out first because some are sprayed on the inside with a chemical to deter insects and smell. Even if not true, that’s what I do.

 

[Steven Van Kauwenbergh]

Came from Superior, Wisconsin where deer gun season is 9 days long and it may be well below zero. The DNR allows 1 buck per year and does are by permit which you have to buy for the area and depend on the population. Moved to N Alabama for a job where the deer gun season is 2 1/2 months long and you could take 1 buck a day, at the time, and there were 3-4 weeks you could take a doe each day too. There is no winter kill down here and deer can be very abundant. It snows about every other year in N Alabama and it's usually very warm. I always gut deer down here ASAP and wash them out in a nearby stream, Then to home where the hide comes off immediately, It's then quartered and boned. Steaks are cut and the rest is chunked up and ground to hamburger usually mixed with beef brisket to raise the fat content to 10%. If you get 2 deer in one day, this is a lot of work. I soak venison quarters in 2 lb dark brown sugar and about 1/2 lb salt to 2 gallons of water at least over night and smoke with one pork quarter with cherry wood until the interior temperature is over 165 F. This is great barbique. I also make smoked Italian and German type small and large sausages. I vacuum bag everything. I have freezers that are not frost free.
I have always only harvested what I and the family could use. This has all worked great out for me.
SJVK

 

[beardedhorse]

Old wives tale of tarsal glands tainting meat. If it is does, when you cut them out you taint the blade. Wyoming game warden proved that in cooking the bad taste is gone. Taxidermists hate when a hunter cuts the throat if doing a head mount. No need to bleed the animal especially in a heart /lung shot. Packing meat in a plastic trash bag in a duffle a good way to keep it warm and spoil it depending on how long it is in there. Better to wash a bloody duffle than throw away good meat. Commercial game bags expensive and the cheesecloth ones not at sturdy as clean pillow cases. Used ones from thrift stores cheap but may still have odor and residue of laundry detergent. In Colorado I always gut and skin right away for deer, elk, pronghorn and especially bear. Except for Colorado Plains hunting having a vehicle close is the exception rather than a rule. Burying quarters under snow actually insulates the meat and heat. Packing snow in the carcass introduces dirt and leaves, etc. Carrying away gut pile and urinating near hanging quarters may save your meat from critters overnight. Bears notorious for helping themselves to free meat while hunter is packing out.

 

[Century to late]

Old wives tale of tarsal glands tainting meat. If it is does, when you cut them out you taint the blade. Wyoming game warden proved that in cooking the bad taste is gone. Taxidermists hate when a hunter cuts the throat if doing a head mount. No need to bleed the animal especially in a heart /lung shot. Packing meat in a plastic trash bag in a duffle a good way to keep it warm and spoil it depending on how long it is in there. Better to wash a bloody duffle than throw away good meat. Commercial game bags expensive and the cheesecloth ones not at sturdy as clean pillow cases. Used ones from thrift stores cheap but may still have odor and residue of laundry detergent. In Colorado I always gut and skin right away for deer, elk, pronghorn and especially bear. Except for Colorado Plains hunting having a vehicle close is the exception rather than a rule. Burying quarters under snow actually insulates the meat and heat. Packing snow in the carcass introduces dirt and leaves, etc. Carrying away gut pile and urinating near hanging quarters may save your meat from critters overnight. Bears notorious for helping themselves to free meat while hunter is packing out.

100% correct well said.

 

[Mike in FL]

I’m not sure if this is true but I read once to turn the garbage bag inside out first because some are sprayed on the inside with a chemical to deter insects and smell. Even if not true, that’s what I do.

Good idea. Thanks.

 

[reddogge]

We are shooting Sika deer in the marsh in Dec. so we shoot, drag ungutted to where we park the 4 wheelers, gut and throw on the 4 wheeler, hose out the cavity with the hose, hang back up at camp. Skin and butcher after a day or two.