tiny deer down - the wife's gonna kill me

[mazzgolf]

Well, I managed to harvest my first deer this season. This makes it my third year in a row, after getting blanked my first 4 or so years deer hunting. Starting to get the hang of this.  Amazing - all the money I spent on climbers, and harnesses, and the time I spent climbing trees - all the deer I've killed has been from hunting on the ground! HA!

I did what I promised myself I was going to do - first deer to show itself got the crosshairs put on it. It was a tiny spike with one side missing, but it's getting late in the season and I wanted meat in the freezer so... beggars can't be choosers. I'm finished my deer hunting for the season - I like to be one-and-done and get on to other things like waterfowl and predator hunting.

But - because it's a small deer, I don't really want to take it to a butcher. Too small to pay a guy to do it. But it's currently hanging in the garage, and with a wife not used to seeing a dead deer hanging next to her car in the garage, I have a feeling I might need to either take it somewhere or butcher it myself in the next day or two.

So I have two questions:

1. Anyone know if  Lou's in Monroeville is still processing deer this late in the season? I called and got an answering machine.

2. Second, somebody suggest some good YouTube videos that teach a newbie how to skin and butcher a deer 

 

[not on the rug]

Congrats on the freezer filler.  

I used to butcher all of our deer with my dad.  Since he died, I don't even bother because I don't have the time.  There are a few good butchers out there, and basic cuts cost like $90.  You get your own deer, butchered, vacuum sealed and labeled.  No reason to spend money on knives, saws, a vacuum sealer, a grinder and everything else you need to do it right.  Just drop of off and wait for the call that it's ready

[archer36]

If the deer is less than 60 lbs, (dressed weight) there is not much to be gained other than cutting off the front shoulders, rear legs, remove backstraps, and tenderloins. I would keep the front shoulders whole. I would separate the muscles off the back legs and make roasts and steaks. The odds and ends go to stew meat or ground meat.

I even keep my rear legs whole on smaller deer and cook them Caveman Style. 

There are tons of videos that can help you. 

Edited January 15, 2020 by archer36

[Bonefreak]

Congrats!!

Way to fill the freezer during winter bow season!!  

Winter bow harvests are always special to me....went many years before I finally started to connect during winter bow. 

Some of the delight of winter bow is watching the evenings grow longer w sunlight!!

[Swamprat]

Skin and quarter. Cut roasts off if bone. Freeze them as is.  Get a couple gallon size Ziploc bags and start taking scraps off the bones.  Those bags of scraps can stay in fridge until you can grind up. Or toss into a stew. I usually do that within 5-7 days. 

The roasts when, you want take them out to defrost. You can cut into steaks, cubes, cutlets, or grind it or leave as roasts. 

[vdep217]

If you weren't so far I would help you as I have grinder slicer and a place to do comfortably 

[deadonshot2]

Just take it to the butcher. With the way things go for you, you may cut off three fingers trying to do it yourself.  Lol. Just kidding. Save yourself the time and work and let your wife park peacefully. Or she may cut off more than three fingers. Lol

[vdep217]

I get away with butchering on my kitchen counter my wife would probably welcome parking next to one lol

[johnyanu]

49 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Well, I managed to harvest my first deer this season. This makes it my third year in a row, after getting blanked my first 4 or so years deer hunting. Starting to get the hang of this.  Amazing - all the money I spent on climbers, and harnesses, and the time I spent climbing trees - all the deer I've killed has been from hunting on the ground! HA!

I did what I promised myself I was going to do - first deer to show itself got the crosshairs put on it. It was a tiny spike with one side missing, but it's getting late in the season and I wanted meat in the freezer so... beggars can't be choosers. I'm finished my deer hunting for the season - I like to be one-and-done and get on to other things like waterfowl and predator hunting.

But - because it's a small deer, I don't really want to take it to a butcher. Too small to pay a guy to do it. But it's currently hanging in the garage, and with a wife not used to seeing a dead deer hanging next to her car in the garage, I have a feeling I might need to either take it somewhere or butcher it myself in the next day or two.

So I have two questions:

1. Anyone know if  Lou's in Monroeville is still processing deer this late in the season? I called and got an answering machine.

2. Second, somebody suggest some good YouTube videos that teach a newbie how to skin and butcher a deer 

 

I’m 15 and I butchered my own deer watch the 1 video that comes up watch that.

[rocky]

I think you live close to me, I can show you how to skin and quarter one.

 

[username]

If you can let it hang, the longer the better.  I like 10days at temps less than 40F, but higher than freezing. 

If you're not far away, you are more than welcome to stop by.  It's pretty easy to do.  Personally, I would never take them to a butcher unless I had too.

Also, if the garage is clean (no fumes) I always skin then hang.  

Edited January 15, 2020 by username

[mazzgolf]

I called a buddy of mine who I know butchers his own deer (I watched him last year butcher his own deer just to get a feel for the process). He gave me some tips. I think I'm gonna let it hang at least until tomorrow - the wife isn't happy, but... I would like to try it at least once to see how hard/easy it is. I'm also gonna give it a go trying to make my own sausage.

I do miss Hartman's though. I would have taken even this deer to them if they were open, they were so close to me and I really liked their work and the price wasn't unreasonable.

[BillCarson]

Way to go Mazz, congrats! Deer is more important that this wives thing anyways

Edited January 15, 2020 by BillCarson
corrected spelling

[hunterbob1]

7 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

I called a buddy of mine who I know butchers his own deer (I watched him last year butcher his own deer just to get a feel for the process). He gave me some tips. I think I'm gonna let it hang at least until tomorrow - the wife isn't happy, but... I would like to try it at least once to see how hard/easy it is. I'm also gonna give it a go trying to make my own sausage.

I do miss Hartman's though. I would have taken even this deer to them if they were open, they were so close to me and I really liked their work and the price wasn't unreasonable.

Congratulations on your harvest.Do it with your friend, the more you do, it gets easier.

[username]

23 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

I called a buddy of mine who I know butchers his own deer...

Next time, volunteer to butcher and bag your buddy's deer.  That's how I learned.

Made a bunch of mistakes on everyone else's deer!  Then when it came time for my own - perfection!