Don't know if I'll have time to drop off bambi at the local butcher - also wondering if I could save a c-note and butcher it myself.

I know it's not as easy as fileting a fish - any hints or recommended reading?

-thx...

A few years ago when I did my first one myself realtree.com had a good read and a chart on how to do it. IMHO let it hang for a week to 10 days if the weather permits, it will make a big difference in the tenderness of the meat. If they eat here like the do in Kansas it will take some time for the meat to start to spoil, grain fed animals spoil faster from the acid they ingest thru the grain ( cow's ). The big thing you have to worry about are the fly's. From my experience the firs time plan on a full day if you are going to grind any of it and mix you burger with some beef tallow. Go slow, think about what you are doing and study their bone structure before you start and thing will go much better with a minimum of waste.

KL

Once it is skinned, you can have a good sized deer butchered, andd deboned in no time. Then just package it up. If you get one up there, you can stop by here on the way back, we can let it hang for a week . You come up on the next weekend , and we cut....

I've butchered all my deer but one, and thats the last deer I'll have done, unless I do a deer for sausage or salami.

I used to let my deer hang for a while(6-10 days) like you guys mentioned but I've learned through reading ect. that all your doin is letting the rotting process start sooner. You can let your deer hang as long as the temp is below 40C. IMO it doesn't taste any different. As far as tenderness I beleive in marinating it longer makes it tender and don't over cook.

I find that NOT cutting threw the bone is important in the taste of your venison and cut away all fat and tendins. Let all the blood drain in a strainer and rinse well. All this venny talk making...."ME SO HONGREE ":hee:

Thanks for the input, guys.

Bill - weekend following my hunt is x-giving weekend - can't come up but thanks for the invite.

This is all assuming I will bag a bambi this season - so little time to hunt, it's cutting into my fishing time. :hihi:

I've butchered all my own deer. Problem is cooling the carcass off as fast as possible. It just started getting cool again so that is good. There were times when it was in the 70s on opening season in CT (hunted in Haddam Neck area).

I read an article where it stated that the freezing process tenderized the meat so there was no need to age it. All of my deer have tasted great with virtually no aging. First day I skin it and quarter it up so it fits into refrigerator or large cooler w/ lots of ice in it. I then start working on large pieces of meat and cut it up into steaks, or make burger out of it. I use a cuisinart attachment for the blended and that does a good job for burger.
Be sure to have a few sharp knives on hand. I like carbon steel (Victorinox/Forshner) since its fast to touch up quick on some ceramic sticks. :)

Only deer that hasn't tasted good was that 11 pt I got two yrs ago...... ~5.5 yrs old and I think my boot bottom would have been better....lol. ;)

My take, I have hunted and butchered deer for 30+ years, my family much longer. We always hang our deer by the head and feel this is good for the ageing proccess. It really starts as soon as you get your deer. Always gut immediatly and take your time to get EVERYTHING out of there, this is probably the most important part of the process. After hanging prop the underside and ribcage open with a stick. Be sure to cut out the tenderloins now they spoil first. NEVER skin the deer until you are ready to cut up, this is very important to the ageing. Tempertures below freezeing are not the best for this, I like to hang inside an unheated garage than outside, the temps remain more consistant, a meat locker would be best! All my deer done this way have been tender and tasty, includeing my biggest buck (an older 9pt). Sure you can marinate the meat but myself I just like to sear it quick with either a dry rub or a quick mix of olive oil, warm water, chopped garlic and oregano spooned on it while it cooks over an open flame outside. Umm! Good luck guys!

Canalratt1 - what do you do when it is only 65 F outside? For whatever reason there have been many warm days/nites in mid Nov over the past few yrs.

This is the first time I have hear to leave the skin/hide ON the animal to age it. What about all those damn ticks on the deer?!

We let the cats out in the garage area (litter boxes and to catch mice), but I don't want them getting lymes disease. I don't care for the cats, but I don't want to them to get ill. This is why I did the deer outside down at my friend's in CT.

Friend's brother on Nantucket has lymes disease and is dying from it. :(

what do you do when it is only 65 F outside?

I cut a hole in my shed and have an AC unit I can pop in it .
Keeps it nice and cool:D

Maddog2020

Cut the legs off and slide a game bag over the deer the ticks fall in the bag and the fly can't get in.

The warm days you will have to cut it up right away. Even if its warm outside the inside of an unheated garage will usually be colder. Air temps from 40 to 50 are no problem. Ticks can be a problem but they wiil start to leave the deer right after the deer dies. I have not found alot on the deer I have taken, I'm always carefull when I get out of the woods to check myself, Lyme can be very nasty. If you skin the deer then let it hang any exposed meat starts to spoil, unlike beef which has lots of fat deer has very little.

mikecc - U are one crazy SOB ..... lol. That is a good idea. If I had a shed I would probably end up sleeping in it. ;) U can justify that since you get more than one deer every couple of yrs. :D

The ticks do come off eventually - I hate those little buggers.

My wife & I had one of those Lymerix shots (they stopped making it because they couldn't sell enough of it) when they were out - mfg had no clue how long it was good for.

My buddy from TX use to send me "hot sticks" - spicey hot venison sticks like slim jims. He pasted away last Jan (RIP BigTex: only got to enjoy about 2 yrs of retirement).

Two season in a row now I skipped hunting deer . :(