My twin brother and I with 2 nice New Hampshire bucks taken some years back near the 13 mile woods above Berlin, NH. Ok time to get’em home and start processing.
Below, This “Bowhunting 360” website is excellent for field dressing your deer whether shot with gun or bow/crossbow. In CWD free states such as New Hampshire you are not required by law to de-bone your meat, but many do today.
https://bowhunting360.com/2017/03/03/field-dress-deer-10-steps/
Your deer is home and kept cool. Lets assume you nicked the intestines and some fecal material came out. If not, skip this part. First clean the area affected with a towel then wash with cold water or hose the whole cavity depending on the spread of the material says Wisconsin Edu says a 50/ 50 solution of clean cold fresh water and vinegar is very helpful. See below.
https://foodsafety.wisc.edu/assets/pdf_Files/Handling_venison_safely.pdf
If you do not have time or the inclination to do the deer cutting, then get a good deer cutter/butcher to do that for you! See NH Fish and Game site below
https://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/hunting/butchers.html
Lets start processing. I have a lift system and spreader gambrel like this.
Now you need to lift your deer so you can skin it. If it is warm out and above 40 degrees then time is of the essence to keep the meat from spoiling. I lift my deer just enough to start skinning around the bone on the legs being careful to remove the tarsal glands on a buck, as they have a powerful odor. There are tools that you can purchase to aid in gripping and pulling the skin off but I have always used my hands or a good set of pliers to grip and pull the hide off as I cut. If you are trying to save the hide then be careful in your skinning not to cut through the hide. And remove any meat on the hide right away. If you are not keeping the hide then it is a faster process.
Once the hide is cut to the base of the skull I use a knife and a bone saw to cut the head from the carcass. Now you can cut out the two tenderloins from the inside of the deer located along the spine inside the cavity.
These are the most tender and flavorful cuts. Next is to remove the back straps or split your deer in half with a saw and make chops like lamb chops. I sometimes freeze the New Hampshire killed deer spine meat and use a band saw to cut the chops bone-in. Below are chops from a wild boar.
Most folks are taking the back strap meat off and away from the bone these days as it is fast. Take time to cut as much meat carefully, as the back straps are supremely delicious. Ribs are often tossed out but some will cook them slowly to get all the meat off.
Be sure to cut around wound sites and bruised meat below as there may be small quantities of lead lurking in that damaged meat.
When in dowbt, cut it out.
I opt for Bonded bullets or all Copper bullets from high power rifles 30-06, 308, .270 etc. to reduce or eliminate the lead question such as the Nosler AccuBond™
where the copper is bonded to the lead and largely stays together or Nosler E-Tip™
a 100% all gilding copper bullet.
There are other companies that make all copper bullets so check them out if you like.
Lead based Shotgun slugs and Muzzleloader slugs are more apt to stay intact as they are slower (around 2000 fps and slower) and heavy (250-300 grains or more) . Today there are all copper bullets and bonded lead/copper bullets for these too.
Back to the deer processing.
Next is to lower your deer carcass to a table where you can remove the hind and front legs with a knife and use the bone saw to cut the feet off. The front legs are good for stew or burger. the rear legs and thigh are great for a multitude of options steak, roasts, venison tips and stew as well as burger.
As you cut, take off as much of the silver skin as possible. There are several muscle groups in the hind legs that can be cut away to make steaks, each will often be sheathed in silver skin.
Most home butchers are deboning this leg meat and tossing the bones.
I have a large LEM grinder for making burger. Bass Pro/Cabela’s has them.
Yes you can mix it with pork fat or a fatty cut of meat in beef or pork to allow the fat to bind or just leave it as it is venison burger. Venison has little fat, is high in protein and delicious when prepared properly.
Vacuum Seal your Meat! It will keep longer and taste better!
Good Hunting!
Photos are the property of the author.
© 2019 All Rights Reserved.
