October 5, 2007
Conserving Body Heat While Deer Hunting
Conserving body heat is a high priority during whitetail deer hunting.
Hunting locations that face south are good for finding deer at this time of the year because they get the most sun and gather heat for deer. South-facing hillsides, ravine slopes and other areas with a southern exposure are deer magnets during cold weather.
Dawn and dusk are always good times to hunt for whitetail deer, but for December deer hunting midday hunts can be just as good. And during midday a great place to hunt is south-facing slopes.
Deer are attracted to these areas in midday when the sun is it’s warmest to eat on twigs, leaves and acorns.
If you can find thickets and food sources on south slopes, you may just have found a deer hunting hot spot.
Dawn and dusk are always good times to hunt for whitetail deer, but for December deer hunting midday deer hunts can be just as good. And during midday a great place to hunt is south-facing slopes.
Deer are attracted to these areas in midday when the sun is it’s warmest to eat on twigs, leaves and acorns.
If you can find thickets and food sources on south slopes, you may just have found a deer hunting hot spot.
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Marty Prokop
www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
Posted by Marty Prokop | Questions and Comments (2)
January 18, 2007
Bad Tasting Venison
Below is a great comment and question I received from Troy in Indiana.
Troy talks about how his ground venison tastes bad. Read Troy's comment then look below for my solutions to solve this issue.
Wow, this was a great one (newsletter) Marty. Shot my first deer this season, and had actually been wondering on this exact subject since I'm a 3rd generation Rib bbq'r and lover (beef & pork). My family (wife-4 kids) and I have been enjoying the steaks and stew's and chili with the roast meat. Next year though, not having ANY ground. That's all I have left is pounds and pounds of not very good tasting burger. I've been thinking about buying a jerky gun and using the wrest of the ground for jerky sticks. I wonder if it’s for the same reason, the processor didn't clean it properly and just threw fat and all in when grinding?Troy
Native Californian now happily in Crawfordsville, IN and loving it.
Troy,
Congratulations on harvesting your first deer. If you would like to share your hunting story and a photo of your deer, send it to me. I will place it on the Free-Deer-Hunting-Tips.com Blog.
I am glad you found the tip on venison ribs helpful. In my experience I have found barbequed venison ribs can turn off even the most die-hard barbeque lovers.
I am sorry to hear your ground venison does not taste good.
Here are three common causes of bad tasting ground venison…or venison that just doesn’t excite your spouse and kids.
I have not met a kid yet (barring a committed vegetarian) who doesn’t finish off a plate of ground venison when it is processed correctly. This includes even the pickiest of eaters. Often ground venison is the only meat parents could get them to eat.
I’ve processed over 7,807 deer, so I helped parents feed a lot of kids.
Hopefully these three deer processing tips will help you and your family.
I would be delighted to see your family really love the ground venison you provide for them. As a fellow deer hunter, I know and understand what it takes to provide good, natural food for loved ones.
Three Reasons Your Deer Meat Tastes Bad…And Two Great Solutions
Deer Meat Reason #1
When a deer is processed properly, with all the deer fat, bruised meat, glands, tendons and gristle removed, ground venison tastes great. (Yes, even from “swamp bucks.” If you don’t believe me, read on…)
If a deer processor did not remove venison fat, bruised meat, glands, tendons and gristle from your venison trimmings before the meat was ground, this will definitely produce bad tasting venison burger.
If the deer was cut bone-in, the fine bone-dust and bone marrow will be spread across the meat. This is tedious and time-consuming to remove. If bone-dust and bone marrow are left on the meat and it is ground, your ground venison will taste bad.
Meat from big bucks and swamp bucks must be very well cleaned. The actual meat tastes decent. This year I harvested a big swamp buck and it tasted better than doe meat. Here’s the secret.
The wild or swampy taste is in the bone marrow, fat, bruises from the harvest, glands, tendons and gristle.
Trimming all this excess from your deer meat takes more time. Very few processors take the extra time to remove it all before the meat is ground, because time is money in a meat shop.
You may consider processing your own deer. Many people are doing this, because they want their venison to taste better. They want to avoid the very real and common problem of a freezer full of pounds and pounds of not very good tasting venison burger. In just a few minutes, I’ll talk more about making this a viable option.
Dear Meat Reason #2
Your deer might taste bad because, at the meat shop, your meat may have been put in the grinder with deer meat from those who did not take care of their deer like you did. Very few meat shops keep the deer trimmings separate.
Most meat shops have big mixer/grinders that can grind and mix 300 pounds of meat and more per batch.
Again, in most meat shops, time is money. So they can really save time by mixing 20 people’s venison at once rather than doing 20 separate batches.
Deer Meat Reason #3
And, even if they did keep your meat separate, your meat would have been ground with a grinder that was used all day.
So if the meat before yours was bad, remnants of that bad meat could have still been in the grinder when yours was put in. Bacteria could have been ground into your good meat and may explain why it now tastes bad.
Two Great Solutions
Great Tasting Venison Solution #1
If you want someone else to process your next deer, have the processor NOT grind your trimmings. Have them package your trimmings and give them back to you.
When you get your deer meat home take a look at how clean the trimmings are.
Remove as much of the fat, bruised meat, glands, tendons and gristle as you can. Keep cleaning until the venison trimmings are clean like beef stew meat.
Once the meat is trimmed correctly then grind some into burger. You can use a food processor or pick up a home grinder. The burger will taste great.
Great Tasting Venison Solution #2
If you want to make sure your venison always tastes great, and your venison is from your deer then learn to process your own deer. The reason I learned to process my own deer is because, years ago, I had a problem with the taste of my first deer like you are having with yours.
Since then, I’ve processed over 7,807 deer producing great tasting meat and burger, been to outdoor stores to give “How to Process Your Deer” seminars and have taught many, many people how to process deer successfully, mostly non-meatcutters.
There is just something so rewarding about processing your own deer.
Now, I used to make my living processing thousands of deer for deer hunters. If you choose to continue to have someone else process your deer, I totally understand. Just make sure to see solution #1 above.
Plus, processing your own deer is not for everyone. It’s really for those who want the experience and pride of providing for their families with their own abilities from field to table.
It is also for the people who want to make sure their deer stays their deer. After all, you have spent money to go deer hunting.
When your family can’t or doesn’t want to eat what you have brought home, it produces a “this wasn’t such a good idea” feeling in the pit of the stomach. I hate that feeling. It verges on feeling like a “loser.”
I really like for my family to be happy with what I am able to do for them. So the extra hour or two I invest to process my own deer is totally rewarding when I see the smiling faces of even the pickiest eaters in my family as they ask for second helpings.
And because of this, my wife tells me to go deer hunting. It’s actually on my “Honey Do List.” She even helps juggle our family schedule, so I can go deer hunting more. You’ve got to love that. It’s totally worth it.
I am just finishing up a really affordable “How to Process Your Own Deer” training program, which includes videos and support. I take you by the hand and walk you through step-by-step.
I’ll keep you updated on the “How to Process Your Own Deer” training program as it becomes available, because it could be a great option for you.
Let’s Talk Deer Jerky
You mentioned buying a jerky gun. I think jerky guns are great tools. There are quite a few different brands out there today. I have tested many different kinds.
The one I use is a more heavy-duty model. The cylinder is made of heavy gauge aluminum and holds 1½ pounds of seasoned meat. It has different attachments that allow me to make a single jerky strip, a double jerky strip, a single snack stick or a double snack stick.
The better jerky gun kits will also have cleaning brushes included. These brushes are essential to make sure you are able to clean your jerky gun properly.
Keep one thing in mind when you go to make jerky from your current ground venison. Although you will be able to mask the taste of the burger by adding seasonings, you may not totally get rid of the bad taste of your burger completely. The reason being the venison fat and other things are already mixed into the burger.
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Marty Prokop
Posted by Marty Prokop | Questions and Comments (1)
January 4, 2007
Processing a Deer
No matter how a deer is processed, whether bone-in or boneless, make sure to remove all the fat and the “fell,” which is a thin, skin-like membrane covering the meat. The fat and fell on a deer does not taste very good at all.
In a prior post, William talked about hunters who prefer their deer meat cut bone-in.
In my 24-plus-years of processing wild game, I had only a handful of deer hunters who requested bone-in processing.
When I asked these deer hunters why they wanted the bones left in, they usually replied, “That’s how I’ve always had it done.”
When I asked, “Do you and your family like the taste of your deer meat when it is cut with the bone-in?”
The usual reply was, “Not really. It is really gamey tasting. In fact, my wife doesn’t even like to cook it because of the smell.”
I offered to cut their deer boneless and they agreed. I asked them to report back to me on how their families liked the boneless deer.
When the following deer hunting season arrived, these hunters were back in my meat shop telling me they had never had such great tasting venison. They said their wives even asked them to go hunting MORE, because the venison looked, smelled and tasted so much better.
Needless to say, they wanted their deer cut boneless from then on.
Good Luck and Great Hunting!
Marty Prokop
www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
Posted by Marty Prokop | Questions and Comments (0)
December 27, 2006
Butchering Deer
Marty, Hi , I agree that deer is better tasting when it is boned out . As an ex guide of the Province of Alberta , that is the only way to do it But, for those who don't bone their meat, and like thier chops and steaks bone in, the way to still have great tasting deer is to pull the hide off as soon as it is cold and hang it at the butchers for at least 4 days before butchering .Just as a slaughter house is carful removing the hide from a lamb , it is equally important to be as careful when removing the Deer skin . Leaking glands can make for poor quality meat. All the best and Merry Christmas.
William
Posted by Marty Prokop | Questions and Comments (1)
November 12, 2006
How to Clean a Deer for Great Tasting Venison
Dear Marty,I have been a hunter for many of years but what I am confused on is the subject of your email,(How to Field Dres a Deer) I did not get the whole concept of cleaning a deer, I only understood how to clean your gear, how to keep your hands clean and how to drag a deer, could you give me some kind of idea on how to clean a deer the proper way to make it taste good.
Lisa
Lisa,
In order to answer your question better I need a little more information from you. When you are asking about how to clean a deer so it tastes good, are you wanting me to explain how to cut your own deer or how to field dress, then cut your deer?
There are a few things to consider when it comes to good tasting venison. For example, what has the deer been eating?
I used to hunt northern Minnesota in the Superior National Forest. The deer there are browsing on plants and shrubs that grow in the forest. There were no fields of grain or hay. Each deer I harvested from that area tasted very gamey.
Next, how soon after you harvested your deer was it field dressed?
I like to field dress my deer as soon as possible after my shot. If after the shot I see the deer go down, I will walk over to it, make sure the deer has expired and field dress it immediately. If the deer runs off out of your sight and you are unsure of your shot, then wait 20 - 30 minutes before tracking. The bottom line is to field dress your deer as soon as possible.
When butchering a deer, never use a saw. If a meat saw is used the blade will actually heat up the surface areas being cut and spread bone marrow (not to mention bone chips) across the surface of the meat. I have found bone marrow to add to the gamey flavor of your venison and the bone chips are just plain not fun.
If you are cutting your deer yourself or, if you take it to your local butcher, cut the deer boneless. The end result is a cut of meat that resembles familiar cuts of beef or pork without as much of a "wild" or gamey taste. Always be sure to trim off all external fat from any cut of venison. Venison fat, when cooked, has a smell and taste that most find very unpleasing.
If you still experience a gamey flavor with your boneless cuts of venison, try this simply tip.
Place your thawed venison steaks or chops into a large glass bowl. Cover the meat with buttermilk. Wrap the bowl with a plastic cling wrap and place into the refrigerator to soak over night. The next day pull the bowl from the refrigerator. Rinse the meat with cold running water. Season the meat to your liking and cook using your desired method.
The buttermilk will help draw out some of the wild taste.
I am currently producing a must have video series for hunters.
The first video covers the proper way to field dress a deer. You may have read from me how important it is to field dress your deer properly. I am a firm believer that good tasting venison starts in the field.
The second video walks you step-by-step through butchering a deer. In this video you will see how remove the meat from the bones and create boneless cuts of venison that resemble familiar cuts of beef and pork using only your knife.
The third video in the series covers the art of making sausage. This video shows you how to produce your favorite sausages right at home. You will see which cuts of meat make the best sausage, how much beef or pork to add to your venison to achieve the best flavor, spice selection, proper mixing of the ground meats and spices, stuffing techniques and much, much more.
Keep an eye on your emails and check the deer hunter's blog at www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com for details on the videos availability.
Good Luck and Great Hunting,
Marty
Posted by Marty Prokop | Questions and Comments (0)
November 8, 2006
More Great Questions From Mike
Some more great questions from Mike
Hi Marty, This was my first hunting season and because we did not have an experienced butcher, I felt that I should have this info, just in case we got that big buck. But as luck would have it , no buck. I could have got a doe or three, but ! So what`s a guy suppose to do? I read and made notes and took them on the hunt. My skill level is, as my first hunting season. The last thing I wanted, was to score a kill and then loose it for lack of knoweldge. O Yea, I was nervous, but the info I received was very good. Boneless butchering without sawing through bones, removing the entire gut intact. How to ream the anus from outside of the cavity and how to cut the esaphgus up in the neck. I just did not want to pierce the intestines or screw up anything else. No, my comfidents or competents are not high, but I might have had to do the job and learn on the job. I, of course, eagerly await your instruction. A road map would be nice. Your video sounds great. Put it on a DVD and I`ll take the Lap Top into the field. O Man, I`ll put the Web Cam on. "NO, NO, DON`T DO THAT, YOU`LL SCREW UP THE WHOLE JOB"! I`ve got a whole year to BONE up on the subject. Please treat me as the Newbie I am. I need all the basic skills from field to table. Now, as for the hunt, boy do I have questions. Habits and habitats. The time of the rut? When does the stork fly by? Do the Bucks stay with the Does when its not the rut? How old is a spike? How old is a three point? Do bucks produce a Point per year? Why do they shed felt each year? Marty, I`m sorry but knowledge will be my key to success. Are these Deer as cunning as they appear? Ya know I think I heard`em laugh out loud a couple of times this season. Is stomping the ground a Signal to the other deer or is it a signal to me " Neener-- Neener You Cant Catch Me" ? Those twelve point bucks must have learned something to have lasted that long and out witted the hunter. I saw really young bucks sneezing like the old guys when they got a wiff of us. Can we use a human scent killer? Did those Does really shelter the buck? Man, it sure looked like it. The Does sure did not seem to be intimidated. I really think the deer have more game than I have. But for a guy like you, are you as cunning? Adrenalin, true or false? If the deer is fleeing the scene, adrenalin is secreted into the system and the kill wil have an undersirable " Gamy" or wild taste? If said venison where soaked for a couple of day, this would remove blood tainted with adrenlin and add aging to the meat? AND THE LIST GOES ON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND PATIENCE. But I need a GOOD PIECE------ OF VENISON, that is. Looking Forward, THE NEW GREAT WHITE HUNTER, Mike
Mike,
You have a lot of great questions here. I would like to answer this in three parts. The first part I will cover your deer behavior questions. Part two will cover Field Dressing and part three will address how to process your deer once you get it home. Let’s start with your hunting questions first.
Time of the rut…The rut takes place at different times in different locations across the country. The farther north, the sooner the rut seems to start with southern locations following behind within a couple weeks.
There are three main phases of the rut. Pre-rut, main rut and post rut.
One way to tell if deer in your area are approaching the rut is to look for the tell tale signs. Look for rubs on trees, ground scrapes and more bucks moving during daylight hours. Rubs and scrapes are only made by bucks when they are searching for does coming into cycle.
If your budget allows, a great way to monitor rublines and scrapes it to hang a Trail Camera near the area. The pictures you gather can show you how many bucks and does are walking through. If the camera you have chosen has a time and date stamp feature it will also tell you what time the deer are moving through.
This can be very helpful when you are timing rut activity. For example, on www.free-deer-hunitng-tips.com you will see monthly pictures of my Deer Cam. Most of the photos are time and date stamped. In the early season I have captured lots of does and fawns. I started seeing the first bucks around mid-September.
It was not until mid-October when I started to see more and bigger bucks. Now the larger bucks in my area are moving at all hours of the day. Just this morning I was able to watch a large spike sparring with a huge 8 pointer. This was at 8:05 am on November 1 and we are just now approaching the main rut in my area. Make sure you consult your state’s deer hunting regulations on the legality of hanging trail cameras before you go out and purchase a camera.
You then ask whether or not bucks will hang with the does when the rut is not taking place. Again this is a great question. Generally bucks will hang out in small bachelor groups or remain solitary prior to the rut. As the rut nears, bucks tend to travel solo. The bigger bucks will chase off the younger rival bucks and start to mark their territories. This is when scrapes and rubs will start to appear.
If a doe was not successfully bred the first time she went into heat, a doe will come into estrous again approximately 28 days later. This is considered the post rut. You will still see bucks chasing those does that were not yet bred. Generally the chasing phase is less as the majority of does were bred earlier.
When the rut ends, bucks will again start to hang out in their bachelor groups or remain solitary until they recuperate from the breeding season’s activities. Once bucks get a bit more energy and the winter starts to set in you may see them out in filelds feeding with does and fawns.
Why do bucks shed their velvet each year?
Each year during the winter months a buck will shed his antlers. Deer Antler growth usually begins during the month of March or April, by August or early September, antlers are fully-grown. The development process can vary greatly depending upon the genes and nutrition of each deer.
Growing antlers are covered with a living tissue called velvet. This velvet houses the developing antlers and supplies the growing antlers with the nutrients needed for growth.
From Late August to mid-September antler growth is done and the velvet is shed or rubbed off by the buck as he rubs saplings with his antlers. Older bucks will shed their velvet before younger bucks.
Your next question asks about the age of spike bucks and three pointers.
A buck with spike antlers is usually sporting his first set of antlers. This would make his approximate age about 1.5 years old.
There are a couple ways to look at a larger set of antlers. For example, in the Midwest hunter’s generally count both sides of a deer’s rack. In the west however hunters will count each side separately. So a 6-point buck in the Midwest would be considered a 3x3 out west.
You had asked about the age of a 3-pointer. For simplicity’s sake we’ll call that deer a 3x3 or six-pointer. You are right to assume a six pointer is older than a spike buck. In many cases this 3x3 or six-pointer would be around 2.5 years old. If you are practicing Quality Deer Management, this would be one to let walk by. A buck’s rack will hit its full growth potential between the ages of 5.5 – 7.5 years.
Will a buck grow one point per side each year?
There are many factors that will determine a buck’s antler growth. The main factors being genetics and the quality of the food they are eating.
Spikes are more common in yearling deer than older ones because antler growth starts at a time when the young buck’s body is still growing rapidly. Antler development is tied in closely with the animal’s nutritional status. Older bucks might also carry spikes if they come from an area with poor food conditions.
If genetics and good nutrition are present, bucks could grow even more than one point per year.
Case in point, I had an incredible 16 point or 8x8 that lived here on my land 2 years ago. I had let him walk opening weekend in hopes he would be able to survive that hunting season.
A hunter on a neighboring farm harvested that buck on the last day of the season that same year. At the time he was harvested he was estimated to be only 4.5 years old. The year before he was taken he was a very respectable 8-pointer or 4x4 at only 3.5 years of age.
Why do deer stomp the ground?
Stomping serves a dual purpose. When a deer stomps the ground with a front hoof it is both warning other deer in the area of potential danger and trying to get what ever they are looking at to move. It is also my understanding that a deer will release scent each time they stomp. A stomp is usually always followed by a snort. A deer that is snorting at you is usually not a good thing. This means it has definitely seen you and may have winded you. After a couple stomps and snorts the deer will usually run off.
The sneezing you describe the young and old bucks doing is actually called snorting. And yes you are right…they got wind of you. They probably took off shortly after they snorted too. There are a few things to remember when you head out into the deer woods:
1.) Always hunt with the wind in your face. As long as the wind is in your face a deer approaching in front of you cannot smell you. Have multiple stands set up to use the wind to your advantage. The old, wary bucks may try to circle downwind of you to catch your scent. To combat this issue I always hang deer scent (usually buck urine) 5 – 10 yards to my right and left. This way if the buck starts to circle, he will catch wind of the buck urine scent and may come in to investigate before he catches your human scent.
2.) Always use a good cover scent to mask human odor. There are countless numbers of cover scents out there today. When choosing a cover scent, choose one that compliments the area you are hunting. If you hunt in a pine forest, use pine cover scent. If you are in a stand of oaks, use an acorn cover scent. If you are unsure of which type to use get a Fresh Earth cover scent.
If your budget allows, you could look into a scent block suit. The good ones are carbon activated and will absorb human odor. These suits are not the end all answer but they could help significantly.
3.) Use attractant scents. If your area is experiencing the rut, use a doe in heat or dominant buck lure. If you are hunting pre or post rut, doe urine or buck urine works well. Deer can be creatures of curiosity. More times than not I have had both bucks and does come wandering in following a scent trail I put down while walking to my stand.
4.) If the wind is not favorable for the stand you want to hunt, don’t use that stand. This is one of the most common mistakes a hunter can make. The wind is coming in from behind their stand location and they choose to sit there anyway. All a hunter is doing is letting every deer in the area know he/she is there. This is where having several stands set up for different wind variations pays off handsomely.
5.) Change your routine. Lets say you go out to your stand before sun up everyday and leave by 10 am. You sit there not seeing a solitary thing while you are there. Then let’s say you tell your hunting partner he/she can use your stand after you have left. At 11 am your buddy takes a monster from the very tree you left an hour before. What happened? Deer are creatures of habit. They will pattern you as much or even better than you can pattern them. Obviously it is best to sit in your stand from sun up to sun down. But if you can’t for whatever reason throw the deer for a loop. Never hunt the same stand for more than 3-days straight. If you only have four hours you can hunt, mix it up. Hunt in the morning one day, the evening the next and mid-day the third. Try not to let the deer pattern your behaviors.
Did the does you had seen “shelter" the buck?
I don’t think the does were sheltering the buck. I think he was hanging in the wings to see if danger was present, or he may have been testing the air for a hot doe. I have seen this scenario several times. A buck is traveling behind some does on a wood line bordering an open field. The does keep walking into the field and the buck hangs on the wood’s edge until after dark.
The buck is more or less letting the does test the waters so to speak. He is using them as decoys for any danger that may be present. As the does are walking into the filed, he is carefully watching and winding for anything that he does not like. I have watched a buck sit on a wood line until dark before coming out to eat. Remember he did not get to be a big buck by being stupid.
The exception to this is if the does are in heat. Then it seems nearly anything goes. A big buck could run out of the wood line right into the middle of the field chasing a hot doe with no regard to anything but that doe.
I will address your Field to Table questions in my next set of answers.
Good Luck and Great Hunting.
Marty Prokop
www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
Part 2 Updated 11/25/06
Hey Mike,
Let’s get into answering your field dressing questions.
In my free newsletter we discussed How to Field Dress a Deer. It was a quick 9 step process. For you and our hunting community at www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com
I will soon have a video, "Field Dressing Made Easy," that will be available online at www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com On this video, you will see exactly how I field dress a deer using only my knife. (No need for a saw or axe)
Field Dressing a deer properly is probably the most important thing you can do to insure great tasting venison on your dinner plate.
To do a great job field dressing you need the right equipment to get the job done.
Here is a checklist of my Field Dressing Kit I carry out each time I go hunting.
1.) Sharp, stiff bladed knife
2.) Gut Hook style knife
3.) Latex gloves or Field Dressing Gloves (sold in most Sporting Goods Stores)
4.) 12 – 15 foot length of rope
5.) Paper towels
6.) Moist Towellettes or wet terry cloth towel for washing my hands
7.) Instant Hand Sanitizer
8.) 2- Zip Top Bags, gallon size
I place the items listed above into one of the Zip-Top bags and directly into my hunting pack. This way I always have it when I am ready to field dress a deer.
Lets say you are now standing over the deer you just harvested. After making sure the deer has expired, unload your rifle or place your arrow back in its quiver. Lean your rifle or bow against a rock or tree nearby.
NOTE: (If you are hunting where Grizzlies are present do not unload your rifle. Rather make sure the rifle’s safety is on and lean it on a nearby rock or tree in case you need to use it on the bear)
Steps to Field Dress a Deer
1.) Reach into your pack an pull out your Field Dressing Kit
2.) Unpack each item and place off to your side
3.) Put on latex gloves or field dressing gloves
4.) Remove sharp knife from it’s sheath
5.) Roll deer onto its back. If possible make sure the rear half of the deer is angled slightly downhill. This will allow blood to drain out of the cavity in upcoming steps.
6.) Using your sharp knife remove the genitals of a buck. Make sure you only cut the skin and do not cut through the muscle in this step. AS you make the cut around the scrotum and start to move to the rear of the deer, you will notice a white chord. Being careful to not cut through this chord, continue cutting the deer’s hide towards the anus.
If you have harvested a doe, the procedure is identical. You will be removing the doe’s udder rather than its genitals. Try not to cut into the udder.
NOTE: Check your local game regulations. In some states leaving the deer’s genitals intact is required by law.
7.) You will see a seam where the hind leg muscles connect. Make a cut directly where the large muscles of the hind legs come together. Cut down until you can see the bone holding the two legs together. This is called the aitch bone.
8.) Using the tip of your knife blade, make a small incision where the muscles of the belly come to a point ahead of the aitch bone. Do not push the blade too deep as you may puncture the bladder or intestines.
9.) Place a finger in the incision you just made. Feel for a “ridge” on the inside of the aitch bone. This ridge is usually soft cartilage-type material. Again using just the tip of your knife, place the point in the center of the ridge from the top side of the aitch bone.
10.) Using the butt of your hand gently hit the handle of your knife until you feel it cut through the ridge of the aitch bone. (Be very careful to not push too hard as the bladder of the deer lies below this aitch bone. Puncturing the bladder would result in urine running into the steak meat of your deer…needless to say not good) Using a back and forth rocking movement, pull the knife towards the rear of the deer. (this rocking motion is similar to that of the old army style can openers)
11.) Once you have cut through the aitch bone, it is time to cut around the deer’s anus. Hold the skin of the deer’s bung near the cut you have just made through the aitch bone. Using your knife cut in a circular motion following the curve of the aitch bone to just above the deer’s tail. DO the same for the other side of the aitch bone.
12.) Place the straight bladed knife safely to the side. Using the gut hook style knife, make a cut from the small incision you made at the belly of the deer up towards the ribcage.
Posted by Marty Prokop | Questions and Comments (2)
