Over 40 in age and Little Exp. Hunting Deer

[John134]

Trying to learn more about deer hunting after spending much time in the woods as a teen and later bird hunting in fields and duck hunting at lakes. There's very few detailed stories to really learn basics about deer here, and haven't found any mentors?

After the kill, is it preferable to bleed the deer and gut it in the first 5-10 minutes or how much difference do the first minutes make on the flavor at the table? Everyone seems to be recounting to other experienced hunters. This guy needs some basics and there's very few books that speak to beginners. These days there's actually videos that demonstrate the field dressing part. That's a relief. Imagine not having someone show you the ropes.

Thanks for any suggestions,

John

[7magWoodsman]

My opinion on this may differ from every hunter in the world, but I think that the double lung shot will bleed them sufficiently(most blood will fill in the lungs or overflow inside the deer, either way it's out of the meat)...I always field dress as quick as possible, but be careful about approaching too soon cause this will cause a "dead" deer to take flight...after field dressing I sit the deer up like we sit in a chair and then spread the deer out with the belly down and all four legs flat out, like we do when laying on our stomachs with our arms and legs spread out and let it drain what little blood is in there out...I wash it out as quickly as possible with a hose or by dragging through a creek and then hang it up by making a slit close to the glands on the rear legs and inserting a stick into the slits and duck-tape the deer leg to each side of the stick and string up in a tree. skin and quarter the deer and then the rest is in the house work...I know I made that sound like coloring in a coloring book but that is what I have done ALL my life with Whitetail and it is really just instinctive to me.

Even when a double lung shot is not made I still just field dress drain the caracas from the belly, drag out, take home, quarter, chop, and fry...

I hope I didn't confuse you with my hillbilly directions  

[MSP Ret]

As far as I am concerned, "bleeding" a deer or slitting its throat to "bleed" it is a lot of hogwash. All the deer I have ever killed and been involved in the killing and field dressing of (plenty) have been field dressed and hung for a couple or few days depending on the weather. If it was warm out they were butchered within 12-24 hours. The best tasting deer meat has always been from deer that have been "hung" for a few days in cool to cold but not freezing weather. A garage, wood shed, or front or rear camp porch works great. This is not to bleed the deer but to help age the meat. I am sure there is a more eloquent reason why this works but this is what myself and those I hunt with have been doing for MANY years, it works for us....<><.... :grin:

[7magWoodsman]

As far as I am concerned, "bleeding" a deer or slitting its throat to "bleed" it is a lot of hogwash.

I wish I had put that in my post, because it's the truth.

The best tasting deer meat has always been from deer that have been "hung" for a few days in cool to cold but not freezing weather. This is not to bleed the deer but to help age the meat.

I have/do practice(d) the "aging" technique if weather and time permits, but I always skin it immediately. If you don't take the skin off bacteria "can" form between the cape and the meat...also make sure it is at least 40 degrees or so...It is better to have an unaged deer than a decomposed one.

[powderman]

Goodadviceall. Weather permitting, I hang a deer a week or more til the outside starts to get real dark. The meat seems a lot more tender. POWDERMAN.    

[kevin.303]

if i take my deer to a butcher do they as a rule hang it or is that usually up to the customer?

[7magWoodsman]

if i take my deer to a butcher do they as a rule hang it or is that usually up to the customer?

I guess it depends on the butcher...As a rule I would say not.
I try to process all my game, so I know exactly what's in the freezer and what it went through to get there, but I know that is not alway's possible.
If I was going to have someone else process my kills I would ask them to age it, if they didn't mind...

[kevin.303]

ya someday i hope to be able to do all my own stuff but for now it's gotta go to a butcher. the place where i plan to take it was backed up last year because of the mad cow bullflop (no pun intended) i know my grand father used to let his deer hang in an old wooden grainery, but i don't have that option.i'll ask my mom's cousin. his farm is only 10 minutes from my planned hunting area and i'll see if he does the same thing with his animals. i'm actually more concerned about getting back somebody elses deer rather than with ageing.

one way i always here is to make sure the meat stays tender is to try and drop it with your first shot our try to make sure it don't run to far. i hear the same thing about fishing for big fish like tuna. if it fights for more then 30 minutes bleed it right away to prevent the hot blood from "burning" the meat. doesn't really apply to deer 'cuz the bullet bleeds it, but the key is a well placed shot with a good bullet.

[Nuttinbutchunks]

I'm in the same boat. I'm 44, and went on my first hunt today. I didn't shoot anything, and today was my last chance as the Utah season is so short. But I'm not exactly sure what to do either. I understand you should cut the scent glands at the hind legs off first thing, then field dress the animal. If you plan on mounting the head, don't cut the throat because it ruins the possibility of a trophy. Just gut it and drag it off, throw it in the back of the truck and skin it in the shed or garage, then allow it to age for a couple of days, the carve it up. Did I miss anything? :grin:

[Graybeard]

you should cut the scent glands at the hind legs off first thing,

NO!!NO!!NO!!! Bad advice. Do not do this.

There is no need to cut the throat to bleed out a deer or to cut off scent glands. If you plan to have the deer mounting the throat cutting is really bad as it messes up your cape. If you shoot the deer in heart/lung area with bullet or arrow it will bleed plenty.

Cutting off the scent glands and then using that knife or your tainted hands will merely transfer the mess onto the meat of the deer you plan to eat. BAD!!! Cut the glands ONLY if you plan to later use them as an attractant for other deer and even then do it ONLY when completely finished with your deer care and use a different knife than the one you use on the deer. There is no valid reason to cut them off at all unless you plan to hang them for an attractant later.

[Sourdough]

My deer usually weigh from 800 to 1400lbs.  A little too big to roll over and drain.  And forget cutting it's throat, wouldn't do any good anyway.  I usually start skinning immediately.  The animal most often is lying on his belly, so I split the hide from the base of the skull to tail.  Then I start disassembling him from the top down.  First I take off the head, then the front shoulders, then the hams, then cut through the spine at the point of the shoulders, removing the neck and brisket.  We then cut the ribs about 10 inches down from the spine, and remove the backstrap.  The ribs are last to be removed from the carcase.  When we are done, the organs and intestines are still lying there on the hide, still inside their little membrane.  
 
I learned this method from and old cowboy from Montana.  That's how he did Elk as a boy.  His philosophy, why mess with the organs and intestines when you don't have to.  Works for me, I do all my Moose and Caribou that way.  And keep the parts small enough to be handled with out hurting a bad back.

[Winter Hawk]

Sourdough,

Now that sounds like something to try with my next deer!

I have gutted them up to now, then start skinning from the belly on one side.  I cut all the meat off the bones on that side, then roll the carcass over onto the skin and do the same for the other side.  I generally lay out my space blanket and place the meat on that to keep it clean and let it cool off.  Then it goes into two gallon Zip-lock bags and into the back pack for the hike out. I see no reason to pack out bones.  Of course, that works for Sitka Blacktail of around 120 lbs.

I like your way but it loses the hide.

-Winter Hawk-