Official Thread of 2015-2016 deer season

[shotgunshooter]

Killed a 9 point buck and a button buck this afternoon.

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[MP5_Rizzo]

Killed a 9 point buck and a button buck this afternoon.

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Very nice!  When did you get the VTR?

[shotgunshooter]

Very nice! When did you get the VTR?

I've had it for a while. It is deafening without plugs inside of a shoot house.

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[Handsome Rob]

The excitement and joy of yesterday turned into misery today but I learned a few lessons that I want to pass along. I should start t
by saying that I shot a beautiful 10 pt Buck yesterday around dusk. I waited as long as possible and then looked for a blood trail and deer well past dark. I was forced to give up last night and went back at first light today. Again there was no blood within 25 yds of shot and I was abit worried. Finally , I [picked up the blood trail and he was bleeding rather profusely now. I was able to trace the blood trail and find him about 100 yds from the shot location in thick brush. Last night lows were only about 45. I dragged this deer out of woods and field dressed the buck. I then loaded it up and took it and checked it in and then went straight to Flowers to process. They reported to me that the meat was now bad and I only saved the antlers. Lessons learned:

1) If you are going to shoot a deer at dusk. make certain of nightly expected temps before taking the shot in case you cannot find the deer and must leave overnight. Deer meat needs to be at 40 or below.
2) Save time checking in deer with online check in now.....wish I had known
3) Now with a 2 buck limit and I am down to 1, got to make that one count

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Might I suggest a different processor in future?
There is no way in hell a deer is going 'bad' overnight at 45°
If it was inedible, you really would've known when you gutted him.
I've intentionally hung deer for 24+ hrs in temperatures up to 50° & higher.

[Luke E.]

Might I suggest a different processor in future?
There is no way in hell a deer is going 'bad' overnight at 45°
If it was inedible, you really would've known when you gutted him.
I've intentionally hung deer for 24+ hrs in temperatures up to 50° & higher.

I just stopped by a buddy's house and there was a doe hanging. He said he killed her Tuesday morning. He was going to process her tonight. I kinda shook my head he said well as long as she's outta the sun she's fine. I'm skeptical lol.
The only reason I can think of that his processor said his meat was bad is that his deer say with blood and guts in it where I assuming yours was field dressed and sprayed off before you left her hanging? I do agree though, if it was bad he probably would have known and just quit field dressing.

[Handsome Rob]

I always gut mine in the field, however I never wash the cavity (water = bacteria = spoilage)
I've hung them at 40° for 7 days before & that was the tenderest, tastiest meat I've ever eaten.
Even in early bow season, with temperatures in the 70s, I hang them overnight.
I hang all my deer in a relatively stable basement, but the temperature is pretty much controlled by the outside ambient temperature.

[Omega]

I don't usually hang them, the ones I keep I place them in a fridge I gutted all the shelves out of at under 40 deg, usually between 36 and 38 degrees.  The large doe I got last week had two bags of ice in the cavity because the processor had closed, but she did quite well overnight which was in the 50s.  

[Luke E.]

I always gut mine in the field, however I never wash the cavity (water = bacteria = spoilage)
I've hung them at 40° for 7 days before & that was the tenderest, tastiest meat I've ever eaten.
Even in early bow season, with temperatures in the 70s, I hang them overnight.
I hang all my deer in a relatively stable basement, but the temperature is pretty much controlled by the outside ambient temperature.

Okay, educate me.. I've never heard that water = bacteria. Can you explain?

[Handsome Rob]

I had it explained by a butcher friend of mine & it may or may not be true, but it sounded plausible at the time & I've always stuck by it.
His theory is that as you're field dressing, hair & other large solid fall into the cavity. You're also separating the anus & can't always get 100% of everything out right away.
The thing is, these contaminants tend to stick to the outer surface of the drying cavity & not move much. They're also contaminating a tiny area that is developing a dry film, essentially protecting the underlying meat.
By spraying or washing the cavity, you're prolonging this drying process & swilling the contaminants over a larger area creating a larger likelihood of further bacterial contamination.

Sounds plausible to me, but I wouldn't be surprised to find it's utter bunkum either!

I do know a lot of guys that wipe the interior of dressed deer with a clean cloth soaked in a vinegar solution & swear by this method too.

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[KahrMan]

Most advice I hear nowadays is not to rinse out the cavity with water because a it promotes bacteria growth. Whether it is scientifically accurate or not I do not know.

Most chefs say the same thing about turkeys (store bought). Don't rinse them out. Just pat them dry, season and cook.

[peejman]

Most advice I hear nowadays is not to rinse out the cavity with water because a it promotes bacteria growth. Whether it is scientifically accurate or not I do not know.

Most chefs say the same thing about turkeys (store bought). Don't rinse them out. Just pat them dry, season and cook.

 

 

I've read that about basically any poultry.... don't rinse it.  All you're doing is splattering the bacteria all over you and your kitchen. 

 

 

As for leaving the deer hanging for a while... sounds like the same thing as "aged" beef.  And it's not like you're gonna eat it raw, it gets cooked so it seems like it would have to be literally rotting before it would be too far gone to eat.  Though I can see that a professional processor wouldn't want to mess with it just for fear of liability. 

[CJDore]

I always gut mine in the field, however I never wash the cavity (water = bacteria = spoilage)
I've hung them at 40° for 7 days before & that was the tenderest, tastiest meat I've ever eaten.
Even in early bow season, with temperatures in the 70s, I hang them overnight.
I hang all my deer in a relatively stable basement, but the temperature is pretty much controlled by the outside ambient temperature.

 

Rob my problem may have been that it stayed overnight in the woods before I could find it the next day at first light. I dragged it out of woods and hung it and field dressed it immediately after. I then drove to check it in (should have done that on line) and then drove all the way up to Flowers for processing. I did puncture the gut slightly when I was field dressing but I brought the field dressed deer back to my home and rinsed it out. According to you this was a real no no.

Edited December 11, 2015 by CJDore

[Handsome Rob]

Even so, over that time span I'd be amazed if the meat had actually started to turn. They maybe smelled gut & assumed it'd started to go off.

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[CJDore]

Even so, over that time span I'd be amazed if the meat had actually started to turn. They maybe smelled gut & assumed it'd started to go off.

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I told the Flowers processing guy that I nicked the gut when I was field dressing it and he smelled again and said he was sure that the meat was spoiled. Very sad day for me.

[Omega]

Went out this afternoon not really expecting to see anything but I got a new chair for my stand so went to drop it off in it and try the sage smoke in my trailer for those darn Asian beetles. Nothing moved, no squirrels, not many birds until late in the afternoon. Had about 15 minutes of light when two does stepped out but I couldn't get a good sight of them through the brush. When this guy stepped right into the dirt path and presented a great shot. I tried to weigh him but I could not raise him all the way up so his head was still on the ground, but he registered 130lbs so I guess he's about 140 or 150 lbs. I plan on trying a european mount with him, hope it comes out ok.

"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it."
~Pericles~

Edited December 12, 2015 by Omega

[Handsome Rob]

Nice buck brother!

[KahrMan]

Have you ever noticed that the air brakes on a 18 wheeler sound just like a deer wheeze when you are half asleep.

[Lumber_Jack]

That'll make a great euro mount. Can't really mess it up. Use a pressure washer to strip the flesh off the skull. Some YouTube videos on good techniques.

Nice buck

[CJDore]

Went out this afternoon not really expecting to see anything but I got a new chair for my stand so went to drop it off in it and try the sage smoke in my trailer for those darn Asian beetles. Nothing moved, no squirrels, not many birds until late in the afternoon. Had about 15 minutes of light when two does stepped out but I couldn't get a good sight of them through the brush. When this guy stepped right into the dirt path and presented a great shot. I tried to weigh him but I could not raise him all the way up so his head was still on the ground, but he registered 130lbs so I guess he's about 140 or 150 lbs. I plan on trying a european mount with him, hope it comes out ok.

"Freedom is the sure possession of those alone who have the courage to defend it."
~Pericles~

Very Nice Buck!!!! Did you get him in Montgomery County?

[Omega]

Thanks guys, yes Montgomery County.   I have everything ready for the process, had to go to a beauty supply store for some peroxide but they didn't ask any questions... Probably waited until I left  :rofl:   I'll post some pics when I get done.

[Luke E.]

Thanks guys, yes Montgomery County. I have everything ready for the process, had to go to a beauty supply store for some peroxide but they didn't ask any questions... Probably waited until I left :rofl: I'll post some pics when I get done.

Congrats on your deer. The first time I went after the peroxide, the Four Asian women in the store were speaking English when I walk in but that changed when I told one of them that I needed to find the peroxide.
The euro mounting isn't hard but I'd suggest getting something to cut and squish the brain with so that it can be rinsed out with a hose. Boiled deer brain smells terrible!

[Omega]

Congrats on your deer. The first time I went after the peroxide, the Four Asian women in the store were speaking English when I walk in but that changed when I told one of them that I needed to find the peroxide.
The euro mounting isn't hard but I'd suggest getting something to cut and squish the brain with so that it can be rinsed out with a hose. Boiled deer brain smells terrible!

I used a fillet knife through then brain stem and scrambled them out. Started using my burn barrel since I am still tryin to burn up that fallen tree but it could not generate enough heat, trying to simmer not boil but it was just bath warm.

Edited December 12, 2015 by Omega

[Luke E.]

Yea, I just used the fish fryer like in your second pic. Just be careful with the nose area, they break on you if to get crazy with the heat.

[Omega]

So far so good, I defleshed the head taking off as much soft tissue as I could get out. Lesson learned, make sure the pot is hot enough. I wasted a few hours bathing it instead of simmering, but it went faster when the heat was turned up. The most difficult area was in the nose cavity, at first I tried to save as much bone as I could but there is so much tissue in there that I finally just pulled out a few of the thinner rollpin looking bones. I was worried about the nose ridge and the roof of his mouth because of how thin they are but they it came out OK. Here is a pic of after the defleshing and one with the peroxide cream doing its thing.



Edit: Figured I would add the completed mount

Edited January 7, 2016 by Omega

[CJDore]

Looking great Omega!

 

I forgot to mention something that happened to me when i was field dressing the 10 pt buck that I shot this week. I have him just about cleaned out and I see a Doe and two yearlings come out of the woods. I stopped and starred and they came within 20 yds of me. I thought that I must have killed Dad and they did not look very happy. They soon ran back into the woods though. Kind of eery.