So, new to the concept of hunting for meat

[Xaevian]

Lots of good stuff in here.

I carry a flip and zip folding saw from outdoor edge for cutting thru the breastbone along with a traditional hunting knife and a small sharpener. It works awesome.

GOOD, COMFORTABLE FOOTWEAR. I can't stress that enough. More important than anything else, even your firearm. You can use entry level or bargain guns for years to hunt with, but bargain boots may make you never want to hunt again.

 

[Yarome]

Can even be a family affair. When I started doing it my wife wanted nothing to do with it now she's a very good meat wrapper and always says "I'll be there to wrap". A sense of self satisfaction doing it yourself and when done the freezer full of quality meat that you've done from field to freezer is well worth it.

I agree. I always had fond memories of our family processing days. Generally one of the few times a year several branches of the family would all get together in one place The "menfolk" did the cutting, the women did all the wrapping and the kids were in charge of keeping the supply of cut butcher paper and pre-ripped strips of freezer tape flowing for the wrappers. As you got older you got bumped up between the main butchers and the cutters as "meat trimmer".

Of course, even the youngins were always involved in field dressing and "clean up" trimming once the meat was hung. Very valuable experience and great life lessons to know where and how food comes from.... not just from the educational perspective... but "hands on".

 

[thorborg]

For me, venison is not on the top of gourmet cuisine. Depending on its browse, age, sex, and time of year it is only fair to middlin meat. its best and really does make a big difference if it can hang in full to cool and relax for a week or so but here the hot season rather preclude that unless fortunate enough to have a place to keep it that way. I've been lucky most of my life so far. Still, I enjoy it so am careful to glean off things like back strap and rib scraps which I prepare and eat a day or two after butchering, freezing it which would ruin taste and tenderness of what little tasty morsels it has..
Most. 99%, I meticulously defat, de sinew, and debone, then take it to Gartner's or the Meating place to be ground up with 25 to 30% lamb added. They do pork (And its OK) but not lamb, so I bring that too. I bring it home in bulk and package it myself because its only my wife and I, so I vacuum seal it in one pound parcels. Venison ground with fatty lamb makes very good hamburger meat in my opine.

 

[OldBroad44]

Definitely recommend going with someone.

Getting hands on on how to break down an animal in the field is not something for the faint of heart.

I recall my first hunt for big game. I almost cried. I certainly got emotional once I was up close and personal. My friend helped me through the mental aspect of a first kill along with the tear down and such. I got bloody and cut up an animal I just shot and killed. It is something you will never forget. The second and third get easier. After that it's a lot easier. By the time you have a handful or two hands count, it won't be that big of a deal...

For me, killing a deer is not that emotional. Except for the excitement of succeeding in doing that traditional thing with a handgun. What hurts me is killing livestock, an animal I have known personally, protected, nurtured. Who trusts me. It feels like a betrayal. With a deer, I don't know him personally. and he is usually some distance away . and we all gotta go sometime.

 

[DirectDrive]

I've always done the conventional gut method on deer/elk.
Some people do the gutless method.
Try searching on "gutless deer method"

Also if you're in Griz country, have someone on armed overwatch while you're working on the animal.

 

[Yarome]

For me, killing a deer is not that emotional. Except for the excitement of succeeding in doing that traditional thing with a handgun. What hurts me is killing livestock, an animal I have known personally, protected, nurtured. Who trusts me. It feels like a betrayal. With a deer, I don't know him personally. and he is usually some distance away . and we all gotta go sometime.

I can relate to that. We were always taught not to name livestock, but... they each have their own personalities and some you can really tell they have an attachment to you. That makes it a little more difficult when it's time to harvest them, but... once you get into the processing... and they are mixed up with the other foodstuffs in the freezer it doesn't last or affect your ability to enjoy them in the least.

With the exception of Elk, I really have no emotion over other larger game. Elk though are so majestic, beautiful and powerful animals with an incredible spirit. They can be mortally wounded yet still fight to run. Moose on the other hand... if they get a flesh wound they are more likely to just lay down and wait for you to walk right up and finish them off. I doesn't help either that they are my least favorite in appearance and flavor. They really fill up the freezer though... and well cooked moose ribs and tongue are extremely tasty.

I really do love venison, but elk are certainly at the top of the list in terms of flavorful goodness.

I can't speak to the emotional side much though. Some of my first childhood memories were holding back the legs or part of the hide on deer as the adults were field dressing them... while being instructed on exactly what they were doing. I think that tends to normalize a person to harvesting animals and never really felt remorse or sadness... except in the cases where a kill wasn't as clean as I would have liked. "Respect".... yeah... and gratitude, but not much else.

It makes it difficult for me to understand or relate to those that seem to have such an aversion to being a "first person participant" when it comes to harvesting an animal. To me, it seems more of a disservice to animals to be willing to consume/wear/use their "bits and pieces" without learning about the animal, really appreciating them or understanding what harvesting an animal "means".

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Definitely recommend going with someone.

Getting hands on on how to break down an animal in the field is not something for the faint of heart.

I recall my first hunt for big game. I almost cried. I certainly got emotional once I was up close and personal. My friend helped me through the mental aspect of a first kill along with the tear down and such. I got bloody and cut up an animal I just shot and killed. It is something you will never forget. The second and third get easier. After that it's a lot easier. By the time you have a handful or two hands count, it won't be that big of a deal.

As for learning without a mentor.

Practice small.

Rabbits and pigs are great ways to learn. Hell, even practicing on whole chickens from the grocery store will help. It trains you how to disassemble an animal. Get a chicken and practice removing the skin from the muscle. Practice cutting joints and separating the sections of the chicken. Practice removing the breast meat from the carcass without tearing it all up. I worked kitchen prep during my high school years and that restaurant knife experience really helped.

Shooting is the easy part. Cutting up a significant sized animal is where the work begins! Get a good sharp knife! I swear by havalon knives. Buy one in a bright color and get a pack of extra blades. Use it when practicing on the chickens. Or whatever knives you choose, just don't buy something for the trip and open it the day before.
View attachment 1455848

Oh, I also love butt plugs! This little device saves you a lot of crap! It's definitely a thing you'll need to learn how to use, but if you ever gutted without one before using one, you'd wonder why you never learned about them.


View attachment 1455847
Enjoy the hunt and best of luck!

I used to bounty hunt coyotes and drag their dead carcass for collecting bounty, so shooting an animal and dragging it out does not bother me. I have cut up rabbits and squirrel and woodchuck that I shot, but that feels like a different league.

I plan on using one of my knives I have. I have a lot truth be told and can make my own if I want.

As far as strength goes, I have a pretty good upper half. I am working on the legs, but frankly, getting neuro-vascular regeneration going has been a bit of an experiment. I have gained a substantial amount of feeling from being formerly completely numb below the knees, but my lower legs are still a minor problem. (I aam basically going with some herbal treatments that showed some promise and I agree, but the process has been... ...painful)

 

[Yarome]

I have cut up rabbits and squirrel and woodchuck that I shot, but that feels like a different league.

Yeah. A bit. Obviously a whole lot more innards to manhandle. Really getting in there to remove the diaphram while keeping the intestines and such retracted.... more care not to allow any undesirable fluids to escape and reaching up into a chest cavity with both hands (unless you crack the breastplate in the field).... you're gonna get messy.

That's a bit different than just getting a little blood on a couple fingertips....

Deer aren't so bad, but Elk.... you're gonna be "elbows deep".

 

[Koda]

I have never been on a deer hunt or a hunt that I was not on private land with very limited access.

How does one start Deer hunting? Butchering? I know I would need licenses, tags and all that. Any good books?

If youve never hunted on public lands its a much different, harder, game. I dont know Idaho, but if its like Oregon dont get discouraged if you go unsucessful, public land animals are way more elusive and smart. The best simple advice I can give is scout and know where your target is before opening day.

As for starting, butchering... just dive in. If you can gut a fish the concept is the same... get the guts out and get the meat cooling. Bookmark themeateater.com for all kinds of articles on this.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

Didn't read every post, but you need a good first aid kit. One set up for cuts and not sunburn or bug bites or whatever because knives cut things and sorry to say, sometimes the thing that gets cut is you

 

[Cavedweller]

For me, venison is not on the top of gourmet cuisine.

Understatement of the year!

I would rather starve than eat venison.

Elk, however, is a different story.

 

[Stomper]

Definitely recommend going with someone.

Getting hands on on how to break down an animal in the field is not something for the faint of heart.

I recall my first hunt for big game. I almost cried. I certainly got emotional once I was up close and personal. My friend helped me through the mental aspect of a first kill along with the tear down and such. I got bloody and cut up an animal I just shot and killed. It is something you will never forget. The second and third get easier. After that it's a lot easier. By the time you have a handful or two hands count, it won't be that big of a deal.

As for learning without a mentor.

Practice small.

Rabbits and pigs are great ways to learn. Hell, even practicing on whole chickens from the grocery store will help. It trains you how to disassemble an animal. Get a chicken and practice removing the skin from the muscle. Practice cutting joints and separating the sections of the chicken. Practice removing the breast meat from the carcass without tearing it all up. I worked kitchen prep during my high school years and that restaurant knife experience really helped.

Shooting is the easy part. Cutting up a significant sized animal is where the work begins! Get a good sharp knife! I swear by havalon knives. Buy one in a bright color and get a pack of extra blades. Use it when practicing on the chickens. Or whatever knives you choose, just don't buy something for the trip and open it the day before.
View attachment 1455848

Oh, I also love butt plugs! This little device saves you a lot of crap! It's definitely a thing you'll need to learn how to use, but if you ever gutted without one before using one, you'd wonder why you never learned about them.


View attachment 1455847
Enjoy the hunt and best of luck!

You don't need no steekin' butt-plug!!

 

[Stomper]

The bearded butchers are a good one to watch

Those guys RULE!!

 

[Yarome]

Understatement of the year!

I would rather starve than eat venison.

Elk, however, is a different story.

It has to make me wonder how well the venison you guys ate was taken care of. Or if you got ahold of some with the butchers bandsaw marrow slathered meats(?) Every bit I've ever eaten, that was properly cared for and processed was friggin delicious!

Certainly not "elk good", but highly tasty.

 

[Tlock]

Those guys RULE!!

I enjoy watching them. I mobile killed for a while and had a custom butcher shop tell the fires took everything. I want to get back into it but everything is so expensive so I watch them to get my fix. I'm gonna build a little walk in here on my place so I can do my own stuff

 

[Yarome]

You don't need no steekin' butt-plug!!
View attachment 1456121
View attachment 1456122View attachment 1456123View attachment 1456124

Lung shot and someone nicked the stomach... tsk tsk tsk...

 

[Stomper]

I enjoy watching them. I mobile killed for a while and had a custom butcher shop tell the fires took everything. I want to get back into it but everything is so expensive so I watch them to get my fix. I'm gonna build a little walk in here on my place so I can do my own stuff

I have a Victorinox 10" breaking knife on my short-list that they recommended.

 

[Knobgoblin]

Didn't read every post, but you need a good first aid kit. One set up for cuts and not sunburn or bug bites or whatever because knives cut things and sorry to say, sometimes the thing that gets cut is you

Even more likely when you're cold, and everything is wet.

 

[Tlock]

I have a Victorinox 10" breaking knife on my short-list that they recommended.

Great knives! That's all I run is victorinox.

 

[Stomper]

Lung shot and someone nicked the stomach... tsk tsk tsk...

Nope, that was from bullet shrapnel. I noticed a shallow grazing cut on the gut-sack when I opened him up (notice it's several inches off to the side of my incision), and as I was scooping out the internals I saw it start to get thinner and thinner, then barely popped open and like a tiny little fist the rumen started to slowly push its way out. I was able to roll the gut-sack out of the carcass before it got any on the meat.

I hit him in the heart from his right broadside, and when we found him he was laying on his right side and there was a tiny exit wound on his left rear haunch. That 150-gr CoreLokt exploded inside him and went in multiple directions.