Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Game processing equipment

100% agree.....

I know the deer I shoot have been handled properly in the field and in the processing department when I do the work. "Mass grinding" at a deer processing facility doesn't excite me, nor does plastic wrapped meat set in a Styrofoam tray.

Get some really good knives like the pros use.They are made for the work and will hold a good edge.I like Forschner,F Dick and Dexter.They can be expensive but I have bought quite a few used ones on Ebay that were either new,like new or barely used.A good grinder is a must have too.Buy a good electric one and you will be happy.I personally like the #12 size.A big cutting board is good to have too.I use those big plastic lugs.They hold about 25lbs or so of meat.They are really handy if your making sausage too.And if you plan on making sausage,a stuffer is the way to go.Packaging the meat for storage,a vacuum sealer is the best method.Another method I like and will keep meat from burn for years is,put the meat in one gallon twist tie bags,then into Freezer bags.I used to use plastic wrap,but I like the bags better.I've found that when grinding meat for storage,I can slip one of those bags right over the head of my grinder and it really saves time as well as the mess of packaging later.I prefer chest freezer for storing the meat.They use very little electricity and seem to keep meat better too.Having the right tools for the jobs will make your like easier.There are a lot of books and videos that can help you get started.I feel you become a complete hunter when you can take an animal from the field to the freezer and eventually to the table.








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Mule Deer;
Top of the morning to you sir, I hope that this eve of the Fourth of July finds you and Eileen well.

This has been a particularly good thread in my view, which does happen from time to time and is why I like to drop by!

As you and most of the older posters know, we've been cutting our own game as well as helping friends out since '89 and if I had to guess I'd want to say we're somewhere around 175 deer, bear, sheep sized animals with 2 or 3 moose thrown in over those years.

This isn't a paid promotion by any stretch, but I've lost count how many times I've recommended "Slice of the Wild" to folks taking up hunting and/or meat cutting and in fact have given at least one - maybe more actually.... to deserving candidates! Even though we'd been doing it for years when the book came out, I learned a fair bit from the book. It's worth every penny - which coming from a Canuck running a $1.40 exchange rate is saying something, eh?

For us, Jordan Smith's equipment list is pretty complete, though I will say that I built a tape dispenser that clamps to the table and allows one handed tape grabbing which is the proverbial "bee's knees" in my opinion. It allows one to wrap the slab of meat, hold the wrapped slab "just so" like we like to and then grab the chunk of tape with the other free hand. Much, much easier/quicker.

That said John, my goodness is it tough to get decent tape up here anymore. It doesn't seem to last more than a few months and then it's either not wanting to come off the roll or has lost it's stick..... Just the last few years I've seen that - must be either a cost saving measure or who knows what.... boo hiss.

Anyways sir, Happy Fourth of July to you and Eileen and thanks all for the contributions to a good constructive thread.

Dwayne

what I been using for years
1- a very sharp knife
2 - a kitchen aide blender with the meat grinder attachment
that is all

baldhunter i agree i like to be self sufficient in every thing i do .i don't want to depend on nobody for nothing .if i kill or catch it i am going to clean it

Hi Dwayne,

Thanks for the compliments on Slice of the Wild. Will pass them on to Eileen!

We've had the same experience with tape as you. Nowadays I don't stock up as much, instead buying it when we need more.

tag for later

I process all of my own game. I use 2 knifes, one with a really flexible blade for boning, and a grinder and then have a vacuum packer. That is all you need to process game.

2 Victorinox boning knives, 1 modestly priced but effective vacuum seeler, and a 1/2 horse power grinder is all you need. You can cut steaks from the back straps and legs, stew meat from the shoulders and shanks, and grind the rest. I do believe in the vacuum sealer, the meat stays fresh for years. It’s incredible. I used a 1/4 horsepower for years and it was effective as well, but 3 deer might make a larger one more desirable.