Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Butchering at home

I have that same guide, 47 years ago my father and I used it to carve up our first deer. I found it again when cleaning up some of his house this summer. He was a transplanted Kansas bird hunter, shot his first deer, a Blacktail forkie in 1974. We also had Treats with Venison, also published by the OSU extension office

Because of the effort involved, I totally get why some people prefer to take their game to a processor and avoid the hassle. For me, butchering what I shoot is part of the process along with hunting & cooking. I want to be good at doing all three. So I crank up the stereo & make an evening out it. As you can tell from the random size of those bratwurst, I'm not an expert at any of these skills yet.

Completely understand.

But I enjoy the complete process. From hunt preparation, hunting, harvest, butchering, to table process.

When we lived up north I would process all my own deer, having a place to hang them and space to do it. Down here, when I started killing deer I found it interesting that many (at least the friend whose place I hunt on and his family and many others) just throw the whole deer in the truck and take it to the processor. Having no place to hang/age a deer here, I figured, "When in Rome..."

It was not without misgivings that I did so the first deer the first year. The processor came very highly recommended, however and it was obvious that they had a well-run operation going on. The family has been in the business for four generations.

Now I've taken a bunch of deer to them and I have been very pleased. Everything has been just as good as I could do it (maybe better.) They also do stuff I just don't have the facilities to do here. As an example, last year I had some whole hams smoked by them and gave them as Christmas presents which were very well received. I'd be happy to go back to doing my own, if circumstances permit, but for now I'm very happy having them done by these people.

Interesting, because that's how we still do it at our house. My kids have been helping since they could walk. They could do a whole elk by themselves right down to making sausage, bacon etc from it.

Perhaps you ought not paint with a wide brush.

Same. My best friend feeds up his own hogs, chickens and steers. Butchers his own rabbits, the boys have helped with all of it since they were old enough to help.

Cousins boy is 14 and helps. Daughters are almost 3 and one just turned 4. They are there when we work up deer.

I also know a lot of "present youth" that hunt.

How is the kill any different than the processing??

Our daughters help cut the deer we (they and me, now S-I-L kill)


We cut and canned 7 quarts for him last week.
Steaked the backstraps and froze about 5 pounds to be processed after he gets more.

Always put our own up and the kids aren’t all that much help yet but they are present and help how they can same with the vegetables and any other chores unless it’s something dangerous for them.

I think its awesome that some of you guys are including your children in on when you harvest game or livestock. Didnt mean to offend anyone

Yeah, as a Duck it hurts to use something from OSU, but sacrifices had to be made.




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Buying meat takes even less effort.

For me, processing is part of the fun. When I take a package of steaks out of the freezer I get a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that I wouldn’t if I had taken it to a butcher.





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My boys are 28 and 23 years old. They've been part of it since they were toddlers learning to walk, watching everything I did. They are killing machines, with our very liberal bag limits and long deer seasons. They can skin one and break it down for the cooler in about 15 minutes taking their time. Another hour and they'll have it turned into trimmed lean backstaps, roasts, and chunk meat for canning or grinding. I fully expect they'll teach their own younglings the same way some day.

Offend?


Hell man,
You gave me a chance to brag!😁😁😁

Very nice Chad. Way cool. As for me, I put up at least 8 or 10 for myself. Pull the backstraps and leave some hindquarters for jerky, but not alot. Usually just grind it with a mix of plain pork sausage.

Just occurred to me tonight, one thing I miss about butchering my own deer is the “autopsy.” Then again, I use pretty much the same bullets I always have and I’ve autopsied enough over the years that I have a pretty good idea what happened by shot placement and visible external indications. Still nice to see inside though.

my son since he was 6 years old and my daughter about 8 years old and my dear wife its always been a kitchen family butcher job and when we had a elk or two elk that were quartered sure made things easier when we all helped finish the elk meat and burger to the freezer .

We’ve always butchered our own animals at home. Pops taught me 35 years ago. We don’t grind, press sausages or smoke our own meat however. It goes to the smoke shop for that.

After using a friends grinder a few years ago, I bought one and now grind all of my deer, all cuts, and add one boston butt per deer for some fat. We use all of the meat this way, shot three last year, was out of meat in June.

We'll be processing a cow and spike elk on Friday. Sausage will be made later, when it cools off more.

I am in the group that thinks the butchering at home is a big part of the fun