Tips for Processing your Deer Properly

With hunting season in full force, knowing how to properly process your deer is important. Some people choose to send their game out for processing while many others prefer to do it themselves. Most hunters know that they should dress the carcass as quickly as possible, but once it is hanging and ready for processing, what’s next?

During the transport home, it is essential to keep the carcass as cool as possible. If placing it in the trunk of a car, allow the carcass to cool down prior to placing it in the trunk. Although it is popular to do so, it is not recommended that you tie the deer to the roof or hood of your vehicle. Doing so exposes it to heat from the sun and the engine.

Many hunters prefer to age the carcass prior to processing. If you choose to do this, keep it stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less for a period of 2 to 3 days. If possible, do not allow it to freeze during this time as doing so can cause the meat to become tough. This step is not necessary if you are using the meat to make sausage.

To freeze the meat, cut and package it into portions that are meal sized for your family. Wrap it tightly in waxed paper, freezer wrap, a heavy-duty aluminum foil, or plastic freezer bags. Ensure that all of the air has been removed from the bag prior to freezing for best results. Meat that has been properly wrapped will store in the freezer for up to a year.

Venison can be made into ground meat and jerky as well as the traditional steaks and roasts. It is important to remember that venison is very low in fat content - averaging approximately 5% body fat versus the 25% body fat found in beef cows. Most often pork is added to the venison and then they are ground together to help the meat stick together. This addition allows the cook to use venison to create hamburgers, meatballs, meatloaf and more. One advantage to making your own ground venison is that you are able to add any spices prior to freezing to save you some time when you are ready to cook.

Handling, processing, and preparing the deer properly helps to reduce the risk of any food-borne illnesses. It is essential that steps are taken to prevent contamination, starting with how the carcass is handled in the field and ending with proper handling in the kitchen. Stop by Milonajo Outdoors for all of your game processing needs! Have a question? Let us know! We’d be happy to hear from you!

Another Kind of White-Tail Trophy

After deer hunting for a good 30 years or so and searching for that trophy buck, this season I came across a little guy that was a trophy in his own right. Until this year I had never heard of the skewbald deer (sometimes called piebald or referred to as pintos.) Come to find out, it is quite uncommon to see one of these beautiful creatures and so I am not likely to ever have this opportunity again!

For those unfamiliar with the term, skewbald is a genetic variation that is uncommon to white-tailed deer. It causes the areas of brown to have white mottled in, similar in appearance to a pinto pony. Many times the terms are used interchangeably but the term piebald refers to black and white while skewbald is in reference to other colors - not black.

After doing a bunch of my own research, it doesn’t seem as though there really are any answers to what causes skewbald deer. They are not, as some believe, a cross between an albino and a normal white-tail but are just a genetic defect. Some believe they are the end result of inner breeding and these animals are inferior to the rest of the herd and should be removed to prevent them from carrying on this genetic flaw.

Myself, I was happy to take this skewbald from the area. He is currently at the taxidermist where he will be preserved forever and will no doubt be an interesting conversation starter at my house for years to come! And for those that are wondering, Yes - he made for some good eating too!