Got my first Deer! (PETA folk would do best not opening this one.)

[Stradawhovious]

I've been away for a while, but not without good cause! Hunting season here, and I went out for the first time. Even got a deer!

I got her with a Springfield model 1884 trapdoor rifle from 1891 chambered in .45-70govt. I figured if I'm going to hunt for food, I might as well do it using the tools my Great Great Grandfather used. It was quickly, cleanly and humanely done with one shot.

It was an amazing experience, and she will feed my family for a long long time. I even did all the processing. We now have Steaks, Loins, Jerky and 4 differend kinds of Sausage. I'm really looking forward to doing this again.

And please folks, lets not turn this into an anti hunting thread. You won't win. Hunting for population control and food is as good for the species as it is my freezer.

 

[mc1979]

:thumbup:

It's still bow season here, hubby has gone 3 times and brought home nothing as of yet. Drew back on a doe last week, and a second later a little one came out behind her and he said he just couldn't do that to that baby!
I am so ready for our freezer to be full of meat again!!

 

[Overread]

But I like eating tasty animals (and have to admit that I've never eaten venison!)

And UK side I know well the need to cull for control since we have no natural deer predators left (we wiped them out) so population control is certainly something I'm familiar with and can agree to when its policed properly to ensure that over-harvesting does not take place and that the culled animals are put to good use (food, skins etc..) - about the only resentment I have to it is its use as a tourist attraction (where upon concerns above overharvesting tend to go right out the window and making clean kills is also iffy when you get new shooters with little experience just paying to shoot for the activity without as much effort into learning to make that one shot kill).

 

[Scuba]

This is something I need to do especially since I live in Kentucky now and the in-laws have 55 acres mostly wooded. Growing up in Maryland though you could barely own a gun much less shoot it where I lived. I don't know how I would do with the gutting. I had to dissect a cadaver in Chriopractic school and that was interesting and I would imagine would be worse then a deer. That was just more specific then gutting and bleeding and animal.

 

[Stradawhovious]

I don't know how I would do with the gutting.

I had the same concern. I will be honest and say that I didn't gut this one (definately will on the next one), but was present for the whole 3 minute procedure.

It was amazingly less gory than expected ( I will not go into detail for the sake of the squeamish). I can see a poor shot making the whole process drastically messier (and I'd assume smellier) but with a clean lung/heart shot there is no odor, and very little fuss. I was in awe of the whole process.

 

[KenC]

Although I donate to some animal organizations, PETA is not one of them, as they seem completely unconcerned with the ethical treatment of people, just as a lot of farmers and ranchers aren't concerned about killing wolves, so we end up with overpopulation of deer, wild horses, etc. I hope you have a good recipe for deer chili because it looks like you'll be working on this one a while!

 

[jwbryson1]

Nice work. Now's the time while the bucks are in a rut.

 

[mc1979]

Venison is great, especially the tenderloins battered and fried! I am not big on GROUND venison, but have been told that if you mix chilli powder it takes some of that wild taste out of it.

 

[Stradawhovious]

I hope you have a good recipe for deer chili because it looks like you'll be working on this one a while!

Yeah, I kind of had an "Oh ****!" moment after processing this one. I had to go out and buy another freezer.

Venison is great, especially the tenderloins battered and fried! I am not big on GROUND venison, but have been told that if you mix chilli powder it takes some of that wild taste out of it.

A tip that works with big game fish, and I'm assuming with venison as well (ETA Google confirms it works for venison as well....... can't wait to pull out those backstraps....)..... Pack the steaks and other chunks of meat in milk for a while before processing or cooking. It pulls the majority of the blood out of the meat, and takes that gamey taste out of it. Make sure you rinse it good to get the blood and milk off of the meat.

For my brats we used mostly venison, a little lean pork and a touch of beef fat, ground it all together and stuffed into natural casings.

I had some last night.... boiled in beer and onions, then broiled until the casing was crispy, but before it split. It had to have been the best damned sausage I have ever had. Hands down.

 

[tevo]

*Sees thread*

*expecting this*

*Click*


Sees this.

 

[Stradawhovious]

^^^^^

Sorry, couldn't help but chuckle.

 

[tevo]

^^^^^

Sorry, couldn't help but chuckle.

Mission Accomplished

 

[snowbear]

I got my first deer with a Chevy TrailBlazer.

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Nice!

 

[MLeeK]

Nice! Someone in my house had better get one soon... It's only archery season here, but I am on my last venison roast from last year and something's gotta give! We usually have 2 in the freezer by now and... NOTHING.
We'd rather eat venison 90% of the time! Except a damn good steak once in a while!