Freezer trophies

[featherduster]

Over the years I have seen posts from members saying that they had deer meat and Lord only knows what else in their freezer that is 2-3 even 5 years old and yet they are still out there hunting.

WHY?

I don't care if you vacuum seal all your food why would you let something sit that long?

It seems to me that quite a few people hoard game till it becomes tasteless blocks of ice that smell like a freezer just so they can have this peace of mind that they have a freezer full of meat.

Speaking for myself I have this rule that I don't begin another hunting or fishing season till all of the game I acquired the year before is consumed.

If hunters and fisherman would spend the time learning to cook wild game in many different ways you would find that it gets consumed quickly.

I would bet that most of these game hoarder's wives if given the choice between beef vs deer and chicken vs duck will always choose domestic over wild.

I have never seen or heard of a grocery store or a restaurant that advertises they sell old frozen meat and fish.

Are you a hoarder of freezer trophies?

[Deleted]

Dec 5, 2017 5:32:38 GMT -5 featherduster said:

Over the years I have seen posts from members saying that they had deer meat and Lord only knows what else in their freezer that is 2-3 even 5 years old and yet they are still out there hunting.

WHY?

I don't care if you vacuum seal all your food why would you let something sit that long?

It seems to me that quite a few people hoard game till it becomes tasteless blocks of ice that smell like a freezer just so they can have this peace of mind that they have a freezer full of meat.

Speaking for myself I have this rule that I don't begin another hunting or fishing season till all of the game I acquired the year before is consumed.

If hunters and fisherman would spend the time learning to cook wild game in many different ways you would find that it gets consumed quickly.

I would bet that most of these game hoarder's wives if given the choice between beef vs deer and chicken vs duck will always choose domestic over wild.

I have never seen or heard of a grocery store or a restaurant that advertises they sell old frozen meat and fish.

Are you a hoarder of freezer trophies?

I totally agree with you, I don't get it either.

I especially don't understand it when it comes to fishing, you don't have to keep the fish, you xxx an release.

[bill9068]

I have ground deer from last year, thats why I donated the two I've killed this year.

[scrub-buster]

Mine are always gone before the next season starts. I like to run out a month or 2 before the season starts. That way I'm craving fresh steaks on opening day of bow season. I think it keeps me more focused when a doe walks by.

[butlerj]

I'll be out of venison by next October, I gave my uncle some back strap and am storing a majority in his deep freezer to help him self, personally me and the mrs. And apparently my 3 yo Jace likes it. Still haven't got my 7 yo to try but I'll be working on him. I need a grinder because he does eat cheeseburgers

[Squealy]

I do my own butchering. In the fall I take ALL the venison that's left in the freezer from last season and have summer sausage made out of it. Then i restock the freezer with venison. seems to work well for us.

[MuzzleLoader]

Really enjoy the late season more so than the early part. Only got four steaks left, mama and dauda said to shoot. Just need one for my family. Got a couple weeks off to get it done. Cold temps are moving in.

[squirrelhunter]

I don't get a deer every year,sometimes I go a couple of years without getting any. 1 year and only 1 year I got 2. Since I don't know if I'll get 1 the following year I try to make 1 I get last until the following season is over.

[deadeer]

I try to take 4-5 deer a year usually. I butcher my own, and we make burger, jerky, canned meat, etc. I usually give one away after rough cutting, but mostly give away the finish products and specialty stuff as Christmas presents to family, friends, and those in need. We dont waste anything and eat our game meat year round. I am giving a bunch to my deceased friends wife and daughter. He was killed after Memorial day on the way to work this year. They asked me if they could buy some salami and hunter stix. Of course not for sale, so I will package up a nice care package for Christmas and surprise them.

[medic22]

As l9ng as it doesnt go to waste I dont really care what people keep in their freezer or how long its there.

[Pinoc]

I still have a vac packed deer roast that my Dad got the last year he hunted 4 years ago. He is now gone. Is that weird?

[duff]

I cleaned a freezer out several years ago. I was floored what showed up. We do a good job using up the meat but a pack here or there gets under a loaf of bread or veggies and gone forever or until we have to defrost again.

I do agree. Makes no since to keep freezer burnt meat.

[SFC (R) B]

Out here in the west if you put a good sized bull elk in the freezer, a deer and anything else it may take a couple of years to go through it. I am just finishing off a ccow elk from the year before last now. Have a little of a pronghorn from that year also. Freezer was getting awfully light after 2 years of no success. This season I put my bear in there and about 25 lbs of venison from my buddy after helping haul and butcher 2 does of his. My lil one (Hunting Princess) has a cow tag for next week and hopefully that will get us back to pretty full.

[treetop]

I run out I could take more game but by the time I put a few tree rats rabbits lots of eyes and few pike and perch plus a deer and some snows if I can get away it gets me to sept oct

[esshup]

Dec 5, 2017 11:22:50 GMT -5 Squealy said:

I do my own butchering. In the fall I take ALL the venison that's left in the freezer from last season and have summer sausage made out of it. Then i restock the freezer with venison. seems to work well for us.

Ditto! Either that or snack sticks.

[steiny]

If you aren't going to use it, you shouldn't be shooting it.
Usually try to get all of ours eaten before October because new venison will be coming in shortly. If we have some excess I make it a point to have a big feed or give to to family or friends I know will consume and not waste it.

[lawrencecountyhunter]

I've eaten vacuum sealed wild game 2-3 years after harvest and it's always been fine. Some guys will actually stagger their meat so that it ages in the freezer for at least a year before consumption. I usually try to finish all my meat prior to the next season, but if I have something exceptionally good like elk, I'll save some around for 2-3 years.

[Deleted]

Dec 13, 2017 10:12:21 GMT -5 lawrencecountyhunter said:

I've eaten vacuum sealed wild game 2-3 years after harvest and it's always been fine. Some guys will actually stagger their meat so that it ages in the freezer for at least a year before consumption. I usually try to finish all my meat prior to the next season, but if I have something exceptionally good like elk, I'll save some around for 2-3 years.

I do the same thing. Last for a long long time. I still have a little from last year. I was so busy this year with projects that I didn't cook as much. 

[medic22]

Meat wrapped in plastic wrap, restaurant grade, not the stuff from walmart. Then wrap in freezer paper. I ate the last package of 2014 steaks in late October of this year, tasted as good as the first package of steaks. I always save one pack to eat the night before my first hunt....didnt harvest anything in 2015 or 2016.



Wait, maybe that's the secret. Eat all the meat, kill more deer.