First time doing it on my own and no idea it would take this

[astronankin]

I've been hunting deer for 9 years and always it was a family affair when one needed to go in the freezer, no matter whose deer it was. This year, we have major issues with our neighbor (not the kind any sane people want to live near), and so the house, etc is a mess. Well everyone else was also busy elsewhere today too. So, for the first time in my life, I was the only one at home to butcher! I've always heard my Dad talk about how he'd be butchering late into the night when he was in college and had to butcher by himself. Never appreciated it that much. But this time I thought "Oh, getting it off the bone should only take an hour." Wrong! Took me 2 hours! And another two hours to finish breaking things down and cleaning and packaging it. And this was even without most of the burger that we normally take off the ribs! And it was a small deer (button buck from Sunday). But a good experience. Thank goodness I can actually handle physical work better now, because I don't hurt anywhere near what I used to feel like after doing only an hour's worth or so of butchering. Happy though stressed because I had something this morning in town and they were running late, and so between that and butchering I didn't have anytime to do school and I need to catch up on the readings again and study for an exam that is due this weekend. Busy. But I'll probably be the only one butchering again next time because of how busy we are figuring things out with the house and neighbor situation. It will take longer if the deer is a bigger one, but I'll be fine doing it because I will need something to do! 4 hours working on a small deer... Makes me appreciate butchers a bit more!

[esshup]

That's EXACTLY why I take mine in. It takes me around 8 hours from starting skinning to wrapping doing it all by myself. I figure $100 is well worth the money spent.

[omegahunter]

Been doing my own since either 2004 or 2005. Used to do it all myself, but the last few years I've been taking boneless meat in to have the butcher shop grind, package, and freeze it. They are charging $1 a # this year for doing that. I feel that a $1 a # is worth it to me not to worry about keeping my grinder plate and knives from plugging up let alone weighing out a # at a time to wrap/vacuum bag. Takes me about an hour and a half to skin and get a deer into the basement fridge. Then I work on quarters a couple evenings for an hour to get them deboned and vacuum bagged into roasts, stew meat, and some sliced jerky. No big deal. I'd probably be sitting on the couch watching shows with my daughter otherwise for those few hours.

[astronankin]

Nov 16, 2023 11:16:28 GMT -5 omegahunter said:

Been doing my own since either 2004 or 2005. Used to do it all myself, but the last few years I've been taking boneless meat in to have the butcher shop grind, package, and freeze it. They are charging $1 a # this year for doing that. I feel that a $1 a # is worth it to me not to worry about keeping my grinder plate and knives from plugging up let alone weighing out a # at a time to wrap/vacuum bag. Takes me about an hour and a half to skin and get a deer into the basement fridge. Then I work on quarters a couple evenings for an hour to get them deboned and vacuum bagged into roasts, stew meat, and some sliced jerky. No big deal. I'd probably be sitting on the couch watching shows with my daughter otherwise for those few hours.

Where do you take it to?

My family is working on potentially moving, but I like hunting too much to give it up for the season. I am starting to think about donating deer, in which case they would go to a processor. Herein our area we have Geno's in Lafayette, and others that are a longer drive.

[omegahunter]

Little town that is just off of US 50 in Daviess County between Montgomery and Loogootee called Cannelburg. Cannelburg Processing ran by Dan Gingerich.

[astronankin]

Obviously too far for me! Warren County here. Gonna do my doe from this morning later this week after she's hung a few days. Might take her over to a friend's. He's got a big pro grade grinder that will get the burger done in minutes.

[omegahunter]

Sharp grinder knife blades and plates are the key!!

I figured Daviess County was too far for ya.

[esshup]

Nov 20, 2023 15:14:47 GMT -5 astronankin said:

Obviously too far for me! Warren County here. Gonna do my doe from this morning later this week after she's hung a few days. Might take her over to a friend's. He's got a big pro grade grinder that will get the burger done in minutes.

A tip that I was told. Once the deer has rigor, don't process it until the rigor leaves. It will be more tender that way. Dunno if it's true or not.

[astronankin]

That's interesting. We actually don't process for a few days, usually. When it's warm out we might butcher immediately.

[steiny]

I've been sadly disappointed by the way processors handled my game on a couple occasions. Cuts were not done as requested, did everything with a band saw leaving bone in the steaks, didn't bother removing silver skin or all of the fat, etc.

To me butchering is part of the experience and I don't mind doing it.

I do have a guy that makes great summer sausage. Take him my already cut up meat and he takes it from there.

[esshup]

Nov 24, 2023 9:46:51 GMT -5 steiny said:

I've been sadly disappointed by the way processors handled my game on a couple occasions. Cuts were not done as requested, did everything with a band saw leaving bone in the steaks, didn't bother removing silver skin or all of the fat, etc.

To me butchering is part of the experience and I don't mind doing it.

I do have a guy that makes great summer sausage. Take him my already cut up meat and he takes it from there.

I searched for a long time and tried many places before I found my guy. If he retires and his kids don't take over the business I will be forced to do it myself and I am NOT looking forward to that.