Deer processing time

[SawyerTed]

Peter, you are spot on!  

He's turned out to be a good man who I like being around.  I am proud of him as I am of all three.   

[Tom K]

It always interesting to me to hear guys talk about the rules and how they hunt in different states. Here in Ohio we are only allowed to harvest one buck per year, and you have to tag and check in your first deer before you can shoot a second for the day. We also have some archaic rules about allowable firearms.

So, I did shoot a pair of does so far this week. I tried one head up and one head down. While they both have there plusses & minuses I think I still prefer head down. I did not try pulling the hide off, but I may try that if I get one this weekend. I'd prefer using the loader tractor for that and it's still hooked to the feed grinder.

As for times, I'm at about an hour to skin & gut. These both got bones out and ground, that was probably about 2 hours each. It was cool enough to just let them hang in the barn overnight and bone out the next day, which is usually the case for our one week gun season up here.

[WV Sawmiller]

   Our rules are we can shoot one buck a day but can shoot a doe if there is a concurrent antlerless season on-going without having to check the first deer however your deer (one or both) have to be checked before going out again the next day. We do have electronic check in so we can call or go online to check them in. Our rules allow 2 bucks with a rifle or bow or ML but only 3 max per year so you have to hunt with multiple weapons and have the tags for additional deer. A basic license allows a buck and a doe and you have to buy more tags or be a landowner hunting your own property to have that privilege.

   Antlerless is any deer without at least one antler over 3" long. We have a couple of trophy management areas where antlers have to be 14" spread (Outside the ears). I have hunted states where "Antlers visible above the hairline" was a legal buck. 

   Slugs only for shotguns. Pretty reasonable definitions for bow or crossbow with arrow/bolt with 2 or more sharp edges at least 3/4" wide. We opened up to air rifles last year and have to be .22 cal for small game and I think .45 for big game. Definitions are listed for rifles and muzzle loaders and pistols.

    Different regions have different bag limits and we have one 4 county region that are bow only - not even crossbow unless you have doctors certificate. 

   We have some youth/senior hunts where kids 8-14 and seniors over 65 can shoot one antlerless deer per day that does not count against your season bag. We have 4 such days per season so possible to harvest 4 "free" deer then. Youths have to be accompanied by a licensed adult hunter who does not carry a weapon and remains close enough to advise and assist the youth. I have hunted with my granddaughters in such hunts and after they made a kill and were done for the day, since I am over 65, I'd take the rifle and shoot the next one coming out.

    Feeders are legal for deer on private property but not for bear or turkeys. Hunting hours are from 30 minutes before to 30 minutes after sunrise and sunset. (I check the local weather blurb for that info before I go.)

[SawyerTed]

NC allows 2 antlered deer and 4 non-antlered deer.  An antlered deer has protrusion of antler through the skin.

There is no possession limit except the six per season. So one can have deer from the previous year in the freezer or canned and harvest six the next season. 

There's no daily limit.   A hunter can kill all six in one day if that lucky. 

All harvested animals must be checked in as soon as possible.  Tags must be punched at the time of harvest. 

A hunter can get a 2 bonus deer tag if hunting in the Urban Archery season in January-February.  We have certain towns and cities who can approve archery hunting during the period set by the NC Wildlife Commission.  

Our season starts with archery, then muzzleloader, then firearms (shotguns, handguns, muzzleloaders, rifles).  Once a weapon season comes in, that weapon may be used the remainder of the deer season.  

In NC, the season starts the second week of September and runs until January 1.  The weapons seasons vary by region within the statewide season.

There are youth days but I'm not familiar with those regulations, yet.  

[SawyerTed]

We can have feeders, spread bait and plant food plots for deer.  

No bait is legal for bears or turkeys. 

It is not legal to kill a bear feeding at a bait intended for deer.    ???

[WV Sawmiller]

  Many WV hunter are landowners and do not require a license to hunt on their own land or that of their children or parents. They also have the right to any extra doe or buck tags on their land. As such they do not get a tag nor do permanent license holders like me so we have to make our own tag with listed info and keep it on us or the deer/game animal until it is checked in electronically or at a game checking station.

   If you turned 65 before 2012 or such you do not need a license to hunt, fish or trap. If you turned 65 after the cut-off date you have to buy a one time $25 permanent lifetime license. That was just one more dig from the state to collect more money. : Oh well, most money from hunting/fishing licenses goes for a good purpose in most cases I think.

   We have some urban hunts in the larger cities that are typically archery (Bow/Crossbow) that do not count against your bag limit. I think now they are authorized for designated hunting clubs who apply rather than for individuals. I guess an individual with several acres of urban land could declare/register himself as a hunting club and apply for such hunts/permits. These hunts are typically done and encourages to reduce damage to lawns and reduce deer/vehicle accidents.

[Tom K]

In OH the seasons are based only on weapon. Bag limits are based on county with a state max. of 6 deer. Most counties are 3 deer counties, a couple 2 and a few are 4 deer.

I think 3" antler is our buck requirement, and button bucks are considered a doe. 

Bow/crossbow start in late Sept. and run until early February. An adult can bow hunt during any season but needs to follow the hunter orange requirements.

Youth gun season is a 2 days in early November (a weekend) with our open gun season the week after thanksgiving, plus usually a bonus weekend in December. So only 9 days for an adult to hunt with a firearm.

Our muzzleloader is weekend in January I believe.

Up until a couple years ago our firearm choice was only shotgun, muzzleloader, or handgun (straight wall only.) We now allow straight wall rifle also (.357, 44mag. 350 Legend, 450 Bushmaster, 45-70, ect.)

As a land owner (or their children) you do not need a hunting license or deer tags. You hand write your own tag after a kill and check in online. I really don't know how the purchased tags work right now since I haven't bought one in a few years.

We are also allowed to bait deer on private property.

[SawyerTed]

No license required for landowners, their spouse or children under 18 in NC.  We are required to get printed big game tags from a license agent.  

Same is true for lifetime license holders.  Still have to get printed tags.  We are required to check in (in person, by phone or online) the harvest and record the "authorization number" on the tag.  Without the number, possession is illegal and a commercial processor will not process the deer. 

I purchased a combination hunting and fishing lifetime license so my freshwater and saltwater fishing privileges are included.  

The last annual license I purchased was $85.  Four years and my lifetime license would be paid for so I bought the lifetime.  

We do have regions in the state where there are antlered only seasons and doe only seasons.  

[WV Sawmiller]

   I bought lifetime infant Hunting/Fishing/Trapping license for my 3 WV GDs for their 1st birthday so they can hunt and fish with Grandpa their whole life. When they get old enough they can hunt alone but must complete the hunter safety course. Infant rates apply till age 2 after that it is adult rates which were much more.

   The first cost me $250. The last two were something like $401.50 or so. 

[KEC]

One of the reasons that some states are reluctant to make licenses free for some is that they get money from the federal government through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program(Pittman-Robertson Program). How much they get for the state wildlife agency is based, at least in part, on how many licenses they sell. So if they charge $ 5.00 they get PR funds; not so if the license is free.

[WV Sawmiller]

    Okay, lets break with policy here and get back on track with the original topic for a while ;) .

   How many of you use the one pound bags to put your burger or sausage in when you process your game animals?

  I sent some meat (deer and pork) to a local processor to be ground and they returned it in neat little 1 lb bags/rolls like you buy in big chain grocery stores. The "rolls" were closed with metal "hog" rings but I have seen them sealed with tape. I thought they were just long tubes like sausages with hog rings or tape clamped on to separate them to seal one bag and start another one (and they may do that in big commercial operations). When I looked on line I found they are just pre-made bags that hold about 1 lb of meat then you squeeze as much air out as you can and seal with the ring or tape. Evidently you put a tube/funnel attachment on the grinder and when the bag is full you seal it.

  I like the way the meat came back and am going to buy some of the bags to use for my next deer and am torn between whether to buy the rings or one of the tape machines. I bought a nice grinder a month ago that works great but I also have would have to get a 2" funnel for it or use the sausage stuffer I bought a couple years ago. It came with a 2" tube for summer sausage making or such.

  Any of you use them and any comments or recommendations? Lessons learned? Pros/Cons?

[beenthere]

Like this.
UltraSource Ground Beef Meat/Chub Bag, NFS Labeled, 1lb, 2lb, 5 lb, 6" W x 18" L - YouTube

[WV Sawmiller]

  Yes.

[Ianab]

Our local home-kill processor uses those bags, and just runs a band of plastic tape around the end. Means you can defrost in the microwave without taking the metal out. 

If you were doing it at home, those little wire / plastic twist ties would work, just have to remember to undo them before the microwave. 

[SawyerTed]

We use a vacuum sealer.  

Rather than leave the bag shaped like a roundish lump.  We mash them flat.  They store in the freezer much more compact that way.  

The round premade bags are interesting.  With the little Weston grinder I have, I'm not sure I have enough hands to feed the machine, use the "plunger" and hold a bag on the stuffer tube. We might be cutting our grinding chunks a little big. I can't chew gum and walk either.  

I'll be following to see how they work.  Wonder if the bags are vacuum sealable?  

[trapper]

Check lem company for their tape machine to seal the bags 

[barbender]

 I'm with Ted, the vacuum seal bags can be mashed flat into perfect little square, flat packages that are the most compact way I have found to store meat.

[LeeB]

I have used the bags in the past and have one of the tape dispensers. Baby bags seal better and do press flat but I suppose you could do the same with the tub bags. I filled mine with the sausage stuffer. I don't remember it being difficult to hold the bag on the stuffer tube and crank the handle with the other hand. I haven't used them in a good while. 

[SawyerTed]

One of my favorite ways to preserve venison.

Just popped it in the dehydrator. 

Maybe the jerky will be ready before Sunday Night Football.  



 

[LeeB]

Didn't see anything this morning but I did enjoy a couple sticks of jerky while sitting in the stand. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   I'm finishing my last deer from a week ago. I have 23 total 1/2 pint jars of corned deer I am canning today. I let my deer sit in the pickling solution for 5-7 days in the fridge downstairs before I freeze or can it. I pack the meat in jars and cook on 10 lbs pressure for 75 minutes per batch.

[SawyerTed]

We sometimes can venison but haven't corned any.  

We have quite a few jars of canned on the shelf.  Somehow we don't think of using it like we do the frozen.

Is corning venison an involved process?  

[WV Sawmiller]

   It is dirt simple!

   I take 5 lbs of choice cuts (Many use the rougher cuts) like backstrap, tenderloin, brisket and even some of the hams if I need more. For every 5 lbs of meat I make a pickling solution of:

2 cups water brought to a boil then add dry ingredients of:

6 tablespoons of curing mix (Morton's tender quick or Anthony's Pink Salt, etc)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
4.5 teaspoons of mixed pickling spices ( I usually toss in a little more for good measure)

Mix the hot water and dry ingredients. Add to 6 more cups of cold water. I put all this in a clean, food grade plastic bucket then add the 5 lbs of meat, cover with a heavy stoneware plate (so all the meat is submerged) and place covered in the fridge for 5-7 days. Every day or two stir the meat to make sure all sides get proper exposure to the solution. I weigh the raw meat and usually make a double or triple batch with 10 or 15 lbs of meat at a time.

    At the end of the period remove the meat and drain, package and freeze or place in canning jars just like you do for your raw meat. I add "juice" from the solution to the jars leaving proper head space then can it like you do your raw meat.

   I have started canning it in half pint jars because that is the size my wife and I use with no waste.

   A handy recipe is dice and fry/brown 4-5 taters and an onion then drain and add the meat, heat it through and season to taste with Worcestershire sauce for quick and easy hash or drain a jar and add chopped onions and heat through and use for sandwiches.

[SawyerTed]

That's really simple!  Thanks Howard. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   It is probably my wife's favorite way to prepare deer meat so I do it for every deer I process.

  I have read where people would take their old deer, elk, antelope, moose, etc. roasts and go ahead and corn them to extend the life of them. I think most people use the rougher cuts.

  Others here can chime and let us know what they use - if they do corn any game meat.