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New tricks

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Who said you can teach a old dog new tricks. I have been butchering my own deer since 1968 using hunting knifes and whatever knifes I had. Last year I used a fish filet knife to bone out but it was too flimzy. My brother sets up at flea market and I asked him to pick me up couple well used butcher knifes.
He found me 2 well used and pointy good qaulity butchering knifes. I have always used a sharping steel. Just a few swipes with the steel on a good quality knife and you are good to go.
I am here to tell you it sure makes easy work of skinning and boning out a deer. Since it worked so well I boned out the rear hams hanging up. It worked great and on the next deer I think I will bone out the front legs hanging up also.

In this hot weather I put froozen milk jugs of water in the body cavity and cover it up with a old heavy blanket. I learned this trick from the 1970's hunting the early Muzzleloading season down in Wildcat Hollow. We could have 70-80 degrees day there and I would put ice bags in the cavity and cover the deer up with a tarp and keep it in the shade. I kept deer that way for 3-4 days before going home and never lost a ounce of meat.

I guess it is just a matter of paying attention. Try it and you will like it.
Frank
 

wideerhunter

Junior Member
7
0
Good reminder and memory of some of my hunts. Been there and done that! I have twice donated the deer to the food pantries in Illinois too. It's a good cause and it was too hot to bring the deer back home. Important thing is that nothing gets wasted!
 

jagermeister

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
18,060
223
Ohio
I've found that I can use just about any knife to bone-out deer meat as long as it's sharp. Dull knives just make things difficult, which usually equates to making things dangerous at the same time. I've used filet knives, hunting knives, boning knives... I do prefer a good boning knife, but I can make due with whatever. I alway bone out the hindquarters while they're hanging. I'm not sure how it'd work boning the front legs while hanging, though... since the muscle and tendons are all that holds them to the deer.

Good tip about the heavy blanket, too.
 

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
One little tip: If its hot out and you plan on packing with ice, dont cut through the ribs during field dressing. It's alot easier to keep cool. Treat any doe like a buck you plan on mounting
 

badger

*Supporting Member*
Another tip on cooling animals is to NOT put the meat in plastic bags for a long period of time in an ice chest. The meat needs to breathe and can last a long time on ice. Make sure to drain the cooler and keep it in the shade. We have kept meat for a week in coolers during high temps in south Texas. The blanket trick works great on top of your cooler as well. Block ice or as mentioned frozen jugs work the best, and the less the cooler gets opened, the better off you are.