For those of you that choose to butcher your own deer, do you hang it head up or back legs up? Polls indicate that most deer are hung up by the back legs for skinning and quartering. There are advantages to both orientations, thus, there are good reasons for both theories. Also, certain rules apply [...]

For those of you that choose to butcher your own deer, do you hang it head up or back legs up? Polls indicate that most deer are hung up by the back legs for skinning and quartering. There are advantages to both orientations, thus, there are good reasons for both theories. Also, certain rules apply no matter how it’s hanging!

Head’s up! This phrase either means a ball or some other projectile is speedily headed in your direction, or that’s how you hoist your deer for cleaning purposes. If so, it’s done this way for any of these reasons…You live in a state where frigid weather allows for overnight storage without risk of meat spoilage. By keeping the head high, it makes it virtually impossible for predators to disfigure and ruin a future shoulder mount, if it is hung by the antlers. Does can have the rope tied around the neck. Many times, it is both convenient and necessary to proceed with the skinning and quartering duty immediately after gutting. Even so, lots of hunters would rather have the tail hanging down regardless of weather. By hanging the deer tail down, it prevents the blood from pooling in the chest cavity. Otherwise, it takes a little extra cutting on the ribcage to separate it enough to let the blood pass through. This is extra work if the ribs aren’t going to be kept for the little (but plenty tasty) meat they have on them.

Regardless if the ribs are harvested, the chest cavity needs to be opened up enough to let water flush out the inside of the deer when hanging upside down. There are products that are sold which aid in holding it open. Likewise, leg spreaders, or gambrels, act as the hoist and hold the rear legs open for easier access. This is probably the main reason this position is preferred over the “head’s up” variety. Just be careful when separating the hind quarters from the tailbone that when one hind leg is removed, that the other leg doesn’t fall off the gambrel due to unequal weight on both sides. It helps to have a friend hold the other side, or take it down and finish the job on the tailgate of the truck.

Up, down, sideways or diagonal, what ever position that deer is hanging, always start out with a sharp knife. This reduces straining, struggling, and is much safer as a result. Too many times, the knife can become dull from cutting around bones and around joints, so a mid-job sharpening isn’t a bad idea. Also, take care when cutting out backstraps and tenderloins; especially tenderloins. Sometimes these are the last pieces of meat removed after more labor intensive jobs such as carving off neck meat and separating ball and socket joints. Use a gentle hand…literally. Most of the tenderloin can be removed by the bare hand because it is so tender. Lastly, after rinsing thoroughly, ice down that meat, and keep it iced ’til you get home and finalize it for storage.

It’s a good idea to learn how to clean deer either way, because someday if your lucky, you’ll be invited to someone’s camp where they do it the opposite way from which you are used to doing it. It’s kind of like being bilingual or ambidextrous. Employers hire people who can speak two languages and baseball teams love a batter who can switch hit effectively. If this is new to you, start out by being a helper. Hold the deer steady for the person that’s cleaning it. Watch them, ask questions, and after it’s all over, wash your hands. You don’t want to gross out the people that have the meat processor do it for them! Just kidding, venison sausage is greatness. As long as it’s not made out of backstrap or tenderloin. That stuff is a cut above…

This entry was posted on Thursday, October 1st, 2009 at 3:05 pm and is filed under Hunting.