It happens every time a shot is made. Responsibility for the deer just shot is now in the hands of the shooter, or the shooter’s daddy, uncle, mentor, et cetera. The meat on the deer is under the attentive control of the hunter turned caregiver. Plans should’ve already been made for what to do with the [...]
It happens every time a shot is made. Responsibility for the deer just shot is now in the hands of the shooter, or the shooter’s daddy, uncle, mentor, et cetera. The meat on the deer is under the attentive control of the hunter turned caregiver. Plans should’ve already been made for what to do with the venison, beginning with packing a cooler or two in the truck when leaving for the hunting trip. There are a few stages this deer will go through by the time it is garnished with a sprig of rosemary and served next to a large portion of mashed, au gratin, fried, roasted, hashed brown or campfire coal cooked potatoes.
The first stage is the recovery stage. If the deer doesn’t drop in it’s tracks, obviously all the way dead from the shot, remember to put the gun back on safety, catch your breath, lean back and wait. Wait for that deer to die all the way. Too many times as inexperienced hunters, we want to recover our kill when we climb down and out of the stand and jog to where we last saw the deer running off through the woods, only to spook it from what would have been it’s final resting place. No one likes having to gather all the other hunters from their busy schedules to have them help follow after a thin, spread out blood trail. The time spent waiting is a good time to replay the scene over and over in your head. What tree or bush did it pass by before it went out of sight? Get the mental picture burned in, framed and matted in your head. Also, pack up your things. Put the grunt tube and water bottle back in your bag. Make sure your license and pen are ready to use immediately upon taking possession of the deer. It’s going to be a completely different, sacred experience when you find your deer after a short solitary hunt for the downed animal. I say I’m going to wait an hour before I get up and go, but usually wait for 45 minutes, which has been long enough every time. Wait times will vary according to angle of entry, shot placement, distance from target, whether a bullet or arrow or rifled slug was used, or how bad you need to get back to someone’s piano recital in town.
Take time for the pretty posed photo. It helps preserve memories.
Next, the documentation stage. If you packed a camera with a self timer, take the effort to set up a pleasing display. This might seem unimportant and even prideful at the time, but it’s not all about the successful hunter bragging about shooting a big deer here. Taking a picture right away provides the hunter with more than just an avenue with which to post to the facebook page so all the friends can tell the hunter what a stud they are for shooting the deer. It also provides critical statistical data. Pose the photo so that the environment shows in the background. You’ll remember this hunt was at a certain lease or bowstand. The time of day and type of weather will be apparent. Even the apparel used for the hunt says a lot. “Wow! I was wearing shorts in that picture. It was hot that evening. And look at all the leaves on the trees! That was early in the season….” or, “Oh yeah, I shot that deer one hour after I shot a coyote from that elevated box blind.” Photos are a great way to remember details of the hunt.
After the photoshoot, move that deer up to the “hanging tree” or hoist and gambrel or cleaning spot on the ground. All efforts should now be turned to field dressing the deer. Clean it out and start cooling off the meat. If at all possible, hang it up somewhere which will allow gravity to assist you in separating innards from carcass. If the deer is hung with the rear legs up, cut the sternum so blood can drain out easily. Speaking of blood, when researching how to field dress a deer, there are way too many pictures of hunters soaked up to the elbows in blood and other yuck. It doesn’t have to be that way. Take your time, use your hands more and the knife less. A gut hook with finger holes saves time and effort. For more information on hanging and cleaning deer, go here: http://www.huntingxpert.com/hunting/hey-hunter-hows-it-hangin/ For the best information, have a sage, highly experienced hunter give a hands on demonstration of the technique.
This little piece of meat right here makes field dressing worth the effort.
With practice, patience and more practice, field dressing can be a much more pleasurable experience than it is when less deliberate actions are taken. Don’t pierce the guts or any other innards. Don’t hack and mangle the tenderloins, which are pointed out in the above photo. These pieces of meat are often overlooked or forgotten, and ironically are some of the most important and desirable treasures to be taken from the deer!
Now the tenderloins are exposed.
The transportation stage. Some deer will be taken to the processor. Others will be hauled home, quartered in coolers. Either way, ice it down to keep the meat fresh. Avoid the temptation to display the deer at the highest available elevation on the vehicle thus achieving maximum visibility from passing motorists. It’s best just to keep it out of direct sunlight with at least a couple bottles of ice in the chest cavity or a couple bags of ice spread around the quartered meat in the cooler. Remember to keep the license tag and proof of sex until the final destination has been reached.
Clean and label your venison well.
If the meat is to be processed at home, take time to clean off sinew, coagulated blood, hair and other debris which may have found it’s way through the quartering and rinsing stage back at camp. Use freezer bags, butcher paper and another heaping helping of patience when cleaning and separating meat into different cuts. Again, more work now results in prettier, more tender and appetizing main courses for future meals.
Santa approves of venison roast for Christmas dinner.
The eating stage. This final stage of venison after the shot is one that comes in many forms. It could be “camp meat” which is consumed right then and there on the hunting trip, or it could be dressed up in a glaze sauce after a fourteen step marinading epic saga. No matter the path taken to get on our forks, it is one to be celebrated. It is meat that has been provided for us, well taken care of and respected. Take the time necessary to give each stage the attention it deserves.
Get out there. Endure the stages.
This entry was posted
on Thursday, December 31st, 2009 at 6:06 am and is filed under Cleaning, Deer, Hunting, Recipes.
I was searching for photography when I found your site. Great post. Thank You.