If I never see another deer.............

[sjemac]

it will be too soon.

Just finished up processing 6 of the buggers by myself (4 bucks - 2 does). We (myself, 2 neighbors and 2 friends from BC) shot them last week (Thurs-Sat). The guys from BC left us the appropriate paperwork and headed home sans meat as we get a bunch of sausage made and take it out to them when they take us salmon fishing in the summer. The neighbors and I were to have a processing party on Monday/Tuesday and get them all in the freezer. Well Sunday afternoon I drove a pencil thick sliver of wood into the sole of my foot that only stopped when it hit bone and then snapped off (like a fricking punji stake). I was on crutches for a couple of days. I'm the chief skinner and cutter and without me leading, the enterprise died on the vine.

One neighbor, a pilot with Westjet had to leave Wed. for extended flights east. The other neighbor a gas line supplies salesman had a business trip to Vancouver the same day.

Soooooo! After work I hobble over to the neighbors skinning garage on Wed. and get one deer skinned and cut. Repeat on Thurs. Repeat on Fri. Saturday I get up early and get 2 more skinned and cut and the last one skinned and roughly jointed. Sunday I finish cutting that one, cape out the heads of two of the bucks for Euro mounts (nothing great there). Then I wrap the meat from the 6 of them and load the non-edibles into the truck for disposal by yote.

Here's what 6 deer cast offs look like in a truck. Half fills the back of the GMC.

Boiling off the long bones for stock now. Gotta good knife callous on the finger for next time too.

I might actually be able to eat a piece in a week or two.

 

[powdergun]

As the old saying says " When the buck drops the fun stops" It sucks if you have to do all the work yourself but if friends help it becomes a bit of a social event with a cocktail or two.

What burns me about processing wild meat is people who have no idea as to the cost and effort involved in taking a deer and turning it to sausage. I enjoy sharing but I've run into people who have said " don't you have a piece of loin ? " after giving away a roast or sausage. Told one person that there was plenty just go out and get one.

 

[grouseman]

oh man I know what you mean...after doing one moose this yr...i wouldn;t want to shoot a moose for another 365 days...I dont care if a 60" bull gave me a slam dunk shot right beseide the truck...I wouldn't shoot....

I shot a big buck a few days ago and i gave it to my dad to deal with( hes not complaining) because i am still tired from the moose in september...

I can shoot deer every time i go out, but i always pass them up because of the amount of work...

I will shoot two more fawns( good eating) and I will pay to have them processed...money well spent

 

[Lazy Ike]

Does this mean I can't drop my deer off tomorrow(if I shoot one)?

 

[H Wally]

So the back of the truck is filled with dump material? If any hunters in the Victoria region have that kind of "garbage" let me know - I can use the skins, tendons, bones, and antlers if they're not wanted!

 

[sjemac]

Does this mean I can't drop my deer off tomorrow(if I shoot one)?

Sure you can. Just shoot the damned thing through both shoulders so I can feed them to the dog and not have to debone them. God how I've come to hate the front quarters. (Before I get flamed, we shot 4 of 6 in the head/high neck to avoid such damage.)

So the back of the truck is filled with dump material? If any hunters in the Victoria region have that kind of "garbage" let me know - I can use the skins, tendons, bones, and antlers if they're not wanted!

I've got 7-8 tanned deer skins here already. Plus leather from others. Make a road trip and I'll load you up. Saves me a trip to the banks of the Red Deer.