Deer processing

[95XL883]

I've got a large Igloo cooler, so big I don't put it in the truck. I field dress the deer and if it's not too cold (working on a deer when it's 15 and dropping just isn't fun) skin and quarter it. I wrap it in a tarp with frozen two liter bottles of water. It's about an hour ride home where I skin and quarter it, if not already done. It goes into the big cooler with the two liter bottles and some bagged ice and non-iodized salt. I then take my time over the next week, deboning the meet. It has worked really well for me.

 

[teg]

I cut mine up leaving the guts intact (with carcass). Usually within an hour of shooting it. Cut the skin / hair off down to the neck. If it's 130# or more, we'll get the neck meat and inside tenderloins. Other wise, just take the Back Straps, two shoulders and two butts. Use 2x, 2 liter bottles of ice on the bottom of the cooler, one on top of meat if less than 130#... 2 on top if larger deer. Carcass falls into a tub to be dropped off a hillside we have.

Replace the ice the next morning with fresh ice... Yeti cooler, I don't have to worry about re-icing for a while. Regular cooler, it might go a couple days. All depends on how warm it is. Usually, wait 5 days to do the shoulders and back straps. Sixth day, one ham. Seventh day, I process the final butt.

 

[TnAndy]

General Lee,

Check this web site for the Coolbot unit. DIY Walk-in Cooler for Agriculture, Brewery, Floral, Hunting, etc I think you'll find it interesting. Local cheese and bake shop has three separate coolers in his retail store using these units. Has had one on his dairy for years.

idaho2

That is what I use in my home built 6x6 cooler, running it off a 12,000 BTU window ac unit.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

took my deer to a well known meat market to be processed for 50 dollars. I had skinned it myself using the Kubota front loader. Well they hung it in the cooler next to a road kill, that was hanging on several hooks due to its condition. Long story short my first package of deer burger tasted like @#$%. Dog got the rest of the meat. Should have packed it back home when I saw where it hung in the cooler. Same here no shooting until it is cool enough to process at home.

NOW you know why I don't take my deer to just ANYONE! I found a place that's totally reliable and I'm very happy with their work!

I had always cut/wrapped my own moose, bear, caribou, deer, and everything else for MANY years, until I found this place. Great people at a very good price.

SR

 

[gsganzer]

We bought our farm 6 years ago, and in the barn in a 10x10 walk in cooler. Would be perfect for this! If anyone wants it, they can come haul it off for free! I don't think the AC unit on the ceiling works anymore, but you can get a replacement for a few hundred bucks.

If I could find any excuse to drive to CT I'd jump all over that!!

 

[General Lee]

I've got a large Igloo cooler, so big I don't put it in the truck. I field dress the deer and if it's not too cold (working on a deer when it's 15 and dropping just isn't fun) skin and quarter it. I wrap it in a tarp with frozen two liter bottles of water. It's about an hour ride home where I skin and quarter it, if not already done. It goes into the big cooler with the two liter bottles and some bagged ice and non-iodized salt. I then take my time over the next week, deboning the meet. It has worked really well for me.

^^ This could work for me. I also have a spare fridge, like someone else mentioned. I thought about putting closet rod up, that way I could hang the hind legs, etc from it.

Shotgun season opens tomorrow morning, hopefully I'll get to test one of these operations out.

 

[General Lee]

That is what I use in my home built 6x6 cooler, running it off a 12,000 BTU window ac unit.

That is a nice set up. How cold can you get it in there?

 

[LD1]

We use a spare fridge. Quarter the deer. Back legs and front legs get wrapped in a garbage bag. (make sure its not the scented kind). Back straps and tenderloins go into gallon sized zip-loc bags.

 

[TractorGuy]

I never have large quantities so I like to cut mine up and keep it in coolers on ice for a week or so. Drain it every few days and add new ice. After that I give away what I can't consume in a few meals. Gets all the blood and gamey taste out.

 

[TnAndy]

That is a nice set up. How cold can you get it in there?

36-37 degrees.

I didn't insulate the floor, (tile, on concrete, on fill dirt) which I suspect would help a LOT, but then, I only use it 10-15 days per year. Anything below 40 works fine for a cooler.

Construction is standard stud wall with 3 1/2" fiberglass insulation, plus 4" of foam board on top of that, and inside is thin white fiberglass panels. Door was a prehung unit off a used cooler, just screwed to wood opening.