Field processing game question

[Karl]

Hi gents just curious as to weights of the backstraps and rear quarters for various game species you guys hunt on North America? I am thinking of taking these off some local small deer species( axis/chital and fallow deer, 100-220lbs on the hoof) and various sized hogs if they appear clean on inspection. Not intending to bone out all the cuts, its too hot here to hang around, just the basic stuff. Trying to work out a decent cooler size as well for this. Its actually not as common here in Australia to take meat out of the field, a lacking skillset compared to North American hunters.

[nchunterkw]

What you describe are whitetail sized animals. I'd say a 48 qt cooler would hold 2 -3 animals worth of the cuts you are talking about. Backstraps are about 3" - 4" in diameter and about 2 feet long - so not much space. And if you chunk off the hinds they would probably be about 0.75 cubic feet each. It's really not much more to just cut off the front legs. They are held on only by tendons. Cut the lower two parts of the leg off and you would have the shoulders. Those 3 big pieces would be over 80% of the meat I would think.

[Karl]

Thanks mate, I have something that size on hand. Can I ask what the length of the shoulder and hind is cut off at the knees usually for white tail?

On another tangent just adjusted my post to say ''North American hunters'' are more into meat recovery than Australians, not just the US. On a Canadian forum too, sorry fellas I am aware N.A is two countries.

[Hunt it]

That's ok, our Canadian critters are way bigger!!! As my buddy from Townsville found out last September you'll need a big a$$ cooler for our bull moose. His Engle would not work so well here.

[Karl]

Yes taking those giant moose apart would be a mission! Townsville is just a few hours from me btw. We got scrub bulls in similar weight class but not many people taking the meat off them here. I'd probably try the backstraps and see if they were not too gamey.

[nchunterkw]

Thanks mate, I have something that size on hand. Can I ask what the length of the shoulder and hind is cut off at the knees usually for white tail?

On another tangent just adjusted my post to say ''North American hunters'' are more into meat recovery than Australians, not just the US. On a Canadian forum too, sorry fellas I am aware N.A is two countries.

I'd say about 15" - 18" long. It's really easy to bone out the hind. The front takes a bit more time as you have to deal with the shoulder blade. Google a few youtube videos on boning out a whitetail. It's pretty easy to get 80% - 90% of the meat quickly - even in the field.

[Boo]

You should be able to get up to 40% of standing weight assuming you get all the meat off.

[paulaboutform]

Karl, in regards to the cooler I say 'go big or go home!' Better to have extra room and not need it than to need it and not have it. Also, we have coolers here that can run on your vehicle's 12 volt plug in. This may be a great option for keeping meat cool in your scorching climate.

Paul

[Karl]

Thanks for that info fellas. I have an 85Litre( I think 92qt) good quality cooler available. If I layer it with thick ice on the bottom and crushed ice on the goods it lasts a couple days camping.

[Doe Master]

If you don`t run a saw through any bones you will not have what is called a gamey taste . With your loins you have various options for butchering .

[wildcatter]

If you don`t run a saw through any bones you will not have what is called a gamey taste . With your loins you have various options for butchering .

No Saw ever touches my game!! I found out Rabbit hunting with a YOUNGER freind years ago how screwed up I was using a saw, ir leaving any bone in a game animal when I butcher, or cooked wild game.

We git our 6 Rabbits a piece that day and got back to my house and started cleaning them, I was whiz bang Hide off, guts out, and head and 4 feet removed done, ready to rinse, I looked around and he was working on his 2nd Rabbit?? So ask if he needed help,and just said aren't you going to finish yours first?

I said there done, that's when he informed me his Dad taught him to always debone them, all wild game, if not their tough as leather and gamey tasting,,, so I tried it,, dam,,, cut em with a fork right outa the skillet!! Backstraps tender and juicier than filet mignon!

My next deer was filleted,, DU,, was I that stupid all them years or was this just a better corn and bean fed deer?? over 30 years later,, and 100's of deer later,, never had a tough or dry deer. and like Doe Master said, NO gamey bitter taste. Hind quarter steaks lions backstraps all off the grill and cut em with a fork.

Like others said a deer can be filleted about as fast as quartering. A mature deer in a rush, 30 to 40 minutes, and there ain't enough left on the bones fer 2 hamburgers. I don't take the meat between the ribs.

BUT,,,,,,, one cut,,,,, I found 3 years ago,,,,, from another younger hunter,,, about 35 years old. Was the neck,,,, yes the finest most precious cut on the deer!!! I always cut and carved and got what I could for burger,,,, what a waste!!!! mine come home whole!

[Doe Master]

We have found by de-boning . The meat tastes the same day 1 as day 365 .
Not that a lot of meat makes it to day 365 .
Wildcatter we have found the neck is good as a rolled roast . Not the best as sandwich meat because is a bugger to cut into slices .

[Karl]

Thanks fellas for that info. I will have to see how my butchering skills stack up for speed. In the hotter months its 100f+ so I probably don't want things laid out too long before I pack it and walk out. Its an added technicality of the tropics, I am thinking for real hot weather I won't be hunting too far from the vehicle/cooler. I actually don't have the expertise yet to even know whether this is a great concern. I assume its all doable, pro hunters manage to get meat back to the table in Africa after all

[wildcatter]

We have found by de-boning . The meat tastes the same day 1 as day 365 .
Not that a lot of meat makes it to day 365 .
Wildcatter we have found the neck is good as a rolled roast . Not the best as sandwich meat because is a bugger to cut into slices .

Not when done properly,,,,

the vertabra lift right out one at a time without leaving a drop of meat atached to them,,,
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I will assure you I will get more meat from the neck than someone making a roast out of it,,, from this to this,,,,



I will a new thread for this dish! I will say 3 years ago after years of destroying and wasting half this meat, I now think the neck is the tastiest treat on the whole deer! I am also sure if I could go into business selling these,,,, I could run every philly steak n cheese joint out of business,, and put hurt anyone nearby trying to run a sub shop!

[wildcatter]

We have found by de-boning . The meat tastes the same day 1 as day 365 .
Not that a lot of meat makes it to day 365 .
Wildcatter we have found the neck is good as a rolled roast . Not the best as sandwich meat because is a bugger to cut into slices .

Not when done properly,,,,

the vertebra lift right out one at a time without leaving a drop of meat attached to them,,, hard to see but that is what is in the pan on the right, I loose not one oz of meat!.
[/URL][/img]
I will assure you I will get more meat from the neck than someone making a roast out of it,,, from this to this,,,,



I will a new thread for this dish! I will say 3 years ago after years of destroying and wasting half this meat, I now think the neck is the tastiest treat on the whole deer! I am also sure if I could go into business selling these,,,, I could run every philly steak n cheese joint out of business,, and put hurt anyone nearby trying to run a sub shop!