cleaning game (how do you learn?)

[SpeedTriple44444]

I would never hunt for fun, but if it comes down to it, I'd like to know how as well. I wouldn't waste my time on the squirrels though. I'd go for the groundhogs and rabbits. I hear that groundhogs have a good dark meat that makes a good roast, but you have to avoid the scent glands when cutting them.

Hate to tell you, but after you've gotten a few squirrels and you're still hungry, that dog of yours isn't going to be treeing anything any more. That is, if the neighbors don't get him first.

[flounder]

Here's a big squirrel i was finishing up.

[Steve Butters]

how much you charge to butcher deer? or do you only do your own?

[flounder]

how much you charge to butcher deer? or do you only do your own?

Just my own.. You get allot more meat by processing yourself. Not to mention it doesnt cost you anything and you can drink beer while doing it with hunting buddies and taking pictures that would make PETA go nuts.

Edited August 5, 2011 by flounder

[TSB67]

BTW Parma considers an air rifle a firearm, so you better keep your suburban hunting on the DL.

[max power]

I cant believe Gump hasnt chimed in here.

We once processed a deer in our living room on a closet door while in college. It was pretty nasty, but we had free meat all winter.

[Gump]

lol..deer is good eating. As far as field dressing anything dead; near a crick is best, slit open it's belly, ass toward head and stopping at the diaphram is good enough, carefully to not cut open any guts and it doesn't stink, scoop out, shake out, or cut out the parts holding the guts, kidneys, et cetera, don't puncture the pee bag. Rabbits you can slit open and shake really hard and they fall out. Little critters bend it's hips apart to get at the main poop shoot and get it out. Young deer the pelvis bone will break or cut easy. Older deer you might have to cut around the anus/vag and pull one way or the other. Heart and lungs are easy. Deer you can grab it's windpipe in the neck, feels like a vac hose and looks like one, one nice cut to severe it then cut out the diaphram and reach way up in and pull on what feels like a hose and it comes out freaky looking with the vac hose attached. Field dressing is relevant to where you shot it. Cutting off the scent glands on the deers back legs is optional. I don't believe it's necessary. If you gut shot it get it out fairly quick and rinse it out. . If not gut shot you have hours depending on weather. Animals can hang outside for weeks in cold weather when the guts are out. Rabbits I just pull off the skin in opposite directions from the center and cut off the head and legs at the knees you could say and cook the hole thing. Red/dark bloody areas you cut out hopefully with the lead. Deer it's best to get a chart of what meat is where and go at it. Skinning a dear is easy but hard to explain. Hang it, cut around the back legs near the knees and pull down till its hide is covering up the head and cut it's head off and front legs accordingly. Everyone has dozens of different ways of doing it and it simply takes experience or someone showing you what's what and how to cut it out. Back straps are the huge long pieces of meat found on the back of the deer on both sides of the spinal cord. If done right they come out easy all in one piece maybe 2-3 feet long and 3 inches thick and you can cut them short ways, across the grain, and make butterflies. Tenderloins (the best part but small) are found on the inside of the deer towards the back usually tucked under fat on either side of the spine. Basically you cut out the meat in the biggest chunks possible then make steaks, roasts and burger accordingly. Or quarter it (with bone) and cut at it inside the house. I really had no idea what we were doing in college but you get better at it every time you do it. It tooks hours in college. Now it's about a half hour.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Gump

[Gixxus Christ!]

Only thing worth eating on a tree rat (squirrel) is the hind legs. You can snip em off with diagonal wire cutters if you're careful, or skin them and dislocate his little hip bones. If you can, shoot tree rats off of black walnut trees, a diet of walnuts makes the meat a little better tasting. Soak in buttermilk over night, bread and fry in peanut oil, that's the hillbilly way, and if you're eating squirrel, you're already doing some pretty hillbilly shit.

[Karl]

didnt feel like reading the other 2 pages so sorry if anyone answered this between 3 and 4. but you cant mess up the meet while gutting a squirrel. they are pretty easy to gut.

I have seen 2 methods 1 of which i use.

Wet down the squirrel so that the hair doesnt get in the way, cut off the tail and make a horizontal cut in his back (not to deep just to cut the skin and horizontal if he was standing there) then pull it back a little and use the first 2 fingers on each hand to grab the skin and pull. the back end will come off pretty easy and the top will get stuck on the head so cut it off or rip it off. then flip it over and pull out the guts. there isnt much since squirrels are so small.

then soak them for while in salt water in the fridge to get all the blood out of them and to prepare them i like to throw a little water in a crock pot and put it on low and let it cook until the meat falls off the bone.

method two for cleaning

make a small incision on the back under the tail. then grab feet with one hand and step on the tail and pull. that one seems really easy but idk if the tail breaks easily. the method i use is a little hard because the skin is hard to pull off but i would like to try it next time i go out..

btw. if you do start going hunting for squirrels only shoot them in the head or your wasting the whole squirrel pretty much. a body shot is really the only way to mess up the meat

and for gutting big game and stuff like dear is a lot better to be there and learn from someone who knows how. the hunters handbook that you get when you get your license has how to do rabbits ducks and deer i believe. I do the same for rabbits as squirrels. but you have to break their legs. But i prefer cutting their back of small game because then you dont nick the guts.

Edited August 5, 2011 by Karl
random stuff.. deer

[redkow97]

BTW Parma considers an air rifle a firearm, so you better keep your suburban hunting on the DL.

quite aware, but good looking out.

[MeefZah]

I've actually thought this myself quite a bit lately. I can shoot more than adequately, so taking game is no issue; but what to do with it once I've taken it is.

I've never in my life eaten an animal I've killed; generally I only shoot nusiance animals like coons and cats, anyway. I hate stray cats.

I'll have to watch some youtube vids and try to do it myself, at least to develop some basic techniques.

[Gump]

Practice on a chipmonk. If you can gut it, skin it, and quarter it your golden.