skinning/dressing a deer

newby.204

just wondering lads does anyone do this in the field, or is it frowned upon or maybe unhygienic?

Tackleberrywho

:eek:

newby.204 wrote: »

just wondering lads does anyone do this in the field, or is it frowned upon or maybe unhygienic?

Getting a Field dresser ball hitch attachment made at the moment so I can stalk in a few different counties.

The problem is; when a skin is off surface area of the meat is exposed to flies,insects etc.

Especially in our Septembers.
I remember 1 year it was 24 degrees in Sept when I shot a deer:eek:

Bluefly was rampant

clivej

I'd leave the skin on until butchering which is 14 days after the kill. Hung in a chiller @4 degrees C.

I find the meat won't dry out or get dark if the skin is left on while hanging.

.243

clivej wrote: »

I'd leave the skin on until butchering which is 14 days after the kill. Hung in a chiller @4 degrees C.

I find the meat won't dry out or get dark if the skin is left on while hanging.

i actually do the opposite,i find its way easier to skin them while they are warm,then no more than 4-5 days in the chiller on butchering,

poulo6.5

newby.204 wrote: »

just wondering lads does anyone do this in the field, or is it frowned upon or maybe unhygienic?

once you shoot the deer its best to clean out the innards (gralloch) as soon as you can, its best practice to leave the skin on until you get the animal home, after that it is up to you.
if you have a clean room to hang the deer without the skin then do so. it is easier to skin it when it is fresh.
some people prefer to leave the skin on until they are ready to butcher the deer.
its entirely up to you

i personal y do it as soon as i get it home and i am covered in blood anyway. then i can hang it as is or break it down further, then hang it for a couple of days or a week or 2, depends on how you want it

FISMA

newby.204 wrote: »

just wondering lads does anyone do this in the field, or is it frowned upon or maybe unhygienic?

Newby,
I gralloch and dump the entrails I am not going to use near where I shot the deer - leave something for the foxes.

Then come back that night and lamp the foxes!

Wherever you dump the guts, be careful. Don't just randomly peg them into the ditch as there may be a water supply for cattle. Contaminating such an area with rotting entrails could cost someone dearly.

In the States we are told to watch your back when you're gralloching as the sound of a shot is a dinner bell for bears.

Anyhow, I leave the skin on until I get home. I try to bleed them out as much as possible. Most fields where I hunt are sloped. Put the deer on the high ground and let gravity do the dirty work.

If there's no chance of flies, nice and cold weather, the skin comes off. In practice, I usually leave it on for 3 or 4 days.

It is easier to skin them when they are warm.

Check out youTube as it can really prepare you. Have a look at skinning a deer using a tree and truck.

fallowbuck

I grollach em in the field less weight to carry back, leave the skin on then take that off when I get home thats my way a doing it:)

steyrprohunter

I had this discussion today with a qualified butcher and having worked in meat factory for 7 years and a gamedealers at the weekends, I would definitely not skin a deer on the day of death. There are a few reasons for this and one being the meat will dry out too quickly and this is what causes venison to acquire that gamey and livery taste. FACT!! Unlike sheep and cattle deer have an enzyme which reacts to the air and light once exposed and causes a bacterial breakdown of amino acids in the muscles/meat which especially globulin and gluatamine which causes the strong taste sometimes. It might be easier to skin when fresh but not beneficial to meat. Also the skin gives a little extra weight to carcass when hanging in coldroom which is also important as the muscles need to stretch and lengthen to release the glycogen levels which is what makes the meat tender!! Sorry if I got all technical but its a factual opinion from a butcher and Ive seen it firsthand. Also make sure to bleed the deer corectly in the fieldand remove all organs.

Tackleberrywho

I find all deer are tender, if shot under 36 months

clivej

steyrprohunter wrote: »

I had this discussion today with a qualified butcher and having worked in meat factory for 7 years and a gamedealers at the weekends, I would definitely not skin a deer on the day of death. There are a few reasons for this and one being the meat will dry out too quickly and this is what causes venison to acquire that gamey and livery taste. FACT!! Unlike sheep and cattle deer have an enzyme which reacts to the air and light once exposed and causes a bacterial breakdown of amino acids in the muscles/meat which especially globulin and gluatamine which causes the strong taste sometimes. It might be easier to skin when fresh but not beneficial to meat. Also the skin gives a little extra weight to carcass when hanging in coldroom which is also important as the muscles need to stretch and lengthen to release the glycogen levels which is what makes the meat tender!! Sorry if I got all technical but its a factual opinion from a butcher and Ive seen it firsthand. Also make sure to bleed the deer corectly in the fieldand remove all organs.

That exactly what I had read and now follow. All the Bucks that I shot last season were under 3 years old and not one of them was "Gamey" in any way. As I said above I would also give them up to 14 days in the cooler and let the meat tenderise.

moby30

The best I ever got was a hoist that attaches to the ball hitch- I can put it onto the jeep or quad and it makes gralloching a lot easier as well as being more hygienic. I can't recommend it highly enough.
IMG_2155.JPG

moby30

Tryin to get the picture to load but would also like to add that I also leave the skin on until ready to butcher it. I don't believe it has any effect on the taste of the meat but it does stop it drying the surface of it. And if your giving it to someone it looks a lot better. There is also a lot to be said about killing the animal with a clean shot- and bleeding him out properly.

Tackleberrywho

moby30 wrote: »

Tryin to get the picture to load but would also like to add that I also leave the skin on until ready to butcher it. I don't believe it has any effect on the taste of the meat but it does stop it drying the surface of it. And if your giving it to someone it looks a lot better. There is also a lot to be said about killing the animal with a clean shot- and bleeding him out properly.

How long does it take you to skin a deer that you have hung for a few days?

lb1981

moby30 wrote: »

The best I ever got was a hoist that attaches to the ball hitch- I can put it onto the jeep or quad and it makes gralloching a lot easier as well as being more hygienic. I can't recommend it highly enough.
IMG_2155.JPG

pics of above

moby30

About 5 mins or so?

Tackleberrywho

moby30 wrote: »

About 5 mins or so?

And how long do you hang them?

moby30

Depends on the timeof year but never more than 4 or 5 days Is what I like.

Tackleberrywho

moby30 wrote: »

Depends on the timeof year but never more than 4 or 5 days Is what I like.

I'd be very interested in hearing about and seeing your techniques of getting the skin off an animal 5 days in a fridge in 5 mins or so.
The only Time I saw an animal skinned in that time that was dead a few days was in a knackers yard with an electric winch.

moby30

That's one way to do it I suppose:) don't usually have a stop watch with me though-how long does it take you do you reacon?

Tackleberrywho

moby30 wrote: »

That's one way to do it I suppose:) don't usually have a stop watch with me though-how long does it take you do you reacon?

15 mins would be fast for me skin on, but I have only skinned a max of 8 deer a year.

How many do you skin a year?

moby30

I only shoot for the table and a few friends unless asked to shoot more. I shot 11 last season and 4 more on a section 42 and that was the most I've shot in a year. Would normally be 6-8. Are you skinning reds fallows or sika?

Tackleberrywho

moby30 wrote: »

I only shoot for the table and a few friends unless asked to shoot more. I shot 11 last season and 4 more on a section 42 and that was the most I've shot in a year. Would normally be 6-8. Are you skinning reds fallows or sika?

Fallow are my only current quarry.

moby30

Haven't shot a fallow yet- what part of the country are you in?

Tackleberrywho

moby30 wrote: »

Haven't shot a fallow yet- what part of the country are you in?

midlands.
What do you shoot?

moby30

I shoot sika in Wicklow mainly.

moby30

Most my time is spent on the foxes though- all year round sport