What do you do with your kills?

goz83

As the title asks; what do you do with your kills? I'm genuinely curious about what you do with the animals you kill, whether they be rats, pheasant, or deer. I would like to know what the norm is.

Do people leave certain kills to rot after killing them? I can't imagine many shooters collecting rats after shooting them, but maybe this is etiquette?

I seen a thread where several dozen pigeons were shot and collected and wondered what the hunter did with all the carcasses. Were they eaten, sold, burnt, binned?

And what about deer? I know some are eaten by the hunter and family and some are sold to game dealers, but I am asking for personal accounts. Such as, what is done with the head, the antlers, the skin and whatever else. How do you dispose of the waste?

When I do hunt, i reckon it will start with rabbits and duck, which I plan to eat, or give away, but I would like to know what else I can/should do with other kills, anything surplus to my needs.

Cass

If you're not into waste and don't intend to eat it then don't shoot it. Sometimes you'll be in the position to have to shoot something, but thats another matter as i've said below.

I shoot deer, but only what i need/want. I shoot a couple for family too, but the amount is small. When i have enough i stop. At the moment i've gotten enough for me and haven't been out for a deer in a few weeks. I don't bother with Pheasants anymore as i've no use for them. I'll take the occasional Duck if it comes along, but won't actively go out for them.

My most regular quarry is usually what you'd class as vermin. Crows, pigeon, foxes, and rabbits. The foxes i cull for the land owners. Two of my permissions have a "pit" that the land owner has told me to dump any carcasses into so that is sorted (and handy). As for pigeon, there was an old boy down the road from me that would take as much as i could shoot. Same goes for rabbits. Also a few mates have dogs and ask for rabbits fairly often so i tend to take home what i get however rabbits are scare enough around me. I've more hares than rabbits, but i don't touch them, ever.

Lastly anything i shoot but have no use for (livestock or crop protection reasons) usually gets opened up and put into a ditch well away from livestock or any other place where they may cause offence or harm. It's carrion for most other vermin out there so it's not going to sit long.

clivej

The grolloch from the deer I shoot is put in a ditch for the night creatures.
After 2 or 3 days nothing is there but the grass from the stomach contains.

syklops

I would hope anyone shooting pheasent is going to eat it afterwards. Or give it to someone who will.

Tommyaya4

Pheasants deer duck pigeons snipe woodcock grouse we eat them or the pigeons go to game dealer if we are shooting a lot vermin are disposed of after wings tails eft are taken for vermin count if you don't eat them you shouldn't be shooting them

goz83

Thanks guys. I don't want anything to go to waste, so if there is a home, or a belly for anything surplus, that's where they will go. Part of what I was asking is what truly is waste (rats for example) and what could be sold, or given away.

If I kill a fox, at the moment, I honestly don't know what I should do with it. From the post Cass wrote, it seems they are only worth throwing into a pit and the value is that a pest has been removed from the farmers land.

As I tend to start with rabbit and duck, I may not want to stop after one, or two kills and I don't know how much I could give away, so are there other options I should be aware of? I know deer can be sold, but what about other animals? And how would I go about this?

Cass

Go out and enjoy your shooting, but remember the work does not end at the pull of a trigger.

Shooting will be a novelty for some time. Its great fun and you'll really enjoy it, but with time and experience you'll get the hang of saying "thats enough". Plus with some quarry it really doesn't make a dent on the population. Pigeon, rabbits, etc. are more than plentiful so shoot your fill. Use what you can, give away what you want if there is some left then ditch it. Just do so responsibly.

cookimonster

I admire your enthusiasm and understand your concerns, but in reality you'll have plenty of blank days where not a shot is even fired let alone putting something in the bag. A well coined phrase ' that's why it's called hunting and not shooting' is a good one.

If you eat (within reason) what you hunt or pass it on to some one who will then it's no problem, pest control is pest control so there are no issues, but remember seasons are short so a good freezer is handy to help maintain a supply of good quality meat during the off seasons.

Selling game (including rabbits and pigeon (under derogation)) requires registration with the FSAI, after completing an approved course. This only allows the Hunter to sell onto a registered game dealer. For small quarry, feathered and fur, the financial gain is only to be had in procurement of large batches otherwise your wasting time and fuel.

But as I said in the beginning you'll probably be surprised as to what your bag tally realistically will be..

dodderangler

Can't see it mentioned or possibly missed but don't forget there are animals that can be shot all year round and others that have seasons aswell. Some animals can be shot under derogation like pigeons and crows if they are doing damage to crops etc but if not then they can only be shot during season .

Hunting isn't all about the kill either and there will be times that you won't pull the trigger. Myself and I'm sure plenty of lads here have had a fair amount of pheasants rise up and decided live to let them live another day. Also you'll start appreciating just being out. Nothing better than being out hunting on a cold frosty morning just as the sun starts coming up and hearing cock pheasants crowing or a sika stag during the rut calling for his females or watching the dogs work .
Them moments are where the memories will build up

Stonehall9

Our gun club holds a game Buffett , all the members drop off any game they shoot but aren't using and it gets put in the freezer for the game night , we have 2 chefs who prepare the Buffett and we have sold 150 tickets for the last few years and it has been a great success. People love coming to taste something different and all the local farmers would turn up, local lads from other clubs come aswell and we have live music which makes for a great night, all the profits go back into the club for next seasons birds and feed , traps etc!

hexosan

Stonehall9 wrote: »

Our gun club holds a game Buffett , all the members drop off any game they shoot but aren't using and it gets put in the freezer for the game night , we have 2 chefs who prepare the Buffett and we have sold 150 tickets for the last few years and it has been a great success. People love coming to taste something different and all the local farmers would turn up, local lads from other clubs come aswell and we have live music which makes for a great night, all the profits go back into the club for next seasons birds and feed , traps etc!

Hats off to your club, it's one of the best ideas ive heard in a long time.

Eddie B

goz83 wrote: »

Thanks guys. I don't want anything to go to waste, so if there is a home, or a belly for anything surplus, that's where they will go. Part of what I was asking is what truly is waste (rats for example) and what could be sold, or given away.

If I kill a fox, at the moment, I honestly don't know what I should do with it. From the post Cass wrote, it seems they are only worth throwing into a pit and the value is that a pest has been removed from the farmers land.

As I tend to start with rabbit and duck, I may not want to stop after one, or two kills and I don't know how much I could give away, so are there other options I should be aware of? I know deer can be sold, but what about other animals? And how would I go about this?

A lot of good advise by all the lads, on this subject! The only thing I can add, is that it's up to each individual, how much of the animal you want to use! For instance, some lads only breast their pheasants/ducks, some pluck, and use the whole bird! You can eat, hearts and livers if you wish! Feathets can be used for fly tying! People used to keep pheasant wings to clean down their stove/range years ago! Some still do! You can tan pelts from fox's and rabbits! So many things you can do if you wish! Its all up to you, what you consider waste!

Of course a lot of these things take time, and skill, but just showing you that you can make use of a lot of so called waste!

Hunter456

Rabbits, pheasant, woodcock, duck pigeon and snipe all eaten by me,

Crows,magpies, foxes all deposed of in ditches or dug holes.

what you could do with foxes is take their tails or pelts as trophies.