My first deer!

[Gormley Green]

So I don't really use the hunting forums available to me, but I had to share this somewhere and I figure a few of you on here hunt. I've put in a ton of effort this year to get a blacktail deer, mostly hunting alone despite never having taken a deer. I didn't grow up hunting so I've acquired all my skills in my 20's from books, friends, the Internet, and LOTS of field time.

It all came together today up in a fresh clearcut outside Squamish. Took me 3 hours of incredible effort to get this guy down to my truck, as there was nothing close to road access. I wasn't looking for a trophy by any means but when he gave me a broadside opportunity I couldn't pass it up!

Fishing is done, deer is done, freezer is full. Now I can finally quiet my mind and wait for the powder to pile up in the mountains

Apologies if this offends anyones sensitivities, but believe me it was done with a lot of respect and tremendous effort.

 

[lqhikers]

congrats on your first complete hunt.

as Ted Nugent says respect is everything when it comes to taking a animal.

its part of lifes cycle,even in this age age of extreme p.c.

your remarks bring back to me memories of my first deer.

no regerts even though i no longer desire to hunt.

thanks for the story.

Les,lqhikers

 

[pods8]

Great job! Black tail in the thick PNW stuff can be tough, I've been learning to hunt over the last couple years as well. I pulled a doe tag for eastern WA last year and cashed in on that (I hunt for meat at this stage in life so whatever tag gives me the greatest odds is fine with me regardless of antlers or not). This year with the move in late Oct it squashed the opportunity to get out in WA and I don't want to pay out of state fees in CO for leftover tags so I'll just wait for next season when I qualify as a resident.

You doing your own cutting? It was a good experience all around to harvest, cut, pack it up for me. Also I know the quality of the meat and how it was handled with is also nice.

 

[ski3pin]

Mr. Green, congrats on your first deer. I grew up in a gun family with a heritage of hunting. I believe I ate more venison than beef growing up. I am now a non hunter for a host of reasons. I applaud the few out there, like you that do it right, and know what it takes to do so. Congrats.

Most hunters around here don't leave their truck or ATV. When they do, someone has to pick up a heart attack victim.

 

[leadsled9]

Congratulations on your first deer. I am a bowhunter.....and hunting is the main reason I bought my FWC. When I was young it was ok to have no camp or just a tent. As I get older I really appreciate the comfort of my FWC Hawk.

My archery pro shop has a motto: "Hunt hard, kill swiftly, waste nothing....offer no excuses."

I killed a nice bull elk this year in Colorado and the meat will feed my family for almost a year. I process my own kills for all the same reasons as pods8.

 

[highz]

Congrats on your deer, Gormley. Venison tenderloin, mmm. Your deer had a better life than the many thousands of cattle penned up in the "Cowschwitz" feed lots I've seen. Like Ski, I don't hunt for a few reasons, but I do respect the ethical hunters out there. Just a few weeks back in elk season I met a fellow on the trail who had just harvested his first elk some miles into the wilderness. He and two of his friends field dressed and deboned it and made a few trips in and out of the wilderness to pack it all out on foot. That was a lot of work, and I hope his friends got some choice cuts.

 

[leadsled9]

When I bone an elk out in the field....it takes me about 6 trips to get all of the meat out. It is a BIG chore....but the finished product is worth the effort. I bone and tie all of the roasts because they taste better that way....and who wants to carry out unnecessary weight?

 

[MarkBC]

When I bone an elk out in the field....it takes me about 6 trips to get all of the meat out. It is a BIG chore....but the finished product is worth the effort. I bone and tie all of the roasts because they taste better that way....and who wants to carry out unnecessary weight?

But...where's the bacon?

 

[leadsled9]

But...where's the bacon?

Notice the backstraps (steaks) in the picture....they are cut the exact thickness of a strip of bacon....and I bacon wrap them when grilling. Elk meat is really lean meat and the bacon helps keep the meat moist.

Gads...I'm getting hungry!

 

[pods8]

But...where's the bacon?


For my ground meat I used 5-10% bacon ends to add a little fat into it, subtle and you don't notice it outright but the final product tastes spectacular.

I helped my neighbor cut/haul out a bull elk last year as well (it was a couple weeks after I cut up mine so it was all fresh in my head). He opted to drop the quarters and trimming off at the butcher but I told him I'd trim up and pack the backstraps and tenderloins rather than risk anything at the butcher. I had cut the backstraps off wide and had a good amount of rib meat on there still. I did the same bacon ends addition when I ground up those trimmings. The ground meat I did is notably better than the butchered stuff in taste. Partially the bacon ends and I'm sure much in part due to cross contamination with other folks meat. The butcher actually said he normally doesn't see trimmed meat as clean as we brought in (its not that hard to skin it back, trim meat and place it in a clean gamebag w/o dirt ever hitting it if you just get yourself a tad organized). It wasn't my harvest to make the call on but I wouldn't want it likely mixed in with everyone elses then...

 

[leadsled9]

pods8 hit the nail on the head.

There is one really big problem having game meat butchered professionally. I speak from experience as I was a meat cutter for about 7 years when I was a young man.

If a hunter takes really good care of his game meat....that is to say he gets it cooled out quickly and keeps the dirt and flies off of the meat....it will taste much better....with no "wild" taste. The problem with dropping it off at the butcher for processing is you may not get YOUR meat back.

Butcher shops process 6 or 7 game animals at one time....they have to in order to make a profit. So, you may get your correct amount of meat back...but there is no guarantee you will get YOUR meat back. You may get back someone elses meat and they didn't get it cooled as quickly or may have contaminated the meat with poor field care.

I think every hunter should learn how to process his own kills...there are plenty of dvd's out there now showing how to do it.

Years ago I purchased my own grinder from Cabelas....and it has come in real handy. I add 10% beef fat to my grind which produces GREAT elk burger.

I'll have to give pods8 idea of bacon ends a try. Sounds great.

 

[ski3pin]

Well, being an ex-hunter, I'm enjoying reading about your style and ethics. This thread started with venison but once you've tasted elk done right, ah it brings out the carnivore in me! Beef just seems to get worse and worse every year. I'm starting to look for locally grown beef where you can get it from the rancher and of course grass fed.

 

[Gormley Green]

Thank you for all the kudos, it means a lot. Well today I could barely pull my socks on. I guess the adrenaline allowed me to over exert myself. I'm hurting!. Great learning experience, hunt with a buddy or choose a smaller deer or a better location! I'm proud of what I accomplished solo though.

He went to a very reputable butcher this morning, who I'm assured does not mix and match animals. So I am confident I will be eating my deer. Butchering my own animal is something I'd like to get into, but will need some guidance. So perhaps next season.

Thankfully my neighbour was up at dawn this morning to help me load him back into the truck, I don't think I had it in me!

 

[Gormley Green]

As far as elk, for the first time in a long time there was a limited entry hunt here in Squamish for the reintroduced population. I will enter the draw next year with a group and see if we can get a tag. Otherwise, not out of the question to take a short drive elsewhere in BC where I am assured a tag. I do love the taste of elk meat!

 

[leadsled9]

You should learn how to bone out your game in the field....then you'll have smaller loads that you can handle without killing yourself.

Here's a video of how to do it on an elk. It's exactly the same for a deer only the pieces are smaller.

The added benfit is you never have to gut an animal again.

http://elk101.com/webisodes/gutless-video/

 

[craig333]

Interesting, had no idea you could do that.

 

[pods8]

I'll have to watch your link when I get a chance, I like watching all kinds of techniques and take the aspects I like from each for my use (kinda like poaching ideas from various recipes). I have video from the Alaska fish and wildlife on gutless as well, I like the idea and its where I want to get to eventually but didn't want to try it out my first round since I wanted to get a better feel for the anatomy, esp. around the pelvis, to make sure I didn't nic any guts.

Gormley, not sure what it'd take to send a small package over to BC but I've got a few videos on field care and also butchering if you were interested, again glean the aspects you like from many resources.

 

[pods8]

Okay watching the video now sounded better that other things. Good video overall.

Those Alaskan cheesecloth type game bags they were mentioning (and likely sponsored by) suck. Too largo of holes in them to keep meat clean and they aren't super strong either/can tear. So far I've had experience with those, large pillow cases, and old school canvas bags. I quickly realized the cheese cloth ones suck, the large pillow cases were too small for large elk rear quarters (worked okay for trim meat), old school canvas ones held up well but are bulky/heavy. After I got my hands dirty so to speak with those experiences I decided I needed some better game bags (the large pillow cases were mine), I opted to try out some synthetic based ones (from Caribou Gear). They seem strong, should dry quickly compared to canvas and are lighter/more compact. Proof will be in the pudding when I get to try them out.

Main other thing I noticed they didn't mention in that one is when they are done getting all the meat off you can also go into the rib cage above the diaphragm to grab the heart and any other organ meat you may be interested in.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Mr.Green and all members who added comments,I can see that you have hunted in a responsible,way and I feel that is the way hunting should be.I like Ski was a hunter,bird,hog even deer here in the Salinas Valley area.That was a long time ago and for various reasons I am no longer a hunter.I enjoy hearing of hunts like Gromleys and others where the animal was respected and not just for the "rack".I now "hunt" with my camera.
Again thanks for all the stories in this thread.Boy the elk meat sure looks and sounds good.That is a good looking black tail Mr.G.
Frank

 

[Jamesiam]

I like the self portrait as well! The rough terrain of snow and branches, the fog swirling in the air, came out nice.