Hunting Forum

Breath deep... in... out... in... out... lol I doubt if you'll find anyone like what you intended to describe here. And most anything you post will generate differing opinions but nothing's meant by it... usually... ;-) I think most would agree with your opinion of guys like you describe.

I do have one question though... what the h*77 equipment does it take to butcher a deer? I use my chefs knifes.... When I'm done, I end up with steaks and stew meat.e I do have a grinder but we don't want the burger and if I do, I'll grind that when I want it. No roasts, 'cause we don't want 'em but I wouldn't need anything other than knives for that either. Well... a Tilia vacuum sealer is a necessity but otherwise... nothing

Considering that I've not taken a deer since opening day of 2009 I must not be a real deer hunter either

Mind you that it's not due to a lack of opportunity, it's been a matter of choice. Though it's nowhere near the feeling of taking a deer, the feeling of letting them walk is probably underestimated by those who don't have the opportunity to do so for whatever reason.

Like Ohiohunter, over the last several seasons I've targeted specific deer. Though not successful at it thus far, I find it to be a great deal of fun to do so. Also like Ohiohunter, the conditions that I'm hunting under allow me to hunt this way.

Steve, for most of the years that I've hunted there was no CWD scare, and all of our steaks had a bone in them so a good bone saw was part of our butchering tools. I had a friend who has since passed that refused to de-bone his venison, he believed, and I agree that leaving the bone in the steak enhances the flavor of the steak. In my early to mid 20's we knew a guy that used to have a butcher shop. When he closed his shop and retired he installed much of his equipment in his basement. He used to ruff process our deer for $10.00 apiece, it was just too easy to bring them to him for that price. There were bones in the steaks and the butterfly chops, we never carved out the backstraps, though the tenderloins were always long gone before he ever cut the chops

Yeah, I yearn or the days in NW PA when I had the luxury to hunt a very large tract of land with virtually no one else. If my Dad and I saw another hunter, we'd seen a lot. Back then I agree, fingering a certain deer was a huge amount of fun. It came down to how well each of you knew the woods and patterns. They'd win a lot having huge advantages in senses and they knew every freekin' limb in the forest. But I took my fair share too. Some of the best memories that I still think on is when they outsmarted me. I've seen them do some pretty amazing things.

Sadly, where I live now it's hunting pressure galore and that's just not an option.

And yes, I know guys who don't scout, shoot etc but get deer. I don't begrudge them but they don't go around bragging or rubbing it in others faces either. I agree - that's very bad manners and sportsmanship.

LD, for ten bucks? NFW I'd do it myself it the guy did a good job! I was raised on boning so I guess that's probably why that's what I do. If I were to want the bone in, I'd have a ban saw! lol As picky as I am, it takes me about an evening to do each quarter.

Steve, to answer one of your questions, I didn't so much mean tools as the stuff to process it with. As far as tools go all you really NEED is knives (as you said), a grinder if you want burger is just a preference as well, a stuffer attachment if you want sausage, somewhere to put it all to keep it from ruining especially if you don't have time to finish all in one night, a good light if it's dark, which it is most of the time for me. If you really wanted to do it "right" (in quotations as it would be my ideal way to do it) you could spend all the money of having a nice stainless steel sink, table, trays for the meat, an easy haning system (other than a rope tied to a gambrel hook tied to a truck, which is what I do) What I was mostly talking about is a vacuum sealer, the plastic you have to use with it, the sausage casings along with seasonings, beef fat for the burger (which I do want), which is almost impossible to find here unless you want to buy a 50 lb block. I would need a refrigerator during bow season since it's usually too hot to leave it outside, also too many ferrel dogs, too messy to hang in the garage, not enough room in the kitchen fridge, and I don't want to be up until midnight doing it all. But really yes, all you NEED is knives and a butt load of time.

ah well ya know bambi, I guess it does ad up huh? Kind of like that old thing that went around about saving $ heating with wood... lol

I stand corrected. (normal ;-) )

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You're right, it doesn't take much equipment to process a deer. The first deer I processed over 20 years ago all I had was my buck knife,  a regular crosscut hand saw,  and a borrowed KitchenAid mixer with a grinder attachment. Since then I've upgraded to an regular meat grinder, assortment of butcher knives, bone saw, meat tubs, sausage stuffer, electric meat slicer, and dehydrator. I was just referencing one of the comments directed at my initial post about how I shouldn't expect deer hunters to process their own deer because not everyone has the time or money to process their own deer. Just keep in mind some folks think that processing a deer means that they'll end up with sausage links, jerky, summer sausage, roasts, steaks, and burger because that's what they get back from the butcher when they take a deer in, so in their eyes to process their own deer they'll need all the equipment to do that. And like you stated, when you're done you end up with steaks and stew meat, and if you want burger you'll grind it as needed, well some people might want more and to get more they'll need more than a knife.

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Yep, kind of admitted that when replying to bambi...

I guess I should have added a bit of a caveat to my above post.

There was a 10 year period where I did fit at least a couple of the category's that Ohiohunter describes. In my childhood, as well as today I had/have 1000's of acres to hunt were I rarely see any sign of other hunters, much less the hunters themselves. There's one area I hunt if conditions are right that I've only found sign of another hunter once since 1997.

That said, from 1987 to 97 I hunted public land exclusively. In those days I was an "if it's brown it's down hunter" and plenty of brown did go down. Also in those days I wasn't afraid to spout off about my success. But... I wasn't a one or two weeks in the woods kind of guy. I spent 100's of hours every Fall scouting two areas that was comprised of 6 to 7 thousand acres. It was the one or two weeks a year guys that I used to spout off too, as most of them were unsuccessful.

Steve, the guy was exceptionally good, and very efficient. We could bring him 4 or 5 skinned deer, and we would be on our way home in less than an hour, a fair share of which we spent BS'ing with him, he liked our hunting crew. During the time he cut up our deer was the only time I've ever had good neck steaks. I've actually looked at 3 or 4 band saws over the years since we've moved into our current home, but for the most part I hunt alone these days so the volume of deer never seemed to justify the expense so I've passed on them. I do have a good grinder, with all the sausage attachments, as well as a good vacuum sealer. I also have plenty of good knives, as well as 2 hand bone saws, pretty much works for me 

I'm primarily a meat hunter that likes horns, too. I focus on meat, early and late season, while looking for horns during the rut. On my properties, I TRY to take only mature animals....depending on the freezer situation and the occassional itchy trigger finger. I get a HUGE rush from it, whether buck or doe! I will cull a buck that I think is inferior.....or if it's the first legal buck that comes in front of me and my 6 y/o (after 4 years of hunting together)with him begging me to 'Shoot him, dad'!LOL! With that said, I have 60 acres in one spot, that borders public woods and a 40 acre clear cut in another county that is surrounded by 'brown and down' hunters. So, if I get a good rack, then it is extra special, to me.
When I was growing up, we processed all out own meat, but I use a processor now, due to time and storage constraints (as do many others). I will say that I do use my 4 wheeler to pull the hide off all the deer I'm not gonna mount and a reciprocating saw with a combo blade, makes fast work of bone cuts. I can get one from the four wheeler rack, to quartered and bagged in about 30 mins.
This may seem petty to some, but I have just about every single set of horns I've ever taken, mounted in some fashion, and on the wall. Just my own little bit of honoring the animal, the hunt and sparking the memory of that hunt when I look at 'em.

Nice post Ohiohunter. I got your point and I agree with you. I have to hunt a lot different than you do and pretty much have to shoot whatever I can. Thank you for not calling ME a non-real hunter. Your methods and your ways are what works for YOU and NO ONE should knock you for that. I admire your rule about processing yourself. I think that is a good way to teach folks how to truly live off the land. And not much more is needed than a couple of good sharp knives. Keep up the good work, welcome to the boards, and congratulations on a fine buck. That is truly a trophy.
Btw, I'm a meat hunter, and I want the meat however (leagally) I can get it. I heard Jase Robertson off of Duck Dynasty speak one time and he was talking about killing ducks in a "sportsman" like manner. So many people say you have to cut 'em as they fly down. He said that the duck shot while sitting in the water, tastes JUST AS GOOD as the ones that come flying in! Lol! Point in case, the doe that I stumbled up on tastes just as good as the buck I had been stalking all year. Well...actually.... she probably tastes better........

a Tilia vacuum sealer is a necessity but otherwise... nothing

Ooohhh nnoooo! you have to have a cuber!...lol

Here is another point of view to consider. There are folks out there like me who are lucky to get a full week to hunt during the year. Being in the Army, my leave dates are mission dependent and at the discretion of the CDR. This year has been a great exception. I got to take a full week for elk hunting, another week deer hunting in TX and a weekend for my first bird hunt. My point is that this was like the lottery for me. The key to hunting in my mind is that everyone's circumstances are different and their desires different. I love to see big antlers but I am most interested in being in the woods and then filling the freezer. As for processing, deer is one thing but elk this year about killed me. My partner and I processed to full elk in two days and I could barely move for several days. That is a WHOLE other ballgame and I will pay for that one next time Here are some pics of this year...
http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac118/lawrenceborn/GEDC05782_zpsf3114f9e.jpg

http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac118/lawrenceborn/Antlermount2.jpg

http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac118/lawrenceborn/GEDC0530.jpg

And the survey says?........aaaaaant.......didn't work SFC B?

Here's SFC B's pics.

Thanks for pulling those out L-dog. I have been having trouble uploading so I have been putting in the links.

Not a problem SFC B, it seems as though most have a problem using this sites tools for posting pics(I know that I do, it usually comes down to sizing the pics) and since your links didn't hyperlink I used one of the other tricks I have up my sleeve

We are running on tight budget, so we butcher deer ourselves. I skin and quarter and bring in pieces as I go, while the wife cuts it up and ziplocks the pieces. Nothin' fancy. If we want meat ground I let it thaw a little, just til a little flexible but still frozen chunk it up and into a food processor a little at a time then mix it with a little burger. So grind when I need it and the rest left as roasts, and chunks pulled out and cut and cooked as we go. Nothing special, or expensive. Anything like sausages are not that important for me to spend extra on. The processing isn't expensive or hard just depends on how in depth you go and how fancy you get with it. We don't have a grinder or sausage stuffer or saws, just knives and a food processor. The rest is just excuses for not wanting to or maybe just not "needing" to do it with out all the fancy equipment. I'm a meat hunter, I have nothing against hunting for trophies, would love to have some nice antlers on the wall, but I go out for a little extra meat and the enjoyment of being in the trees, I don't need it to survive but does help out the meat bill if I put it in the freezer myself.

I don't worry about whether other people think I'm a real hunter. I just smile at those who spend way more than me and look at what I do and say, "That's not hunting" and those who spend way less than me and look at what I do and say "That's not hunting." I'm having a good time trying to get in front of the deer that I target and sending them to freezer camp. Everybody wants to measure success by the way they do things. That's okay for their success, but I'll decide what's okay for mine.