wild game butchering classes?

[heronblu]

Anyone know of any classes offered on the topic of butchering wild game? I'm new to hunting and want some instruction before I go out and hunt. I've read plenty of books on it, and there are plenty of videos on the web but nothing compares to the hands on experience. Thanks!

[DoubleJ]

As far as deer/elk go, best advice is to just get one and do it.  Sorry there isn't better instruction but, you kind of can't screw it up.  The more you do, the better you'll get at it.  Worst you could do is add meat to the burger pile if you mess up a cut.

[DoubleJ]

What season do you have tags for?

[Swannytheswan]

http://www.eckrich.org/

that site as bad as it is layed out will give you a start but really DoubleJ is right just get one and go to it. you'll figure out quick once you figure out what everything is and what it looks like in there. It really isn't hard at all just work.

[JimmyHoffa]

Maybe go ask a butcher shop if you can help out/observe for a cow being slaughtered.  But for some of the best butchering advice I've gotten is from a chef (might be more of the advanced class).  They know some seriously cool ways to slice and dice.

[Mudman]

Do you mean gutting and cutting in the field or cutting and wrapping your own meat? In the field just have confidence in yourself and get r done. Thats the best way to learn as already stated.  Cut/wrap is more technical maybe educate yourself some if youre not taking animal to butcher.  Or cut away and make burger.

[KopperBuck]

Butcher part is pretty easy really. Just follow the muscles. My fronts typically turn into burger or sausage, maybe some jerky. Get the rib meat out if it isn't too dry and burger it. Get the loins out along the spine (can use your fingers for a lot of this). And the backs turn into steaks, roasts, and jerky. Just separate muscles!

[jackmaster]

i know i offered to come and help cut up and show people how to harvest their game as long as i have time or you live close to where i can bomb over and give you a hand, its actually pretty easy, it can be scary when you first try it but the fact is you cant really mess it up, i always take the backstrap and loins out and that is simple follw the backbone from the base of thneck to the start of the ham and bck up olong the rib cage and the same for the loin which is inside above the pelvis on the inside of the back, the rest is just seperating muscle groups and deciding what you want for steaks and grind meat, i dont do any roasts but roast are just muscle groups on the hams and shoulders, if you want some help hit me up when you kill a critter, i dont drink but i will only charge a half gallon of absolute vodka, guy has to have that type of stuff around incase someone wants a drink when they come over or good whiskey, and i aint talkn about blackvelvet 

[heronblu]

Thanks for the info all! Ive got a tag for this upcoming season and will probably just go for it (assuming I get anything)!

[oldcamper]

Remember how it cuts isn't as important as how you cook it.  Just my opinion though 

[wildweeds]

If my grandad was still alive,he'd be more than happy to help you out,he had a slaughterhouse for 50 years,I got some lessons and by some I mean at least a dozen or more and lemme tell you this,the knife went so fast it was hard to remember it all.I can do it but can't give the specific name of each cut.As has been suggested get one and have at it.Key component....................... CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN.If your close to the truck................. drag the animal to the truck with the guts in it.If your close to the truck and really close to camp or the house........... dump the guts out after you got it hung.If your somewhat close to the truck dump just the guts and remove everything else back at camp. Temperature is everything if it's hot out get it all out and propped open with a stick.If you've never dressed one be prepared your going to have blood from head to toe,I been there.My uncle of course was a butcher as well and he can dress one and have but just a touch of blood on one finger,theres a lot than can be said for killing 100+ cows a day for 50 years.
THERE is NOTHING WORSE than trying to clean up dirty meat with a knife,lot's of waste.My roomate from years ago was so enamored with my T-Bone deer steaks.Also as Granpa used to tell me..........." No need to hang game meat,they have no marbleing  and the fat they have is not conducive to flavor.

Anyone know of any classes offered on the topic of butchering wild game? I'm new to hunting and want some instruction before I go out and hunt. I've read plenty of books on it, and there are plenty of videos on the web but nothing compares to the hands on experience. Thanks!

[butcher98951]

We are willing to help out anyone that wants to learn, we have owned our own Slaughter house, and custom meat shop for years. If you want to travel here or if not to far from me i will travel, Willing to teach anyone the basics of sausage and jerky making to.

Keep it Cool
Keep it Clean

[DoubleJ]

If my grandad was still alive,he'd be more than happy to help you out,he had a slaughterhouse for 50 years,I got some lessons and by some I mean at least a dozen or more and lemme tell you this,the knife went so fast it was hard to remember it all.I can do it but can't give the specific name of each cut.As has been suggested get one and have at it.Key component....................... CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN.If your close to the truck................. drag the animal to the truck with the guts in it.If your close to the truck and really close to camp or the house........... dump the guts out after you got it hung.If your somewhat close to the truck dump just the guts and remove everything else back at camp. Temperature is everything if it's hot out get it all out and propped open with a stick.If you've never dressed one be prepared your going to have blood from head to toe,I been there.My uncle of course was a butcher as well and he can dress one and have but just a touch of blood on one finger,theres a lot than can be said for killing 100+ cows a day for 50 years.
THERE is NOTHING WORSE than trying to clean up dirty meat with a knife,lot's of waste.My roomate from years ago was so enamored with my T-Bone deer steaks.Also as Granpa used to tell me..........." No need to hang game meat,they have no marbleing  and the fat they have is not conducive to flavor.

Anyone know of any classes offered on the topic of butchering wild game? I'm new to hunting and want some instruction before I go out and hunt. I've read plenty of books on it, and there are plenty of videos on the web but nothing compares to the hands on experience. Thanks!

Hanging game meat has nothing to do with fat

http://www.fieldandstream.com/articles/other/recipes/2006/01/deer-hang-time

[PA BEN]

I've been hanging and cutting up deer for 37 years. It's all my family ate for meat. Back in the day I would hang for a week or two. Now I just hang no more then 4 days. That long because I'm hunting with my kids or friends. Your deer or what ever needs to go through rigor mortis before you cut it up that's all. About 36 hrs.

First, the muscles go into rigor mortis, a stiffening lasting at most 24 hours. Butchering a deer during rigor mortis is one of the worst things you can do. It can cause a phenomenon called shortening, where the muscles contract and remain tougher than if butchering took place a day later.

[Camp David]

Good Stuff!