Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: follow maggie on November 22, 2022, 04:57:19 PM

Title: Filled my tag
Post by: follow maggie on November 22, 2022, 04:57:19 PM: Rifle season here ended Sunday, & I shot this doe right before dark on Saturday. The land I had permission to hunt was inaccessible because of drifting snow, but a farmer I know a little gave me permission to hunt his land, where I found this huge doe. I’m pretty excited because it’s the first animal other than birds that I’ve been able to shoot since before I got cancer, and it’s the biggest deer I’ve ever shot! Fully dressed & 100% ready for cutting & wrapping, she’s still over 110 lbs. My scale goes to 110 so I don’t know what the hanging weight is. I’m also butchering it myself, for the first time ever. In the picture, the feet are touching the ground.
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: Pathfinder101 on November 22, 2022, 05:10:11 PM: Nothing better than butchering your own. IMHO most meat processers throw too much of my deer away, so I like to do my own cutting. Looks like you're going into winter with a full freezer. :tup: Congrats!
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: follow maggie on November 23, 2022, 04:50:16 PM: It’s pretty rewarding. I know none of its being wasted. Some of my cuts are on be rough side, but as I do more, I’ll get better at it. Saving a ton of money over the butcher!
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: dvolmer on November 23, 2022, 05:12:29 PM: Will be a great eater for sure!!! Congrats!
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: C-Money on November 23, 2022, 05:30:41 PM: Congrats!! Nice deer!! We truly prefer to butcher our own...
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: Gettin Birdie on November 23, 2022, 06:59:32 PM: Congrats! Pro tip (what we do anyways :chuckle:) I like to waste as least as possible... Any extras, scraps, things you'd toss, keep and dehydrate (oven, smoker, grill, whatever you have) and make dog treats, your new hunting buddy will love them! Been doing it for years with our deer and our huntin' dogs love it! Vac seal extras or cut n wrap into whatever package size you'd prefer! Good luck, nice deer!
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: Caseknife on November 23, 2022, 07:43:11 PM: Quote from: Gettin Birdie on November 23, 2022, 06:59:32 PM
Congrats! Pro tip (what we do anyways :chuckle:) I like to waste as least as possible... Any extras, scraps, things you'd toss, keep and dehydrate (oven, smoker, grill, whatever you have) and make dog treats, your new hunting buddy will love them! Been doing it for years with our deer and our huntin' dogs love it! Vac seal extras or cut n wrap into whatever package size you'd prefer! Good luck, nice deer!

That reminds me that when I was a kid, Mom would always cook up all the scraps and freeze it in quart containers to feed our cats and dogs. Kind of had an odd smell when it was cooking due to the bloody scraps, but our pets sure liked it. Also kept all the fat scraps to feed the birds in the winter.
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: follow maggie on November 24, 2022, 09:48:34 AM: Quote from: Gettin Birdie on November 23, 2022, 06:59:32 PM
Congrats! Pro tip (what we do anyways :chuckle:) I like to waste as least as possible... Any extras, scraps, things you'd toss, keep and dehydrate (oven, smoker, grill, whatever you have) and make dog treats, your new hunting buddy will love them! Been doing it for years with our deer and our huntin' dogs love it! Vac seal extras or cut n wrap into whatever package size you'd prefer! Good luck, nice deer!

That’s a great idea!
Title: Re: Filled my tag
Post by: follow maggie on November 24, 2022, 09:53:42 AM: Finished getting everything cut off the carcass this morning into individual chunks. Tomorrow I just have to decide on portion size, vacuum seal & put in the freezer. I’m going to vacuum seal 1/2 & wrap 1/2 w/ cling wrap & paper & see which I like better.

For my first time I think it’s coming out good. Definitely some mistakes made, but it’ll still taste good. It’s a nice feeling doing it all myself.