Starvation Averted

Picked-up four processed deer today and moved what felt like a bazillion pounds of steaks, roasts, backstraps, burger and scraps to the basement.

The auxiliary freezer is filled to the brim and two additional grocery bags of venison apportioned among the remaining two freezers.

Yikes!

 

Hanging Your Sausage

 

Picked-up my processed deer yesterday.

Steaks, straps, burger, brats, polish and venison summer sausage. 

The butcher has some friendly advice:  That summer came out of the smoker just yesterday and we didn't wrap it in case you wanted to hang it for a few days.  Some people like it a bit drier.

Good advice.

And eve4rything in the garage now smells like garlic summer sausage.

Deer Camp

Yesterday morning my pals Sid and Lawyer stopped-by to load seven deer in the pickup truck and disassemble and store the meat pole in the granary. 

 

Two deer each were dropped-off at Marchant's Meats and Sausage and Door County Custom Meats for processing.  They will be broken down into delicious component pieces including smoked and fresh sausage.  We're going to cast our net a bit wider and send some of our business to local meat processors to take measure of their cutting and sausage-making skills.

 

The three remaining deer were donated to the Northeast Wisconsin Food Pantry network where resources have been seriously strained as a consequence of Covid’s economic damage.

 

 

 

Seven whitetails is an impressive showing for a whirlwind deer camp that spanned roughly forty-eight hours and came close to not even happening.

One of the things we've done for years is to hold out some of the kill for group communal use during Schützenfest and the following year's deer camp.  It is always good to grill-up some delicious deer loin for dinner.

 

 

You are what you eat. 

 

Eat more deer!

How to Dismantle a Deer

For anyone at their deer camp that is both a reader of this blog and fancies their self a homespun butcher this 20 minute video is one of the best 'DIY' explanations of how to butcher your kill.

An excellent demonstration on how to break down a deer carcass into boneless cuts, without the use of a saw.  Watch it and learn the tips and techniques on how to keep your meat clean, where to separate joints, and how to remove gristle and silver skin.  Take it from a guy that has cut-up more deer than he can count.

Bookmark it for future reference.

You can learn more and even order seasonings at:  https://www.beardedbutcherblend.com/

Friday Morning Butchering - Part 2

Jeff Pritzl and Wisconsin Conservation Congress Chair Larry Bonde give you PART 2 of a step-by-step look at how to butcher your deer.

Enjoy...

Fruits of the Hunt

Last Monday we dropped eight deer at Marchant's for processing.  Ordinarily we'd process them ourselves but circumstances left us shorthanded in the skinning and butchering department.  $75 for skinning, cutting and wrapping was a good solution to our shorthandedness.  Burger is extra.  We donated three of the deer to Wisconsin's local  Hunt For The Hungry program.  

Made a Marchant’s run today to pick up our deer. Two bushels of steaks chops and roasts, a couple of big boxes of burger, and four humongous bags of trimmings.  $395.

Add to that Six Deuce's bow killed deer and the freezers are at capacity. 

The processing costs spread among ten deer camp guys for six deer is $51 a person.

A fair dollar value.  I think.

For a boatload of organically-grown, free-range, hand-carved, all natural venison.

The December hunt is on deck....

Friday Morning Butchering - Part 1

Jeff Pritzl and Wisconsin Conservation Congress Chair Larry Bonde give you PART 1 of a step-by-step look at how to butcher your deer.

Enjoy...

Spring Turkey

Hey!

Spring turkey hunters.

Looky what I got.

click to enlarge

 

New sharp knives and a scale.

Now all we need are birds.

If you've received your postcard with your season draw you still need to purchase a license.  Do not forget.