on a car ride four miles from our house we found a dead fallow deer, he was still warm to the touch and his blood had not even coagulated. We had driven on the same road at seven the night before and he wasn't there then though we knew he had been killed this morning. An old farmer asked us if we planned on eating it and when I told him he said good because if we weren't he was! It had been hit in the head so all of the body and guts were intact and he was in great condition. I took him home and in one of the barns there are the remains of a potters kiln from a potter who lived here years ago. I hung him by his hind legs from that so he was suspended above the ground so I could work on him. Knives freshly sharpened I opened him up, I punctured his bowel a bit but I managed to get that out before it leaked on the Carcass and the rest came out fine. When remove his heart and lungs, his heart was still warm to the touch and it was a cold day at about 8 degrees so we really knew he was fresh. I didn't bother taking pictures of his entrails as they weren't particularly pretty viewing. Guts and all out I set about skinning him- unfortunately I had no means of preserving the hide so it had to go. It needed up in a few pieces rather than whole but there was one big bit that would've been good could I have tanned it. Then I set about removing the ribs and the shoulders, then the saddle and was left with the two hind legs (or haunches I believe they're called?) I cut the ends of the legs of - leaving the bits with useable meat on and I cleaned them up taking the sinew and unwanted bits off. I did the same to the shoulders and haunch to leave me with the lovely venison at the end. We probably got about 8-10 kilos of meat from him as he was only young but I count that as pretty good! He came out rather well- I'm no butcher but I did a decent job and I was dead chuffed that I got so much from him. The majority is now in the freezer and one leg in the fridge for a roast tomorrow. After gutting, skinning and butchering it I can say that I'm still a 100% meat eater! I've had a great day doing it and learnt a lot more about the animal in the process - and I've got loads of wild venison to eat! Anyhow - here are the pictures:
On our lawn when we got him home:
On our lawn when we got him home:
Last edited: