Hard work

[Bodhi]

Well, a few days ago I finally plucked up the courage to have a go at a roadkill deer.

My first piece of advice is don't, on your first time, try to process the thing in the dark!

There was some comedy gold in the one man, two trees, a rope and a deer sketch.

Eventually it was decided by fate that the deer would be gutted on the ground. Piece of advice number two- just because you have gutted a rabbit and the stuff is largely the same be prepared to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount..it keeps a comin..ewwwwwww.

Skinning the deer in one piece.........hard bloody work. It just doesn't look like it should be!

Anyway tomorrow I shall salt the skin and see how a few days of hanging is smelling for the carcass.....

Ho hum...gotta respect the people of the past that had to do this stuff and similar to live.

best wishes

Rich

 

[Harvestman]

That sounds like a biggish job for one person, especially for a first time.

I had enough trouble with the 5 pheasants I was given the other day!

 

[Bodhi]

Yes, it certainly was. Glad I didn't know how big, otherwise I probably wouldnt have tried!

What did you do with your pheasants?

 

[Harvestman]

5 carcasses went into a stew, jointed the rest, as at least one of them was a bit battered. Diced the worst of the breasts, kept the others. Still on the stew (and still picking out little bones!), so haven't got around to the rest yet, but I imagine a bit of camp cooking could be on the agenda sometime soon.

 

[lannyman8]

ROFL......

they look easy..

 

[dwardo]

Sorry to thread hijack but I did a few pheasant last weekend too. I usually just go in though the front and remove the breast meat and leg meat. I while back i saw a youtube clip where the guy stands on the wings, pulls the legs and voila he is left with just breasts n wings. This is the third time i tried this with disasterous results , anyone else had this work ?
Would not like to take a on a full deer so respect due..

PS i did the breasts in wrapped in bacon, cooked slow in cider with a creme freche and cider sauce. Wasnt that nice to be honest

 

[Bodhi]

Hi all

Bone picking is one of the things I hate so I generally just pull the wings and the legs off and throw the rest.

I haven't tried the yanking technique, as slicing off the breasts and then breaking the legs and cutting through them is quick anyway.

Covering them in butter and wrapping bacon around them was lovely IMO..what went wrong with yours?

Well the deer carcass smells awful...I'm sure I'm not really a game meat lover! The smell doesn't seem to want to go away (probably just psychological but this butchering lark could turn someone neurotic lol). The skin was covered in mouse poo, which I had to clean off before salting.

All in all an unpleasant job

Rich

 

[nuggets]

what kind of deer was it ???

 

[Bodhi]

A roe thank goodness...Imagine trying to do a red in the dark on the ground for the first one!

 

[R.Lewis]

I've only ever done a Muntjac, that took long enough!

 

[spandit]

There's a dead stag in a field near me - swarming with maggots - so only fit for Bear Grylls. I see someone has already sawn the antlers off (which is fair enough)

 

[havocsdad]

I did some pheasants the other day , to be honest I've done so many now it takes me about 20 mins a bird thats plucking and drawing as I do like them roasted. on little tip I've found is when you draw the innards if you slit the vent wider and then push down on the bird they push out quite nicely to get a grip on and pull out the rest.
I did one for a colleague's son who is 8 the other day as he had never had game, I gave him the cock's tail feathers and he proudly took them to school to show every one and that a freind of his dad had shot it and his dad was going to cook it. The usual remarks from teachers and pupils alike followed and his answer was , well Bear Grylls would eat it and with that most of the kids wanted to have a look and try some

 

[yomperalex]

I was recently told of a new (at least for me) techniique for phesants:

stand on the wings and pull the feet good and hard - am looking forward to trying

http://www.gamebirdhunts.com/Resources/HowtoFieldDressaPheasant/tabid/352/Default.aspx

Alex

 

[havocsdad]

dont like that, looks a bit disreptful to me but I like traditional ways

 

[Bodhi]

The muntjacs are south are they not?

lol@maggots. I have heard that some country folk reckon a pheasant has hung long enough when the first maggot falls out of it!

Ah, just mention the name Grylls eh? My name for my future Tv career will be Tick Simmers.......

Yes, that technique was mentioned earlier. I have never found it took long just to cut the legs and wings off though.

Cheers all

Rich

 

[DavidJT]

Good on you for having a go, and for being honest about the experience. I'd like to do a course to learn how to do a deer properly, but as you say non of it is ever going to be that pleasant.

 

[Harvestman]

For what it is worth, I diodn't really pluck those phesants, just pulled the skin off and jointed them. Result isn't really roastable, but makes a meal anyway.

 

[dwardo]

I was recently told of a new (at least for me) techniique for phesants:

stand on the wings and pull the feet good and hard - am looking forward to trying

http://www.gamebirdhunts.com/Resources/HowtoFieldDressaPheasant/tabid/352/Default.aspx

Alex

Thats what i tried several time just didnt happen. Bodhi, the cider and cream sauce just didnt work together and the amount of cider it said to use for the roasting almost broiled the meat and bacon. Defo a red wine based thing next.

 

[udamiano]

Well-done for giving it ago

I can remember the first time I did a deer, and I remember thinking the same about all the guts and organs (I now know why the other guy wore wellies !!)

Save and dry the sinew from the legs, really useful stuff. good luck with the hide, I didn't do that myself, i gave it to someone who had the experience.

We ended up slow roasting the whole deer (Minus legs, and head) over a fire on a spit, lots of bread and beer....that was a great weekend

 

[TeeDee]

Good on you for having a go, and for being honest about the experience. I'd like to do a course to learn how to do a deer properly, but as you say non of it is ever going to be that pleasant.

http://www.wilderness-survival.co.uk/deer-in-a-day

You do get to go home with all the deer you butcher so quite a good deal I think.