day 52
Today was butchering day. This doe was changing coats from summer coat to winter coat, so there was hair everywhere. The other thing that made this deer different from the first one was the fact that she was so damn bloody over two thirds of her body. It was like one big hematoma.
When I went back to look for my knife yesterday I sort of kicked through the gut pile to look at the heart (yeah, I know, Path Walker would pickle the thing. I was in too big a hurry the other night). The heart was basically okay, except that slug cut off the top of the heart right at the aorta. This deer bled out internally, and basically the neck was a mess, plus there was hematoma under the hide on both sides of her chest.
Which was unfortunate, because unlike the doe a month ago, this one had a fair amount of muscle in the brisket and the flanks. But the whole thing was such a slimy gooey mess that I ended up scrapping quite a bit of meat that would have been edible with a different shot location. I plan on asking around this fall to see what others' experience is with the different kinds of bullet wounds that folks see.
Anyway. Got the hide off and the limbs off in about 2 hours. Took a break for lunch, then another 2-3 hours to debone the legs. Washing each piece of meat of the slime and congealed blood is what took the most time. Sorry to sound so gory about it, but this deer was really very different than the other one. Good argument for neck shots, I'd say.
Anyway. Tomorrow is a work day, but with luck I'll be able to cut up some steaks in the afternoon and maybe do some grinding. Quite a bit of hamburger is coming out of this one.
That's confessions of a deer sniper.
When I went back to look for my knife yesterday I sort of kicked through the gut pile to look at the heart (yeah, I know, Path Walker would pickle the thing. I was in too big a hurry the other night). The heart was basically okay, except that slug cut off the top of the heart right at the aorta. This deer bled out internally, and basically the neck was a mess, plus there was hematoma under the hide on both sides of her chest.
Which was unfortunate, because unlike the doe a month ago, this one had a fair amount of muscle in the brisket and the flanks. But the whole thing was such a slimy gooey mess that I ended up scrapping quite a bit of meat that would have been edible with a different shot location. I plan on asking around this fall to see what others' experience is with the different kinds of bullet wounds that folks see.
Anyway. Got the hide off and the limbs off in about 2 hours. Took a break for lunch, then another 2-3 hours to debone the legs. Washing each piece of meat of the slime and congealed blood is what took the most time. Sorry to sound so gory about it, but this deer was really very different than the other one. Good argument for neck shots, I'd say.
Anyway. Tomorrow is a work day, but with luck I'll be able to cut up some steaks in the afternoon and maybe do some grinding. Quite a bit of hamburger is coming out of this one.
That's confessions of a deer sniper.
posted by Frank Zappai at 8/28/2006 08:11:00 PM
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