Bambi whacking thread 2020-2021

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  • lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Hoping to get out this evening. Going to attempt butchering myself this year, much to the wife's dismay, lol.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

    Yeah mine is not thrilled about it. I am waiting till a bit later in the season. Less time pressure/concern about getting it done fast. I can get the quarters in to my basement fridge and vacuum seal the back straps, but I'd also like to be able to go for the neck and rib meat without wasting that (grind it).

    I think I know what I am doing well enough I could probably get it quartered and backstraps off in less than an hour (hell, might be faster). But again, first time, I don't want any time pressure. I'd rather do it when it is 50F (or colder) than 80F.

    So maybe an October or November deer.
     

    axshon

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    1,938
    Howard County
    Northern Baltimore County this morning. No luck and had to head home about 9:30 to put in some hours at the office. Very light rain and everything was wet so I couldn't hear them. I normally get a warning when they splash cross a stream but nothing today. When I came down, I creeped around the perimeter of the property and saw lots of sign. They seemed to be hunkering down in the little valleys and not hitting the hillside where my tree was. Going to scout again over the weekend and head about again early next week for a hunt-shower-work day.
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    Came up empty in round 1. 16yds and the arrow went right under her. I am very, very, very confident it was a clean miss. Zero blood. Arrow didn't deflect. Whole herd ran off. After some searching and much cussing, I pulled out my archery bag and said F it and put a mechanical broadhead in to it. It was low and left by about 6 inches at 18yds.

    WTF.

    Please don't take this the wrong way...but maybe more practice is needed? Last year I believe there were similar posts about missing deer also.
     

    axshon

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    1,938
    Howard County
    Yeah mine is not thrilled about it. I am waiting till a bit later in the season. Less time pressure/concern about getting it done fast. I can get the quarters in to my basement fridge and vacuum seal the back straps, but I'd also like to be able to go for the neck and rib meat without wasting that (grind it).

    I think I know what I am doing well enough I could probably get it quartered and backstraps off in less than an hour (hell, might be faster). But again, first time, I don't want any time pressure. I'd rather do it when it is 50F (or colder) than 80F.

    So maybe an October or November deer.

    My goal is at least 3 this year. 2 for my freezer and one to dice up and give away to folks at work.

    I do my own processing after a friend showed me the ropes. Sharpen the knives and get a rhythm going and it's no problem. Easy to cut yourself when your hands get cold. I usually seal up 1 lb bags so it's small enough for a lunch and a few of them can make a big stew.

    I also use a "WHARPH Premium Meat Tenderizer" from amazon. It has a bunch of little blades and I go nuts on every piece before I freeze it. I take my time skinning and use a few drop lights in the garage it so I don't get hair on the quarters before it goes to the basement for processing. I've had good luck with just about every recipe and also just fried in the skillet. I guess I'm doing it right so far...

    Also, neapolitan balsamic vinegar is great with a good venison steak. Just a few drops.

    Damn, now I'm hungry again and the freezer's empty...
     

    Ecestu

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2016
    1,451
    Yeah mine is not thrilled about it. I am waiting till a bit later in the season. Less time pressure/concern about getting it done fast. I can get the quarters in to my basement fridge and vacuum seal the back straps, but I'd also like to be able to go for the neck and rib meat without wasting that (grind it).

    I think I know what I am doing well enough I could probably get it quartered and backstraps off in less than an hour (hell, might be faster). But again, first time, I don't want any time pressure. I'd rather do it when it is 50F (or colder) than 80F.

    So maybe an October or November deer.

    You could always just skin and quarter it, then stick it in the fridge and pull out an individual piece to work on so you no longer have to worry about time.
     

    axshon

    Ultimate Member
    May 23, 2010
    1,938
    Howard County
    Please don't take this the wrong way...but maybe more practice is needed? Last year I believe there were similar posts about missing deer also.

    Yep, that's why I got rid of the compound bow. Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it. Embarrassing really. But, with my crossbow I can hit a 3 inch target out to 40 yards every time. I don't take shots past 40 yards without a firearm.
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    You could always just skin and quarter it, then stick it in the fridge and pull out an individual piece to work on so you no longer have to worry about time.

    That is what I do, quarter it or even cut into muscle groups stick in the fridge and work on it the follow day. Without a 2nd fridge, shooting a deer at dusk meant I was up till 11pm for sure including vacuum sealing. I'm too old for that anymore.
     

    Speed3

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 19, 2011
    7,816
    MD
    Yep, that's why I got rid of the compound bow. Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it. Embarrassing really. But, with my crossbow I can hit a 3 inch target out to 40 yards every time. I don't take shots past 40 yards without a firearm.

    There is nothing embarrassing about it...I'm a horrible pistol shot LOL. Crossbows are a gamechanger for sure, you don't have to draw, they shoot fast and flat. I now use a Xbow, but with a vertical I'd practice out to 45 yards, but wouldn't never really take a shot past 20 yards in the woods.

    40 yards in the woods is a LONG SHOT! Lots of little samplings that our eyes don't see until the bolt deflects off them.
     

    Ecestu

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2016
    1,451
    Hoping to get out this evening. Going to attempt butchering myself this year, much to the wife's dismay, lol.

    Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

    Good luck with that! I learned on YouTube. Seriously. The Bearded Butchers are an excellent starting point. This year I plan to grind most of the meat. I'm not really into roasts and steaks.

    If you have any questions, I'll be happy to attempt to answer and share my experiences!
     

    Ecestu

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2016
    1,451
    That is what I do, quarter it or even cut into muscle groups stick in the fridge and work on it the follow day. Without a 2nd fridge, shooting a deer at dusk meant I was up till 11pm for sure including vacuum sealing. I'm too old for that anymore.

    I bought a couple freezers, and turned one into a keg style cooler so I can just toss a deer in until the next day when I can butcher it. No more worrying about ice.
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    Butchering a deer is easy once you have the setup.

    One deer's fee at the processor and it's all paid for in my experience. $50 grinder works great on 3 deer a year, but not 20. Knives and cooler are already in your house. $25 hoist in the garage to skin it.

    Sure, it might be a tiny bit more tender if it hangs a week in a walk in, but most good processor shops are way too busy for that.
     

    Ecestu

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2016
    1,451
    Butchering a deer is easy once you have the setup.

    One deer's fee at the processor and it's all paid for in my experience. $50 grinder works great on 3 deer a year, but not 20. Knives and cooler are already in your house. $25 hoist in the garage to skin it.

    Sure, it might be a tiny bit more tender if it hangs a week in a walk in, but most good processor shops are way too busy for that.

    :beer:
    And it takes the same amount of time you would have spent dropping it off, picking it up, waiting in line, etc., from the butcher's shop. When I last used a butcher, they cut through the bone for every single cut and left the silver skin on, so I wound up processing the deer again to be able to eat it.
    Freezer paper and/or a vacuum sealer. And ziplocks. Easy peasy.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    Killing fawns - C'mon fellas, do you wanna' just give the Bambi-huggers ammo? That is an embarrassment to all fair chase hunters!

    Are you kidding? That's all I want to shoot. Put a nice fawn or yearling between 2 of the biggest 16 point bucks in the State and I will shoot the small one every time. Delicious.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Please don't take this the wrong way...but maybe more practice is needed? Last year I believe there were similar posts about missing deer also.

    I think more practice with the actual mechanical broadheads on that bow.

    I've taken 5 deer with those mechanical broadheads on a different crossbow and this morning was my first time missing a deer with a crossbow. I've also put scores of field points in to archery bags with the new crossbow and at least 150-200 with the old crossbow.

    Turns out it was the combo of those mechanical broadheads with that bow.

    I took my archery bag out about an hour ago and put one of the NAP Shockwaves in to it and just like this morning it was pretty far off the mark, but at 30yds it was bad. Still hit the bag (24" bag). Barely. I think they are deploying in flight.

    I then shot one of the NAP Shockwave CROSSBOW heads that I had one package of.

    That hit within 1.5" of my field points at 30yds. I replaced the O-ring and shot it 3 more times and same story. Between 1-1.5" off from my field points. For off hand accuracy that is just fine (and a couple of my field points hit within mm's of where the crossbow mechanicals were hitting).

    Not taking it the wrong way. Don't think I posted anything about missing deer last year since I didn't. I did hit a 5-pt far back and high (it didn't go far and died with a double kidney shot pretty quick). But I think honestly it wasn't me screwing up or him jumping (it was about a 40yd shot). Testing out the mechanical broadheads properly now, I think I had one of them deploy in flight and mess up the accuracy. Now with an even faster crossbow, they are for sure deploying in flight and I needed properly designed mechanicals for a crossbow.

    Which is true, I needed more practice. Or more like testing with the actual equipment I'd be using. Not simply trusting that it will function the same.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    :beer:
    And it takes the same amount of time you would have spent dropping it off, picking it up, waiting in line, etc., from the butcher's shop. When I last used a butcher, they cut through the bone for every single cut and left the silver skin on, so I wound up processing the deer again to be able to eat it.
    Freezer paper and/or a vacuum sealer. And ziplocks. Easy peasy.

    Oh, ick. I've had fantastic success with M&G up towards Westminster (they are basically at 32 and 97). $70 for basic cuts or $40 + the cost of product.

    They make awesome kielbasa and venison dogs. Plus their country sausage makes amazing breakfast paddies. Never had an issue not getting my deer back, nor with a poor quality cut.

    But I am cheap and I prefer to know exactly how it was done. So shall it be later this season.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Yep, that's why I got rid of the compound bow. Couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it. Embarrassing really. But, with my crossbow I can hit a 3 inch target out to 40 yards every time. I don't take shots past 40 yards without a firearm.

    That's about my accuracy with a crossbow. I try to keep it to 30ish. If I can help it much closer. Even with the fact that I mostly have an open meadow to shoot across (from my blind its 40yds to the edge of the meadow. From my garage window its 70yds).

    Well, my accuracy when my set is apparently working correctly. :innocent0
     

    StantonCree

    Watch your beer
    Jan 23, 2011
    23,932
    SE DC deer
     

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    AlphabetSoup

    Member
    Oct 28, 2019
    67
    Currently setup over some acorns and sign in my third tree of the day, but no deer to be found for me yet on public at BARC and Meade.

    Well unless you count the little buck hanging out in the BARC wildlife offices parking lot while we all got our permits - no joke.

    I did find the largest and thickest section of sticker bushes I've ever encountered today, so I know where to avoid at least.

    Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
     

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