2018-19 Bambi Whacking

[slowpoke]

Not my deer, but my 14 year old son’s. That’s even better, has I’d rather him, or any kid for that matter, harvest a deer than I. He took this deer, this past Sunday, at his grandfather’s woodlot. He and I don’t normally hunt there during rifle season, mostly only during muzzleloader. Saturday’s rain basically had us flooded out on the farm we were going to hunt, so we changed plans. He’s sure glad we did! One shot kill, he didn’t go 30 yards. I’m a very proud father. He was using his much loved Savage Axis in 243.

He looks so excited. congrats.

 

[slowpoke]

Filled the gator today. Freezers full and we still need to take some more deer off of the property

Bigly harvest. Yum yum. congrats!

 

[outrider58]

Got this guy on Thanksgiving in VA

That's an older looking deer. Good one to take out of the herd, either way. Nice work.

 

[wilcam47]

He was big. Can’t believe his rack was so small. I had my choice between him, a small buck with him, and 7 doe off to my right.

I’m guessing two years old or so.

could be on the decline, bad genes, or not very good food source. The teeth are the best way to tell how old.
https://www.buckmanager.com/2007/01/19/age-determination-using-jaw-bones/

 

[wilcam47]

Congrats to all the successful hunters/huntress !

 

[d33rhunt3r]

I just realized today that I won't be here next week for the last days of gun season until January. I'm annoyed slightly.

Good luck to the rest of you!



Sidenote, does anyone watch LunkersTV on YouTube. He has a GIGANTIC deer with drop tines and everything on his game cams. Wishful thinking hoping it would be in my yard

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[outrider58]

I just realized today that I won't be here next week for the last days of gun season until January. I'm annoyed slightly.

Good luck to the rest of you!



Sidenote, does anyone watch LunkersTV on YouTube. He has a GIGANTIC deer with drop tines and everything on his game cams. Wishful thinking hoping it would be in my yard

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Well that kinda sucks, don't it.

 

[d33rhunt3r]

Well that kinda sucks, don't it.

Only kinda cuz I'll be in Israel

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[lazarus]

Pretty sure I am doing Greenridge again this year for the last two of early gun season. The processors I can drop one off at are 1:15+ from my house, which makes a crappy round trip. So *deep breath* I was looking at the refs and so long as I call it in and get a confirmation number first I can quarter the deer in the field and take the quarters home.

I am thinking I am going to give it a shot if I get lucky. My wife has shockingly okayed this. In fact she told me I’d be “f-ing stupid if you don’t”. Watching a couple of YouTube videos it looks surprisingly easy.

That said, so did/does field dressing a deer and it has taken me 6 deer before I am finally at a point where I’d consider myself “pretty good”. I think my 5-pt only took me about 7-8 minutes once I got started (and it was a big 5-pt) and I didn’t hack at it much. Beats the piss out of the nearly 45 minutes it took with my first deer.

So anyway, recommendations on a good quartering knife? Also I assume the same knife would be good for slicing up the quarters later for some steaks and making ground? The wife has okayed getting a grinder also. Starting with just the kitchen aid attachment grinder. Yes I know a dedicated one would work much better, but baby steps here. We just got back the 23 chickens we took to slaughter (half are our neighbors), so she is also thinking of making some ground chicken to save freezer space.

I was watching this video, that pretty much how to go about it? I assume of course later any bloodshot meat gets cut out? Since my cooler isn’t exactly the largest and Greenridge is about 2 hours from my house I plan to ice the quarters for the drive home. If they are too big, suggestions on trimming them? Just cut around the lower leg and snap the bone? Or use a small hatchet after trimming around the lower part of the leg? I know the CWD refs suggest not cutting through ANY bone, but I would plan to only use the meat a few inches higher up.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y_8WO0Bx4dA

Other thought is just tarp the quarters and toss a bag of ice in among them. Not like the forecast is for warm weather next weekend nor is it a multi day drive.

Should I get some game bags to carry it out and keep from getting dirt and leaves and crap on them (thinking more for the backstraps)? Suggestions on some decent deer sized game bags?

 

[outrider58]

Pretty sure I am doing Greenridge again this year for the last two of early gun season. The processors I can drop one off at are 1:15+ from my house, which makes a crappy round trip. So *deep breath* I was looking at the refs and so long as I call it in and get a confirmation number first I can quarter the deer in the field and take the quarters home.

I am thinking I am going to give it a shot if I get lucky. My wife has shockingly okayed this. In fact she told me I’d be “f-ing stupid if you don’t”. Watching a couple of YouTube videos it looks surprisingly easy.

That said, so did/does field dressing a deer and it has taken me 6 deer before I am finally at a point where I’d consider myself “pretty good”. I think my 5-pt only took me about 7-8 minutes once I got started (and it was a big 5-pt) and I didn’t hack at it much. Beats the piss out of the nearly 45 minutes it took with my first deer.

So anyway, recommendations on a good quartering knife? Also I assume the same knife would be good for slicing up the quarters later for some steaks and making ground? The wife has okayed getting a grinder also. Starting with just the kitchen aid attachment grinder. Yes I know a dedicated one would work much better, but baby steps here. We just got back the 23 chickens we took to slaughter (half are our neighbors), so she is also thinking of making some ground chicken to save freezer space.

I was watching this video, that pretty much how to go about it? I assume of course later any bloodshot meat gets cut out? Since my cooler isn’t exactly the largest and Greenridge is about 2 hours from my house I plan to ice the quarters for the drive home. If they are too big, suggestions on trimming them? Just cut around the lower leg and snap the bone? Or use a small hatchet after trimming around the lower part of the leg? I know the CWD refs suggest not cutting through ANY bone, but I would plan to only use the meat a few inches higher up.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y_8WO0Bx4dA

Other thought is just tarp the quarters and toss a bag of ice in among them. Not like the forecast is for warm weather next weekend nor is it a multi day drive.

Should I get some game bags to carry it out and keep from getting dirt and leaves and crap on them (thinking more for the backstraps)? Suggestions on some decent deer sized game bags?

Definitely get some game bags. Old pillow cases will do in a pinch. I've thought about this too after reading it was now permissible to do so. I'm getting too old(bad knees) to drag deer and carts don't work well in rugged terrain.

 

[engineerbrian]

After 2.5 months of sitting in a tree every chance i could i finally shot 2 deer this morning.

Pics coming later

 

[lazarus]

After 2.5 months of sitting in a tree every chance i could i finally shot 2 deer this morning.

Pics coming later

Nice!

 

[outrider58]

After 2.5 months of sitting in a tree every chance i could i finally shot 2 deer this morning.

Pics coming later

Congrats Brian! Can't wait to see the pics.

 

[lazarus]

Oh follow on quartering question. A few videos guys skin out the whole deer first. They are generally keeping the cape, which I wouldn’t plan to do. Is it easier to skin the quarters before removing? Or later when I am going to butcher the quarters back at my place?

I also watched a couple more videos and most guys seem to remove the lower parts of the legs before detaching the legs from the torso. Easy enough to do with a knife cutting around it and popping the joints apart with brute strength? Or does the bone really need to be sawed or cut? Thinking in terms of making them smaller if going in my cooler.

 

[lazarus]

Definitely get some game bags. Old pillow cases will do in a pinch. I've thought about this too after reading it was now permissible to do so. I'm getting too old(bad knees) to drag deer and carts don't work well in rugged terrain.

Yeah, that my thought too. Well, not so much the old part (yet)

That 5-pt was probably a good 160-170lbs live weight and an easy 130 field dressed. Made for a hell of a drag up the but if the hill I dragged it to flat to dress it and the drag itself sucked. I should have gone and gotten my game cart...but I figured it was getting late and it was only “200 or so yards to my car”. Game cart would have cut the time in half.

But Greenridge doesn’t look like it would work well with a cart. The little button buck I got last year was a PAIN to get out. I am picturing some big doe and trying to drag it it or fighting with a game cart.

If I had a hunting buddy I wouldn’t worry about it, but solo...it’s going to so really bad if I don’t quarter it. I hate to waste meat by not getting every scrap out, but I’ve got about 80lbs if venison in my freezer between half a bag left over from my two deer last year and the two giant bags of the 5-pt from this year. Plus about 60lbs of chicken that is getting added today once I vacuum seal up the birds from the coolers this afternoon.

As it stands most of the ground and steak is going to go to my neighbor who can’t hunt this year (short leash from his wife this year. Though she has an excuse for it, she is pregnant and has placenta previa so he has to help out with their farm animals every day). Mostly doing more hunting because I love it...well and the backstraps.

My wife just threatened to divorce me if I couldn’t get out the backstraps and keep them. Man I love that woman.

But I’d keep whatever part of the meat I could shoehorn in to my freezers and cook some up right away.

If I do get one, late season hunting doesn’t look so likely. Or I’ll take it to a butcher that does direct donations to the foodbank (eastern shore and there a game cart works just fine, even if it might be a mile and a half to my car).

 

[engineerbrian]

Even as a meat hunter I would have normally let this small buck walk, but the freezer is getting empty and i literally have been out every chance i could since late September with nothing to show for my effort

These 2 deer came in this morning and I connected with the 6.8spc. The doe is a monster. I wish i had help getting her out.

 

[1time]

First deer at 8. He did really well waiting for the right shot. Off to see Foxtrapper in a bit.

 

[engineerbrian]

First deer at 8. He did really well waiting for the right shot. Off to see Foxtrapper in a bit.
View attachment 248159

Thats great. What caliber is the AR?

 

[1time]

Thats great. What caliber is the AR?

6.8. It was tough finding something that a 65lb kid could shoot that is also good for deer. I am a believer in this round. Have you been happy with yours?

 

[engineerbrian]

6.8. It was tough finding something that a 65lb kid could shoot that is also good for deer. I am a believer in this round. Have you been happy with yours?

I love the 6.8 spc as a deer and boar round. I shoot Federal Fusion ammo and they dont go far afterwards.

I’ve also had my kids and other kids use this gun for their first deer. Recoil is minimal so that helps a lot.