I know deer vary substantially in size, I’m just wondering if there was an average range of meat yield for adult deer.
A general rule of thumb is that it will be 50% of the live weight of the animal although many insist that it is usually a little less than that.
http://www.biggamehunt.net/sections/Whitetail_Deer/A_Guide_to_Butchering_Deer_11220412.html
A human, dressed like a deer, will provide about 60 pounds of meat.
I read that in a book I got for Christmas.
Please note that my post and Q.E.D.'s cite actually agree even if they do not appear to at first glance. The prominent percentages listed in his are comparing field dressed weight with final meat yield. My percentage was for live weight versus meat yield which you can also see from his that it is 50% or less.
Now I’m curious about something. Obviously, venison is referring to muscle meat. But what about deer organ meats? People eat liver, stomachs, brains and other strange animal bits from cows, pigs, sheep, etc. Is there much call for similar deer organs? I ask because I’ve never heard anyone (and I know or knew quite a few hunters) say “Y’know, I’ve got a real hankering for some deer liver tonight!”
Man, somebody should hold courses in safe camouflage out in KC.
I don’t think I’ll go hunting there. Not worth the paperwork.
Actually, due to the issues involved in heavy metals, and the normal undercooking of organ meats, it’s generally not recommended that you eat them. You can of course, as they are edible, but it’s not recommended (usually). I think it goes along the same lines of “traditional” animal organ meats… how much liver is actually eaten compared to the total quantities of meat eaten. Very little, I’d guess.
While this is about moose, the concepts are similar.
I will second the ratios, the “dressed weight” will be about yield about 1/2 of it as “meat weight”. My 120# dressed buck yielded 60# of meat. My buddy has gotten 2 does about the same size, and gotten a similar total of meat after butchering.
So you get more meat from older deer, but aren’t younger deer yummier?
We like the liver from the yearling’s. If one looks closely at the liver of an older animal there usually will be some noticable lumps. use your imagination on what the bump may be.
We may be a little guilty in the under-cooking department here with the young liver, but a little flour and hot cast iron skillet, well you would have to try it.
Read about life in the days of old. The tounge was a covetted cut. and still avalible today. But we are learning to stay away from nervous tissue these days.
“Head Cheese” and such are a little extreem today.
SonPullin went on his first deer hunt this year. Got two; opening day. Being under 16, he was allowed to shoot anything (doe, or spike). Hence we ended up with 2 very small deer (I would’ve had to pass on the spike, and wait for >= 3pts/side).
Anyway, the doe was 112 lbs, the spike was 106. We got about 90 lbs total out of the pair, and that includes some suet added to the ground portion. All in all, I’d put the percentage at around 40% edible meat. (We didn’t bother with any of the rib meat).
Dear heart makes great stew meat.
*Eat…BAMBI!!! *
BOO-HOO-HOO-HOO!
It’s also fantastic sliced and fried - milder than liver and without that waste-filter ickiness. I do like the liver from the younger ones though, even though I won’t touch it from a beef.
Where on earth did that come from?
Just about the only people I ever hear mention Bambi are, in fact, some hunters and gun advocates.
Deep-seated guilt feelings?
Hey, Bambi was annoying. Sanctimonious, sniveling brat who couldn’t listen to his mother and got her killed. I’d like to eat Bambi, with a nice Thumper stew on the side.
However, we did have a very upset WhyKid the first time I made ham after *Babe *came out.
See what I mean?
There generally isn’t any nervous system tissue in head cheese - at least, not the head cheese I’m familiar with. We slaughtered a hog on Wednesday, and while we don’t do it quite the same way as it used to be done - for example, we buy sausage casings instead of cleaning the intestines for that purpose - Dad still makes head cheese. You take the head and carefully clean it, scraping off all hair, etc, and washing it thoroughly. The brain and eyes are removed, and the tongue is set aside. Tongue has never been my favourite, but it’s not bad. Now you boil the crap out of the head, and then clean all the meat off the bones and mince it. Combined with what’s left of the fatty bits after boiling, this is chilled and sets into a sort of jellyish substance. Slice it and serve it cold with vinegar.
Headcheese isn’t my favourite either, which means I don’t get to eat it much, it being reserved for those who think it’s a special treat.
Is nervous tissue avoidance because of “mad cow” issues?
Chronic wasting disease is being watched carefully here in Iowa. The last I heard there has been no cases here but some have shown up in Wisconsin.
I’m not a deer hunter ,too lazy I guess, but I’ve heard that it is best to avoid the internal organs of deer.
There are 3 diseases currently being watched in the deer herd.
Bovine TB
Chronic wasting disease
Cranial Abcession Syndrome.