So I just saw on the news that the NC Bow Hunters Association has started a program where you can register to get free deer meat from hunters in NC. The meat comes from either hunters that already have too much meat and don't want it to go to waste, or those that need to kill off some does to help control the deer population on their land. I really want to register for this because I love venison, but the problem is when you get the deer it is whole and needs to be skinned/butchered. I have no means to butcher it, so if anyone out there knows how to butcher a deer and has the means to do so, hit me up and we can work something out. Also, here is the link for anyone else that might be interested.

http://ncbowhunter.com/Deer%20Donation%20Registry.htm

You just e-mail them your name, number, and county of residence and hunters call you when they take extra deer.

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 6:21 PM. Reason : a]

12/1/2008 6:20:07 PM

I, too, would appreciate someone to perform said labor and give me venison and deer jerky.

12/1/2008 6:25:05 PM

Can I get some chronic wasting disease with that? j/k

12/1/2008 6:25:07 PM

I was more thinking I would pay someone to butcher it for me. A little extra cash never hurts, right?

12/1/2008 6:26:14 PM

all you need is a tree, some rope, a sharp knife, and a saw

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 6:58 PM. Reason : and big freezer]

12/1/2008 6:58:19 PM

i don't know how my neighbors would feel about a deer carcass hanging in the back yard. But I have done it before when I lived out in Apex.

12/1/2008 7:40:26 PM

How long does deer keep in carcass form?

12/1/2008 8:00:46 PM

if you guys wanna pool together some cash to get it butchered

i'd be up for splitting a deer like 3-4 ways

12/1/2008 8:03:37 PM

well they said when you get it that it is a "fresh carcass". I don't know a whole lot about hunting so I am not sure, but I know when I lived up north they wouldn't really rush. Then again, the temps were below freezing outside so it would keep for longer.

12/1/2008 8:06:16 PM

me and my family hunt. we have 7 deer butchered up and packaged from this season...that's a lot of meat. when i go back to fayetteville after exams i'll be glad to get some meat and bring it back for anyone who wants some.

of course if i get 20 requests i might have to narrow it down to the first few people who ask

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 8:16 PM. Reason : ...]

12/1/2008 8:15:37 PM

I think a buddy of mine in Greensboro is going to butcher them for me for free. So place your orders TWW. Probably just make steaks and burger, maybe some sausage.

12/1/2008 8:25:01 PM

$40 per deer and I will do it. I will even give you a deer that I kill, Ill just need a wage for butchering it.

12/1/2008 10:10:48 PM

deer=good

12/1/2008 10:27:05 PM

That's pretty cool. Too bad I have zero idea how to butcher a deer.

12/1/2008 10:51:18 PM

Quote :

"So place your orders TWW."

i'm in

12/1/2008 11:06:20 PM

this is awesome!! wish I knew about it before, I'm moving to SC now

just google how to butcher a deer, it can't be that hard

12/1/2008 11:10:05 PM

Quote :

"i'd be up for splitting a deer like 3-4 ways"

pretty much, splitting 4 ways you get one ham or shoulder and half a backstrap. that's not much meat.

guess it depends on the size of your freezer though.

Quote :

"i don't know how my neighbors would feel about a deer carcass hanging in the back yard"

who cares? it's your fucking yard.

[Edited on December 1, 2008 at 11:15 PM. Reason : unless you're dumb enough to have a HOA]

12/1/2008 11:14:51 PM

there's someplace just west of "downtown" Knightdale that used to completely butcher deer for a fee, if i remember correctly they would even make it into sausage for you. I remember it was a white, single story, cinder block building just over that giant hump of a railroad track crossing


shit, if someone is familiar with Knightdale, maybe they can help you based upon my vague memories

12/1/2008 11:33:53 PM

are you thinking somewhere along 1st ave in Knightdale?

I can think of a while cinder block building directly across from the train caboose, but that "the hair junction".

Use google maps I'm curious as to what you're talking about. I might go in on some venison, but I have a smaller freezer so sharing and finding out where to get it carved up would be helpful.

12/1/2008 11:42:13 PM

Quote :

"i don't know how my neighbors would feel about a deer carcass hanging in the back yard."

lol

12/2/2008 12:36:04 AM

12/2/2008 1:46:42 AM

I would love to get some meat. What's the status on this?

12/2/2008 8:12:42 AM

e-mail sent. Thanks for the info

12/2/2008 8:35:10 AM

^^ you just e-mail them your info and hunters in your area call you when they have extra meat.

12/2/2008 8:50:13 AM

email sent...dude, i want some venison NOW

12/2/2008 8:54:51 AM

I tried to send an e-mail twice and it kicked it back to me both times. Anyone else having the same problem?

12/2/2008 9:52:26 AM

^ yeah, actually...it just came in

i tried sending it out again, to see if i had typed the email wrong...the second hasn't come back, yet, but i suspect it will

12/2/2008 10:05:14 AM

If you do have a sizeable freezer, the ideal scenario would be to dress the deer, which I assume the bowhunters would do, leave the skin on and let it age for a few weeks in the freezer. I believe the ideal temp is above freezing but below 40 degrees. At the very least it should be butchered post rigger mortis after the muscles are not quite as stiff.

A large percentage of the time when a deer is shot, it doesn't stop in it's tracks. It runs, which causes lactic acid to build up in the muscles. If you let the enzymes (lactic acid in particular) break down over a couple weeks, the final product is a much less gamy tasting, more tender cut of meat.

There's a butcher in Efland that will do it for like $50 if you don't want to mess with it.

12/2/2008 11:19:12 AM

I'd be willing to go in on this with anyone who wants to split costs. Love deer meat, but alas no butchering capabilities.

12/2/2008 12:27:25 PM

dumb question - would they give you the whole thing, skin included? i've tanned before, but never removed the hide myself

12/2/2008 12:33:24 PM

Quote :

"I'd be willing to go in on this with anyone who wants to split costs. Love deer meat, but alas no butchering capabilities."

Sweet, I'd like to get half a Bambi too! I've never butchered one before, but wouldn't mind helping someone that knows what they are doing. I'm not grossed out by blood or guts, just don't wanna screw up bleeding it out and ruin the meat.

12/2/2008 12:40:22 PM

^^ from what I gather, that is what you get. the whole deer, fully intact. I would imagine there would be the possibility that the head is missing if the hunter took it for a trophy. when I saw it on the news the guy said that you either have to skin and butcher it yourself, or try to convince the hunter to do it for you.

[Edited on December 2, 2008 at 12:57 PM. Reason : a]

12/2/2008 12:56:32 PM

Anyone want to butcher a deer for lewoods and I?

No really, I'm serious, I want deer.

12/2/2008 1:13:39 PM

i have packaged meat that all you have to do is unwrap it and cook it however you like. my uncle, grandfather, and i butcher all of the deer we harvest. though i won't be able to get it until christmas break....and it'll be free

12/2/2008 1:21:04 PM

One of my friends donates all the deer he kills to some homeless mission. If I run across a good deal on a freezer I might have to start getting some of his kills and take Lucky1 up on his offer.

12/2/2008 1:30:17 PM

yeah, my family up north donates a ton of meat to the shelters in the area. then again, the deer up there are about 3 times the size of deer down here

12/2/2008 1:42:57 PM

Give me some cheap meat so I can afford a roof over my head.

I've given serious thought to getting a chest freezer, might have to mention it to the roommate again and see if it'd be ok. A used one from Craigslist would pay for itself in cheap/free food I could keep.

12/2/2008 1:46:35 PM

Shit, you can get a new decent sized one at Lowes or Home Depot for like $200. I am getting one for my mud room after Christmas.

12/2/2008 1:54:48 PM

Yeah, but they are $50 or so used, might as well. I was something bigger than those tiny $200 3 cubic feet or whatever they are chest freezers too.

12/2/2008 2:11:09 PM

Quote :

"rigger mortis"

rigor

but anyway freakin awesome post, i never even considered stuff like that it makes perfect sense



[Edited on December 2, 2008 at 2:16 PM. Reason : f]

12/2/2008 2:14:50 PM

^^ just make sure they have it plugged up and working before you buy it.

12/2/2008 2:26:50 PM

Yup, I won't pay until it freezes and will buy a thermometer to confirm.

12/2/2008 2:30:35 PM

Damn. I thought that djeternal had hit a deer or something.

12/2/2008 2:41:54 PM

what does deer tastes like ?

I can't imagine it being that great or else I would've been persuaded to try it by this point

12/2/2008 2:47:38 PM

beef or lamb is a decent approximation

12/2/2008 2:48:56 PM

Quote :

"beef or lamb is a decent approximation"

Agree. Put a chunk of it in the crock pot with some carrots and potatoes and you will have a nice meal. Ground into hamburger is good too.

12/2/2008 2:58:55 PM

Deer is like a "gamey" beef. It is a lot tougher than beef though, since it doesn't have nearly as much fat and much more muscle, so it has to be cooked properly. Crock Pot is by far the best method in my opinion, or just marinate the shit out of it.

[Edited on December 2, 2008 at 3:02 PM. Reason : a]

12/2/2008 3:01:38 PM

Oh man I want some tenderloin and some ground venison. YUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

12/2/2008 3:08:45 PM

If I had a smoker I'd put a bunch of deer goodness in that thing, bet that would be good.

Any sort of low temp slow cooking or grinding will be best for forest rats.

I've been wanting a $200 ish meat grinder, haven't been able to justify it yet but it'd make short work of anything you can shove down the tube and some delicious Bambi burgers.

12/2/2008 3:13:11 PM

i get some beef fat trimmings from a grocery store and mix it in with deer meat when i grind it to make deer burger that doesn't dry out or fall apart.

12/2/2008 3:56:44 PM