Oh Deer... *graphic*... not really...

[McCord6]

mmmm yummmy! Where is mine?!
Brother in law didn't get a very good hunting season so he didn't have enough to give to us. He living with his dad so they all come first, other then my dogs who he loves to spoil rotten with unwanted deer parts (FIL refuses to give his sweet but not so innocent chihuahuas deer parts so my dogs get the advantage!). None of hubby's uncles got very lucky either so we are out of luck

But next year could be different and hubby is joining the hunting gang so that's a

 

[Kittymomma]

We do the tenderloin whole and make the backstrap into steaks. I use some of the rest for stew meat and grind what is left for burger. I love cooking with venison burger! It's so lean I never have to drain any fat off. We have lots of non-hunting friends who say they don't like venison, but they go back for seconds of spaghetti and tacos.

I won't waste tenderloin or backstrap on anyone that doesn't appreciate it.

The freezer is in pretty good shape this year. We did a pig this year and kept 1/2 of a beef, DH got his in state elk and one on his Colorado hunt too. My dd and dh are going deer hunting this weekend so hopefully there will be some venison too. We don't buy much meat at the grocery store.

 

[Emzyyy]

Oh geeez sorry. I can see your side, its just with raising a fawn over the summer and stuff I can't see anyone shooting one. She was my blue-eyed Babe

. I have tried deer meat before and I didn't like it. We still have deer meat in our freezer from 2 or so years ago, no one seems to like it so my dad and brother don't hunt. I think if your gonna shoot and kill one, you use all of it. I started giving the deer meat away to people who said they liked it.

 

[Nikki28]

Keep in mind that by "fawn" they mean a slightly smaller 'adult' deer. Not a little spotted baby

I used to work with wildlife and they are adorable aren't they.. as are most babies I guess.

I've never tried deer meat (I've had plenty of elk though) I look forward to trying it this year!

 

[faykokoWV]

Quote:
They'd have to come up with a fancy name for it like Veal.

Its funny how we determine whats ok to eat and not ok to eat, nobody seems to have a problem with lamb chops (babies) but when's the last time you saw mutton at the store.


Anyway, I'm getting completely off topic


Back to deer hunting, we actually have bow hunting in the city limits here and many schools close for the week of Thanksgiving, not just for the holiday but because that is the first week of our gun season for deer.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

Southern Ohio is the same way... I'm from the northern part of Ohio towards the lake. But it's funny to think that all the schools shut down the first two days of gun season. Ours is the week after yours.... I know this as a buddy comes from WV to hunt our week too.

 

[3KillerBs]

Quote:
I was given a part of a trophy buck once that was so old and tough that even the tenderloins had to be stewed. And he was stronger-flavored than some like. But he made the best sausage!

I don't hunt myself and my DH is not a successful hunter, but I've been given a lot of deer of various types and have told my DH that you don't eat the antlers so please choose younger bucks with smaller racks and antlerless instead of going for the bragging bucks. Anything under about 6 points that I was given could be cooked in any way I'd cook lean beef with delicious results.

As for the biology of the anterlered/antlerless tag ratios -- its too many buck tags that result in severe deer overpopulation. I don't remember the numbers, but when I took Ecology we did a week on game management. If the impossible happened and every antlered buck in the herd were killed in hunting season all the pregnant does would survive the winter with twins and triplets due to lack of competition for food from the bucks and the previous year's button bucks would mate with the does come fall. Repeat for about 5 years and you start killing the forest with deer overbrowsing from a tremendous population explosion.

Managing the buck the buck to doe population is critical to maintaining a sustainable herd and if the herd is overpopulated already (which many are from decades of issuing buck tags only), taking more does than bucks is necessary.

From what I recall of that class, much of game management is counter-intuitive.

 

[SarahFair]

If there was a fawn this late in season it probly wouldnt make it out the winter anyways...


I think here in Georgia we are allowed 9 does (does that sound like a lot to yall?) and two bucks. One buck and any size and one with at least 4 points on one side.

 

[Brunty_Farms]

The fawn in that picture was very much healthy and strong. She had all of her spots off so she was a young adult so to speak.

 

[Ibicella]

Man, this whole thread is making me hungry!

I wish I could hunt. But my family weren't hunters, so I know nothing about it, and I don't know anybody who hunts.

I do know how to handle a gun though.

*gazes longingly at the venison*