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Big Game Dog News Upland Birds   Fishing Hunting the world soon Photo upload   Hunting Links Placement Identify Ducks Men   shotgun Women Place to hunt Decoys First Aid Gas Prices coming   Harvested info Hiking the world Wildlife in the News Recipes Care of Game Big Game Dove Quail Waterfowl Store		Care of Wild Game Meat Processing Deer and Elk Bleeding: More Information Upland Birds  Safe Handling of Wild Game Birds Pluck that duck or goose Other Game Books On game Care  Processing Deer and Elk Equipment To assure easy handling of your deer, proper equipment should be available. Equipment needed includes: (a) a sharp hunting knife; (b) a small hatchet; (c) 12 to 15 feet of light rope or nylon cord; (d) 2 or 3 large plastic bags; (e) a clean cloth; (f) cheese cloth to wrap the carcass if the animal is killed in hot weather, thereby requiring skinning and wrapping for proper cooling. Bleeding After the animal is shot, approach with caution. Avoid standing near the legs until you are certain the deer is dead. A deer with warmth in the carcass should be bled. Insert the hunting knife in the base of the neck a few inches in front of the breast. The blade should be inserted about 4 to 5 inches with the blade pointed toward the tail. Cut sideways to sever veins. Thoroughly drain blood by elevating the rear portion of the deer. Dressing The deer should be dressed promptly and carefully. Viscera is easier to remove if the deer is hanging by the head or lying on the back with rump downhill. If a tree is nearby, the animal may be hung, using a rope . Remove sex organs first  Cut along the midline of the body from the breast to the rectum . Avoid puncturing paunch or intestines by holding them back with back of the hand and guiding the knife between the first two fingers with the cutting edge up. The pelvis should be split where the hind legs are joined by making a cut with the white membrane that separates the two rounds. At the pelvis fusion point it may be necessary to use the hatchet, particularly if the deer is older . Cut around the rectum and remove all viscera . Save the liver, heart and tongue. Place these in plastic bags and cool. Wipe out the body cavity with a clean cloth. It is best to use no water, since it may speed spoilage. If a particular part is mutilated or bloody from the shot, it should be removed immediately and soaked in a weak salt solution (one-fourth pound salt to one gallon of water) for 24 to 48 hours. This will make the meat suitable for boiling or grinding. Badly mutilated parts may be used for dog food. Split the breast bone and the aitch (pubic) bone. This can be done with a knife unless the deer is very old. Then you may have to use a hatchet or saw to split the bones. Cut around the anus, loosening the bung so that it will come out with the rest of the guts. Now cut the diaphragm free of the rib cage. Reach forward to cut the windpipe, gullet and blood vessels. Then pull the lungs, heart and guts out of the animal . Save the heart and liver if you like variety meat. Finish cleaning the deer by removing any remaining viscera and drain all excess blood from the body cavity. Wipe dry with a clean cloth and hang the deer up by the head to hasten cooling the carcass. The scent glands on the inside of the legs at the hock can be removed at this time or left intact . Research at Utah State University indicates that the scent glands do not cause off flavors or odors.

Skinning

If the weather is warm, it is better to skin the deer in the field because the insulating affect of the skin hinders proper cooling. In this case skin the deer. It is usually easier to skin by hanging the deer from a tree. After skinning, sprinkle black pepper on the carcass and wrap in cheesecloth. Provide plenty of air circulation around the carcass to allow for cooling

During cool weather it is preferable to leave the skin on the carcass. The skin will protect the carcass, keep the meat clean and prevent excessive shrinkage during aging. Some people prefer to have a locker skin, hang, cut, wrap and freeze the deer.

Transporting

The carcass should not be placed over the hood of the car where it may be exposed to exhaust fumes or excessive heat. If the car has a luggage rack, this may be the preferable place for hauling the carcass. A clean trunk or truck bed is also acceptable.

Cooling, Hanging and Aging

It is important to remove the body heat from the animal as soon as possible. Aging carcasses at refrigerated temperatures for 10 to 14 days tenderizes the meat. Animals killed when temperatures are over 65 degrees Fahrenheit should be handled differently than those slaughtered at cold temperatures. At 65 degrees Fahrenheit, the carcass tenderizes much more quickly and requires less aging. Perhaps no further aging would be needed at this temperature. Care should be taken in warm temperatures to avoid spoilage of the meat and prevent loss of flavor. It is best to cool the meat as rapidly as possible.

Carcasses from animals shot in cold weather should be aged at 34 degrees Fahrenheit for about 14 days.

Field Care of Big Game 

• Kill a game animal instantly, preferably with a shot to the heart and lungs or neck area.

• Eviscerate soon after the kill. After evisceration, clean and wipe the body cavity and hang the carcass in the shade to cool.

  When transporting a carcass, keep the meat as clean and cool as possible.

• Aging a carcass makes the meat more tender.

Cutting Up a Big Game Carcass 

Small animals may be made entirely into ground meat; large animals may be made into steaks, roasts and other cuts.

Quick freeze meat at 0 degrees F after wrapping for the freezer and eat within six months for best quality

 

More Information

Skinning A DEER

Field Dressing Big Game (138K)

Wild Game Processing (152K)

Freezing Wild Game (27K)

Hobby Tanning Deer Hides and Small Fur Skin (38K)

 

Upland Birds

Dove

It is best to hang doves under refrigeration for 4 days in the feathers (hanging ideally means hanging by the neck in a cooler, but they can simply be placed on a refrigerator shelf.) They are almost as good if you want to eat them immediately, but they tend to be a little tougher 12 to 48 hours after killing them. It is not necessary to draw the birds until after hanging and plucking

Outdoor activities are popular with Americans nationwide. The fresh air and exercise revives the spirit and the mind. Hiking, camping, and boating are good activities for active people and families, and in some parts of the country you can enjoy the outdoors for 2 or 3 seasons. In many cases, these activities last all day and involve preparing at least one meal. If the food is not handled correctly, foodborne illness can be an unwelcome souvenir.

 Food Safety While Hiking, Camping & Boating

It is best to dress and cool small game as soon as possible. Many hunters prefer to draw small game in the field. Wipe out the cavity with clean paper towels or cloth and hang or lay the game in a well ventilated place to cool. Hanging close together or stacking game in a mass may cause heating. Skinning game in the field and then placing the carcasses in an insulated cooler between layers of dry ice is an excellent way to rapidly chill carcasses. If a game bird (except waterfowl) can be lifted by the lower bill without the bill breaking, it is a mature bird and is considered less tender. The outer end of the breast bone is rather flexible in any young bird.

1.Field dress the bird immediately. Remove the entrails and avoid breaking the gall bladder sac on the liver--bile destroys meat flavor. The shape of the bird's bill tells you about his diet--broad and flat billed ducks are plant eaters; pointed and serrated bills indicate fish eaters.

2.Wipe the body cavity with a dry cloth, paper towel or dry grass. Moisture spreads bacteria which causes spoilage.

3.Cool the bird by allowing air to circulate in the body cavity. Hold the cavity open with a small stick to speed cooling. When the weather isn't cold, bring a cooler in the car to transport birds.

4.When you get home, finish dressing the birds. A fully dressed bird can be more safely aged by refrigerating at 35ºF for four hours to tenderize and develop flavor. Many experts recommend that birds be plucked rather than skinned, since the skin helps retain flavor and moisture during cooking. However, many hunters do skin birds because it is easier than plucking. Use bacon strips to add moisture during cooking. Dry pluck. If you don't remove all pin feathers and down, use a paraffin treatment. For four ducks or pheasants, place two cakes of paraffin in 4 quarts of water, bring to a boil and dip birds in, one at a time. Cool the bird to harden the paraffin and scrape off wax, down and pin fathers with a small, dull knife.

Do not freeze birds without plucking and cleaning them first. Immediately after cleaning the birds, wrap them in moisture-vapor-proof material. Freeze immediately and store no longer than 9 to 10 months. Thaw by placing the package in the refrigerator for 12 to 18 hours. This slow thaw will tenderize the meat.

Fish-eating ducks may need soaking or marinating in vinegar, mild wine or buttermilk. You may soak older ducks and geese in a solution of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vinegar per quart of cold water for 4 to 12 hours in the refrigerator. Wild duck meat is darker and somewhat dryer than domestic duck. To retain or add moisture when roasting skinned birds, cover the breast with strips of bacon or side pork and roast in a covered pan. In roasting or broiling ducks use a rack to keep them free of their own fat, and do not baste with the fat. Birds may be baked, barbecued, breaded, broiled, fried, combined in casseroles, chop suey, creoles, gumbos and gravies.

 

Waterfowl Care of Game Meat

Ducks and geese

There have probably been more of these wonderful birds brought home with pride and then ruined in the kitchen than any other bird. If anyone says he likes duck well done, you know right away he would rather have hamburger, and that is what we suggest you serve him.

Ducks present some new and interesting problems because the duck's diets can affect the flavor. This should not eliminate them as table birds, but they do require varied preparations. Mallard, black duck, pintail, widgeon, teal (all types), shoveler, wood duck, canvasback, redhead, and ring-necked duck are always excellent and should be prepared in the regular way

A Pocket Guide to Care and Handling of Game Birds from Field to Table

Shoot for the Sky

Game birds offer a challenge to hunters and the reward of a delicious meal at the table if they are handled properly at each step. Game birds have various distinctive flavors and are excellent sources of protein, similar in these respects to domestic birds. The fat and calorie contents vary according to the age and species of the birds.

A 3½-ounce portion (before cooking) of game bird meat has about 150 calories and provides half the average daily adult protein requirement.

Wild game birds may become contaminated with bacteria or gastric juices if they are improperly handled. Off-flavors and odors may develop in the meat, and your risk of foodborne illness may increase. For optimum eating quality, remember the following handling tips during hunting, storage and food preparation.

Care in the Field and in Transport

Be prepared for the hunt.

• Remember to bring a sharp hunting knife, a steel or whetstone, light rope or nylon cord, plastic bags, clean cloths or paper towels, and a cooler filled with ice.

Abide by game regulations for hunting, transporting and storage of wild game.

Field dress the bird promptly.

• Remove the entrails and crop as soon as possible, because the grain in the crop may ferment if not removed.
• The heart and liver may be saved for giblets. Store in a plastic bag on ice to keep them clean and cold.
• Leave an identification mark on the bird as required by state game regulations.
• The birds may be plucked or skinned in the field. If you pluck the birds, bring a plastic bag for storing the feathers.

Cool the carcass quickly to retain flavor and maintain the quality of the bird. A temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit is meat's worst enemy.

• Wipe out the cavity with a clean cloth or paper towel. Do not use grass or snow as this will contaminate the carcass.
• Allow air to circulate in the carcass by hanging or laying the bird in a well-ventilated place.
• In hot weather, place the birds individually in plastic bags and put on ice.
• Do not pile warm birds in a mass.
• Store the birds in a cooler or ice chest out of the sun.

Keep the birds cool during transport.

• The best way to store birds is in a cooler on ice. If this is not possible, keep the car well-ventilated and put the birds on the back seat or the floor.
• Do not transport them in the trunk because the enclosed space does not allow heat to escape from the sky

Care in Processing and Storage

Don't cross-contaminate during processing.

• Wash your hands, knife and cutting board with hot soapy water and rinse throughly.
• When preparing ducks, remove the wings by cutting them off at the joints, remove the head, and pluck out the pin feathers. Feathers may be removed by scalding the birds in hot water (145 F). Pin feathers and down may be removed by dipping the feathered bird in a paraffin wax/hot water mixture. After the wax hardens, the feathers may be scraped off.
• When preparing upland birds, such as grouse, pheasant, quail and partridge, skin or pluck the bird and soak in cold water for one to two hours to remove excess blood.

Birds generally do not require aging.

• If you wish to age birds, holding them at just above freezing temperatures for two to three days may increase the tenderness of the meat.

For immediate use, birds should be stored in the refrigerator at 45 F or less and used within three days. For long-term storage, the whole cleaned carcass or individual parts may be frozen at 0 F or lower.

• Freeze meat while it is fresh and in top condition.
• The advantage of packaging parts instead of the whole bird is that bloody spots can be eliminated by cutting out or rinsing out with cold water. Parts also fit conveniently in your freezer. Parts may be boned, and the carcass and neck may be used as a soup base.
• Use moisture/vapor-proof wrap such as heavily waxed freezer wrap, laminated freezer wrap, heavy duty aluminum foil or freezer-weight polyethylene bags.
• Wrap tightly, pressing out as much air as possible.
• Label the packages with the content and date.
• Use frozen packages within a year.

Care in Preparation

Thaw birds in the refrigerator or microwave.

• Microwave-thawed food should be cooked immediately. Other thawed meat should be used within one to two days.
• Keep raw food and cooked food separate.

The age of the bird determines the cooking method. Wild game always should be cooked thoroughly until the juices run clear and no pinkness remains in the meat.

• Young birds have lighter legs, soft breastbones and flexible beaks. Old birds have darker, hard-skinned legs, brittle breastbones and inflexible beaks.
• Game birds may be prepared like chicken. Dry cookery methods, such as frying, are appropriate for young birds. Moist cookery methods, such as stewing or braising, are appropriate for older birds.
• To decrease the distinctive taste of some wild game, trim off as much of the fat as possible.
• Older or skinned birds may become dry during baking. You may want to wrap the birds with bacon to prevent them from drying out.
• Remove stuffing from the bird prior to storage, because stuffing is a good growth medium for microorganisms.
• Use leftovers within one or two days, or freeze for later use.

• Remove the entrails and crop as soon as possible, because the grain in the crop may ferment if not removed.

• The heart and liver may be saved for giblets. Store in a plastic bag on ice to keep them clean and cold.

• Leave an identification mark on the bird as required by state game regulations.

• The birds may be plucked or skinned in the field. If you pluck the birds, bring a plastic bag for storing the feathers.

• Cool the carcass quickly to retain flavor and maintain the quality of the bird. A temperature above 40 °F is meat’s worst enemy.

• Wipe out the cavity with a clean cloth or paper towel. Do not use grass or snow as this will contaminate the carcass.

• Allow air to circulate in the carcass by hanging or laying the bird in a well-ventilated place.

• In hot weather, place the birds individually in plastic bags and put on ice.

• Do not pile warm birds in a mass.

• Store birds in a cooler on ice out of the sun.