Valley1320
Well-known member
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow of what we do if my uncle and cousin tag out
Dirty wildgame.
- Thread starter Valley1320
- Start date
WyoDoug
Well-known member
I saw meat in poor condition pretty regular when I worked with my dad at a game check station in Idaho Springs, Colorado. Some people really have no idea how to properly clean their animal and some came through in pieces that don't even match quartering them out. I understand processors do not want to handle some of that because then they get blamed when a lot of the meat is wasted and the hunter don't get a whole lot back. I was helping a friend at a meat processor in Denver years back and someone brought in a fawn deer that was extremely dried out. They refused to take it.
WyoDoug
Well-known member
I worked at a processor in Denver years ago as a temp worker with a friend who owned the place and was making burger and sausages for them and helping on the dock. I watched a number of animals brought in that were not even gutted and had been that way so long that they actually were starting to bloat. And they wanted that animal processed? My boss at the time refused to take them. Gross to see and definitely inexperience on part of the hunter.
Valley1320
Well-known member
our floor right now. Have had 40 pronghorn come in in the last 2 days. Thankfully they slowed down today
runningmt
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2018
- Messages
- 716
That looks sad.
I generally butcher my own, however I have used commercial when time/temp/circumstances force me to. I truly feel that butchering your own is as much a part of the hunt as scouting, exercise, shooting, glassing, breaking down, packing out is.
I do not look down my nose at folks who use commercial butchers, I was fortunate to have a Grandfather who showed me the ins, outs, terminology of meat, and I am grateful for it.
You can usually tell if a place is legit/worth giving a chance at making your hard earned protein enjoyable and palatable for the upcoming year. It will be obvious when you see the place. Ask to use the bathroom, if you and your dirty clothes, bloody hands, and muddy boots feel like you don’t want to touch anything, move on! If they’re piling deer, elk, pronghorn, and hogs on top of each other in a warm room, move on.
Nice thing today is we have the Google machine for tutorials and tips....butchering is fun, rewarding, interesting, cost saving, and just like your spouses private parts, only your hands touch it.
I generally butcher my own, however I have used commercial when time/temp/circumstances force me to. I truly feel that butchering your own is as much a part of the hunt as scouting, exercise, shooting, glassing, breaking down, packing out is.
I do not look down my nose at folks who use commercial butchers, I was fortunate to have a Grandfather who showed me the ins, outs, terminology of meat, and I am grateful for it.
You can usually tell if a place is legit/worth giving a chance at making your hard earned protein enjoyable and palatable for the upcoming year. It will be obvious when you see the place. Ask to use the bathroom, if you and your dirty clothes, bloody hands, and muddy boots feel like you don’t want to touch anything, move on! If they’re piling deer, elk, pronghorn, and hogs on top of each other in a warm room, move on.
Nice thing today is we have the Google machine for tutorials and tips....butchering is fun, rewarding, interesting, cost saving, and just like your spouses private parts, only your hands touch it.
Valley1320
Well-known member
Do what? That's a whole lot better than guys skinning them and getting hair and dirt all over them
MTLabrador
Well-known member
Well... Every elk quarter I’ve ever packed out of the mountains had hair, some dirt, pine needles and sagebrush leaves on it. It almost all gets filleted off in the thin crust that forms. I don’t worry too much about it, within reason. Some hair and pine needles don’t ruin meat.
Valley1320
Well-known member
Totally agree with everything you said. That's a big no no to pile game on top of each other. Stuff underneath will never cool off fast enough. And will ruin capes in a heartbeat. And also I can't believe that hunters that drag their game backwards and break hair on the cape
Valley1320
Well-known member
I agree it's hard to keep it totally clean and I understand stand when guys can't always. But I've also seen guys get it so dirty they end up wasting meat that would have been perfectly good if they had took a little better care
WapitiBob
Well-known member
And people wonder why their antelope tastes like chit.
Valley1320
Well-known member
Exactly!!! There's antelope there that some guys brought in that you couldn't pay me to eat. I had one there that was gut shot so bad that guts were blown into the hindquarters it was
Just that hog looks like it was rolled in The dirt I used to work for a butcher when I was younger and hate having to clean it up the. People would complain about the amount of meat they got and how much was trimmed off or even get people complaining about the taste of it I’m just a firm believer it You get what you put into it when it comes to meat care after the kill meat I have a buddy that Gets his dirty uses the same knife to skin gut and do it all then complains about the taste and ends up wasting a lot of animals to each there own though
Last edited:
devon deer
Well-known member
How we deliver our game in the UK
Cheers
Richard
Cheers
Richard
NMGuy
Well-known member
Why would people take proper care of the meat when all they want are the antlers? 
I've known people who hunt that either don't eat wild game, or try to find any excuse they can to say the meat is "spoiled". It also pisses me off to see the Texans stop in town with some board-stiff critter in the back of the truck with the hide still on.
I'm fortunate to have a dad who was a butcher so he taught us how to process our own animals. Was always a thing of beauty watching him break down an animal.
I've known people who hunt that either don't eat wild game, or try to find any excuse they can to say the meat is "spoiled". It also pisses me off to see the Texans stop in town with some board-stiff critter in the back of the truck with the hide still on. I'm fortunate to have a dad who was a butcher so he taught us how to process our own animals. Was always a thing of beauty watching him break down an animal.
How long will they stay on the floor until they are hung, skinned and in the cooler?
Valley1320
Well-known member
I'm just about done with them. I start skinning as soon as they start coming in
Valley1320
Well-known member
I see it all the time. It's sad. I like the meat as much as the antlers/horns. I personally like antelope meat better than deerWhy would people take proper care of the meat when all they want are the antlers?
I'm fortunate to have a dad who was a butcher so he taught us how to process our own animals. Was always a thing of beauty watching him break down an animal.
chuckchili
Well-known member
I have to say I was a little surprised to see how many of your customers bring in antelope with the hides on. As a new hunter, one of the things what was very strictly stressed to me was to get the hide off quick, ideally within the first half hour of harvesting to help the meat cool.
ida homer
Well-known member
That's awful.
Even with Randy and all of the youtuber's beating the drum, people still don't know how to treat antelope meat.
To me, it's slightly better than elk. Absolutely delicious.
Even with Randy and all of the youtuber's beating the drum, people still don't know how to treat antelope meat.
To me, it's slightly better than elk. Absolutely delicious.
