A hunter's guide for perfect venison

pioneer press ^ | 11-1-12 | dave orrick

[S.O.S121.500]

OH HELL YES

[Nepeta]

I made goetta with Bambi once.

[Dusty Road]

Been chasing whitetails for over 50 years, between the wife and I we'll put away about 4 a year. I have a trusted processor who does a good job. The backstraps I have butter flyed, the tenderloins are kept whole and the hind quarters are cut into steaks. Some shoulder and neck meat is ground into hamburger with a mixture of bacon and jalapeno's and the other half is made into breakfast sausage. I've had my place for over 20 years now (3 sections) and raise about 40 head of cows and manage a healthy whitetail herd. I built a simple cleaning station with running water and a small walk in cooler. After gutting and a good cleaning I let them hang skin on at least 48 hours in the cooler before taking them into the processor. I do feral hogs the same way when I find one about 75 or 80 pounds. Last year one of my Wounded Warrior hunters shot a sow that had 9 little ones with her. While I don't shoot piggy sows it was his first hog so I didn't mind. I broke out a couple of 22's and we went looking for the little ones, we got all but one of them. they were all about 15 pounders and all I did was clean them and split them down the middle. Those we BBQ'd on the grill. This is the biggest buck taken off my place, got him a couple of years ago. Heres a huge 7 point one of my Warriors took.