LAST EDITED ON Mar-08-08 AT 01:31AM (MST)[p]Steve, Thanks again! I agree with Califelkslayer that aging the meat is always best if you can. i usually put big sections in the refer on the racks careful not to have them touch each other if i can. When i was a kid, dad would have my hang them from the cloths line in the backyard at night. 5-6 days works for me but to tell the truth, a good tasting deer is going to be fine however long you hang it.
Yeah Steve you ought to give it a try. No big secrets to it. I just hate giving the butcher $100. or so when i can do it and i know what's going in the garbage can. Up here in Chester, there was a butcher had a good business processing deer. Used to be hundreds of bucks within 10 miles of town and lots of archers really honed in on this area. I had long given up archery hunting cause of a couple nice deer that we never recovered, so was available. Anyway, i did a lot of skinning for him during this time. Some guys brought in their deer in the worst condition and many were unskinned. I picked up some good extra money by skinning, cleaning up the game, talking hunting the whole time. I learned a few things, one of which was that the butchers didn't cut much different than i did, spend too much time in making sure of one buck from another, or feel bad about throwing away what couldn't be done in a hurry.
Can't hardly go wrong if your meat is good and cold. Cold makes it a lot easier to cut steaks of even thickness. Just do it one muscle group at a time cutting cross grain. i get a little fussy with the wrapping...air is enemy. I'd like to have one of those machines that suck all the air outa them bags. Might take longer, i don't know, never used one. Anyway, last buck i cut and wrapped did take me about 3 hours. Outa practice i guess.
Far as the choises i've made, there's no regrets. i moved away from the Bay area 25 years ago after the Grandparents had passed, The ranch sold to the park system, and the newbie 5-10 acre guys wanting to take over and make all the rules. Thieves, crooks, and liars were everywhere, had my home broke into twice and if i didn't get outa there, i was gonna hurt somebody. Up here in Plumas Co, there is still lots of open land and Super great fishing. Small, mountain town life suits me, i get by. I'm planning to build my dream cabin this year on a lot that i own on the Feather River right here in town. I'm blessed to have lots of buddies and several best friends, my word is good, i pay my bills, and come hunting season, i'm gone! Get a buck or not, i still love to go.
So Steve, you ever get out and get after them tuna down there?