Muntjac Skinning

[willie_gunn]

I neck shot a buck on Sunday morning and hung it in the chiller.

Yesterday morning I had it skinned and butchered in an hour and was finished by 08:00

I know a professional butcher could do it quicker, but I didn't think an hour was that long, particularly as it included removing the meat from in between the ribs, tidying up the fillets, etc.

How long do you think it should take?

 

[Biathlonjimmy]

I neck shot a buck on Sunday morning and hung it in the chiller.

Yesterday morning I had it skinned and butchered in an hour and was finished by 08:00

I know a professional butcher could do it quicker, but I didn't think an hour was that long, particularly as it included removing the meat from in between the ribs, tidying up the fillets, etc.

How long do you think it should take?

That is a reasonable amount of time. I'd be happy with that. A Roe normally takes me 1.5 hrs. 45mins to skin (these go for tanning so I'm very very careful) 45 to butcher including boning and dicing the shoulders, prepping the fillets, cubing the neck, cutting one haunch into steaks and the other whole plus dicing the flank etc ready for mincing.

If I wasn't so particular about the process it could probably be done in half the time.

 

[willie_gunn]

That is a reasonable amount of time. I'd be happy with that. A Roe normally takes me 1.5 hrs. 45mins to skin (these go for tanning so I'm very very careful) 45 to butcher including boning and dicing the shoulders, prepping the fillets, cubing the neck, cutting one haunch into steaks and the other whole plus dicing the flank etc ready for mincing.

If I wasn't so particular about the process it could probably be done in half the time.

Interested to hear that you send the hides for tanning - how do you go about preparing them? Also are they tanned "hair on" or can they be used for leather (gloves, etc)?

 

[Biathlonjimmy]

Interested to hear that you send the hides for tanning - how do you go about preparing them? Also are they tanned "hair on" or can they be used for leather (gloves, etc)?

I have them tanned hair on and the only place so far that I have found to do it is Devonia (Home - Devonia Products
). There is a commercial tannery in hull which produces leather for shoes gloves etc an the local 'fallen stock' chap sends cow hides there but they don't give the leather back it gets sold in bulk.

With regard to preparation, it is fairly simple: make sure there are no nicks in the skin, use a sharp knife as you go gently separating skin from carcass. Don't pull the skin to separate as this can cause hair loss. Once the skin is removed use a sharp knife again to remove any excess fats (there should be no muscle tissue anyway).

Place the skin on a flat surface and make sure it's laid out flat. spread roughly 1kg of salt (1kg for roe, 750g for muntjac, 1.5kg fallow etc) on the skin and rub it in. Focus attention on the outer edges, entry/exit wound and neck area. Leave for at least 24hrs (I leave mine rolled up in a Belfast sink). Drain off any liquid and re-salt with the same weight of salt as before. Repeat this again if necessary.

Once there is little moisture in the salt you can roll or fold up the skin and keep in a cool dark place until you want to send them away. I normally wait until I have 10+ before sending them off.

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

www wildlife products,

 

[willie_gunn]

I have them tanned hair on and the only place so far that I have found to do it is Devonia (Home - Devonia Products
). There is a commercial tannery in hull which produces leather for shoes gloves etc an the local 'fallen stock' chap sends cow hides there but they don't give the leather back it gets sold in bulk.

With regard to preparation, it is fairly simple: make sure there are no nicks in the skin, use a sharp knife as you go gently separating skin from carcass. Don't pull the skin to separate as this can cause hair loss. Once the skin is removed use a sharp knife again to remove any excess fats (there should be no muscle tissue anyway).

Place the skin on a flat surface and make sure it's laid out flat. spread roughly 1kg of salt (1kg for roe, 750g for muntjac, 1.5kg fallow etc) on the skin and rub it in. Focus attention on the outer edges, entry/exit wound and neck area. Leave for at least 24hrs (I leave mine rolled up in a Belfast sink). Drain off any liquid and re-salt with the same weight of salt as before. Repeat this again if necessary.

Once there is little moisture in the salt you can roll or fold up the skin and keep in a cool dark place until you want to send them away. I normally wait until I have 10+ before sending them off.

Many thanks for this. I fancy giving it a go as throwing the hides in the bin always seems a dreadful waste.

I have a traditional tanning scraper and a CWD hide in the freezer, so maybe that's a job for the next nice weekend

 

[levigsp]

Use a set of stainless snares around the front legs where you cut the feet off. Watch for blood splatter as you pull the skin off the neck and it flicks up towards the ceiling!

Here is a tip.
Get a piece of stainless pipe, 12" long inch in diameter and drill a hole in the ends, attach two short stainless snares via those holes.
Whilst the deer is hung up front end attach one of the snares to each sides leg skin, then grab the pipe and put some pressure on it, you will be surprised how quick the skin drops off.
I now attach a winch hook to the centre of the pipe and winch the skin off.
Skinning without a winch takes me about 10 minutes.
I will get someone to film the whole process one day and post it on here.

 

[Paul 600]

Here is a tip.
Get a piece of stainless pipe, 12" long inch in diameter and drill a hole in the ends, attach two short stainless snares via those holes.
Whilst the deer is hung up front end attach one of the snares to each sides leg skin, then grab the pipe and put some pressure on it, you will be surprised how quick the skin drops off.
I now attach a winch hook to the centre of the pipe and winch the skin on ff.
Skinning without a winch takes me about 10 minutes.
I will get someone to film the whole process one day and post it on here.

There is a commercial seller that fabricates just such a thing as well as the rest of the hoist, winch etc. Good bits of kit but sadly expensive as all good things seem to be!

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

two ton winch come along only 13quid,at trade magnet uk on ebay,

 

[willie_gunn]

There is a commercial seller that fabricates just such a thing as well as the rest of the hoist, winch etc. Good bits of kit but sadly expensive as all good things seem to be!

Somewhere along the way I picked up one similar to this: Skin It Rite | Gambrel : Deer Hoist : Deer Hanger

Hadn't thought of using it to hang a deer by the front legs but maybe I'll give it a go.

 

[Paul 600]

Somewhere along the way I picked up one similar to this: Skin It Rite | Gambrel : Deer Hoist : Deer Hanger

Hadn't thought of using it to hang a deer by the front legs but maybe I'll give it a go.

Nice idea, expensive though! Snare bar £40 Mechanical Skinning | Donington Deer Management

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Never had a problem skinning muntjac. I allways let them hang in the chiller for a couple of days first. Hardly need a knife at all....it should pull off with no meat loss.
Knife obviously needed around the inside of the haunches and maybe front legs but the rest is done without a knife

 

[jubnut]

Never had a problem skinning muntjac. I allways let them hang in the chiller for a couple of days first. Hardly need a knife at all....it should pull off with no meat loss.
Knife obviously needed around the inside of the haunches and maybe front legs but the rest is done without a knife

Same. Don't know what the fuss is about.

 

[Uncle Norm]

Never had a problem skinning muntjac. I allways let them hang in the chiller for a couple of days first. Hardly need a knife at all....it should pull off with no meat loss.
Knife obviously needed around the inside of the haunches and maybe front legs but the rest is done without a knife

Same. Don't know what the fuss is about.

Its quite clear to me...... A 'Soft Southern' strain of Muntjac inhabit Suffolk . Whereas here in Cambs, we have the much tougher 'Up North' type.

 

[willie_gunn]

Its quite clear to me...... A 'Soft Southern' strain of Muntjac inhabit Suffolk . Whereas here in Cambs, we have the much tougher 'Up North' type.

It could be differences in the muntjac......or it could be in the stalkers

 

[jubnut]

Haha I've shot and skinned muntjac far further north than Cambridgeshire.

It's just that everything is better in Suffolk.

 

[Uncle Norm]

It could be differences in the muntjac......or it could be in the stalkers

The latter I fear..

 

[Uncle Norm]

Haha I've shot and skinned muntjac far further north than Cambridgeshire.

It's just that everything is better in Suffolk.

Indeed, Suffolk has some beautiful areas. I have spent many enjoyable days on the Fallow in the area between Woodbridge and the sea.

 

[levigsp]

Indeed, Suffolk has some beautiful areas. I have spent many enjoyable days on the Fallow in the area between Woodbridge and the sea.

The same here, I shoot Fallow and Muntjac between Woodbridge and the sea.

 

[Eyefor]

Been posted before





Simples?