Rasputin
Well-Known Member
Only had 2/3 very messy ones out of 100 deer so don’t think there bad per se just bad luck/placement.
Salvaging a stomach shot deer?
- Thread starter Kjm041
- Start date
Only had 2/3 very messy ones out of 100 deer so don’t think there bad per se just bad luck/placement.
Even a total gut shot can be mostly salvaged - the stuff you lose really is the loins inside and you cant take any of the skirt off for mincing either (basically the abdominal wall). Anything thats been in contact with the green should go but you can get the haunches off, the backstraps, any of the shoulder that hasnt been damaged by the bullet or had green leak on it, neck meat.... Theres quite a lot there still!
I had a roe buck I shot a few years ago and the rumen popped when the bullet hit. The insides were basically soup but I still got a good load of meat from the carcass.
This does seem to happen more with the smaller deer as well, in particular munty which are a small target and have a thin rumen wall. In that instance I would just take off the rear haunches and backstraps, and discard the rest.
I had a roe buck I shot a few years ago and the rumen popped when the bullet hit. The insides were basically soup but I still got a good load of meat from the carcass.
This does seem to happen more with the smaller deer as well, in particular munty which are a small target and have a thin rumen wall. In that instance I would just take off the rear haunches and backstraps, and discard the rest.
South West Stalkers
Well-Known Member
Just a question for everyone who suggests not to gralloch and just take haunches and backstrap home... without any intention to start a debate or offend anyone... do you guys not worry about any possible disease?
I think some of you might be able to recall a huge debate on a facebook group (giving up the game?) about roadkill and trained hunters tried to educate the not trained people about the importance of checking the internals and lymph nodes even if the animal is for home consumption (the person witnessed the accident so "freshly" killed deer).
Now most of the recommendations are suggesting not to open the carcass...
I think some of you might be able to recall a huge debate on a facebook group (giving up the game?) about roadkill and trained hunters tried to educate the not trained people about the importance of checking the internals and lymph nodes even if the animal is for home consumption (the person witnessed the accident so "freshly" killed deer).
Now most of the recommendations are suggesting not to open the carcass...
Kjm041
Well-Known Member
Some really good feedback all. Appreciated. Definitely I’ll re-evaluate some of the items I take with me for next time to be better prepared to handle this. I had contemplated salvaging meat like the back straps and legs but frankly didn’t have the kit to ensure hygienic extraction. Great to see so many helpful responses with no judge “you should know better” type comments. This site at its best!
@Freeforester - it was head up for sure. It had its back to me for a long time and I decided to avoid the next shot. It was 140m after all even though I was prone with a bipod so had a good shooting position. I waited for it to go broadside. Ended up being slightly angled away but where the bullet should have exited out the neck not further back in the ribs.
reaction was not great in the sense that it ran off head up and just looked like it was running uncomfortably. Not the typical jolt of a run and dramatic fall. It’s fall was more half falling half lying down. My initial thought was that it may need a follow up shot but it stopped in bushes and was unclear so I gave it 5 mins to let it settle and hopefully die (which it did). I am confident it was more than 15 seconds before it died.
I am now very aware of the bad smell to watch out for before opening it up. But I did and it was dark blood soup (presume liver) and some green.
as for ELD-X it is 143grains going about 2800fps so nothing too fast. It was a home load but it had been chrono’d. Exits have been anything from normal (not bad) to pretty dramatic if it hits bone etc. I wouldn’t advocate against it as it’s definitely gets the job done. I do have some 140gr game kings loaded with 4350 that groups well that I’m eager to compare performance with.
I’ve thought a lot about it since. Shot was a bit high but must have missed the spine otherwise it would have dropped right down. I know that reaction from my first ever deer. A whitetail in Wisconsin at about 8 metres... also a bit far back but well within the ribs. As said from the reaction I thought that shot just have been bad but from entry I thought it looked ok just a bit further back then where I remember aiming. If I were to be generous to myself I’d think I got unlucky with how the bullet moved / fragmented once inside.
thanks for the tip on waiting until head up. Wouldn’t have thought of it but makes complete sense!
@Freeforester - it was head up for sure. It had its back to me for a long time and I decided to avoid the next shot. It was 140m after all even though I was prone with a bipod so had a good shooting position. I waited for it to go broadside. Ended up being slightly angled away but where the bullet should have exited out the neck not further back in the ribs.
reaction was not great in the sense that it ran off head up and just looked like it was running uncomfortably. Not the typical jolt of a run and dramatic fall. It’s fall was more half falling half lying down. My initial thought was that it may need a follow up shot but it stopped in bushes and was unclear so I gave it 5 mins to let it settle and hopefully die (which it did). I am confident it was more than 15 seconds before it died.
I am now very aware of the bad smell to watch out for before opening it up. But I did and it was dark blood soup (presume liver) and some green.
as for ELD-X it is 143grains going about 2800fps so nothing too fast. It was a home load but it had been chrono’d. Exits have been anything from normal (not bad) to pretty dramatic if it hits bone etc. I wouldn’t advocate against it as it’s definitely gets the job done. I do have some 140gr game kings loaded with 4350 that groups well that I’m eager to compare performance with.
I’ve thought a lot about it since. Shot was a bit high but must have missed the spine otherwise it would have dropped right down. I know that reaction from my first ever deer. A whitetail in Wisconsin at about 8 metres... also a bit far back but well within the ribs. As said from the reaction I thought that shot just have been bad but from entry I thought it looked ok just a bit further back then where I remember aiming. If I were to be generous to myself I’d think I got unlucky with how the bullet moved / fragmented once inside.
thanks for the tip on waiting until head up. Wouldn’t have thought of it but makes complete sense!
Kjm041
Well-Known Member
That’s a fair point. Seems the ideal suggestion is to remove non contaminated meat, having the equipment / bags etc to do this cleanly. Once satisfied it’s complete then gralloch is the deer and check nodes and signs of disease. Obviously external inspection still possible
big ears
Well-Known Member
Late to party but this is what to do. Have done this on deer in America and it is really easier than you think. You could have got both shoulders, both haunches and backstops off without issues. Not a lot left after that anyway.
Bin it!
Not worth the risk,you do not know if any green has attached itself to bone fragments or lead fragments..
Had one last week that was shot fair and square but the hydraulic effect ruptured the stomach and separated the rib cage bones form the spine and filled it full of green soup.
Remember E.Coli is a killer..
Not worth the risk,you do not know if any green has attached itself to bone fragments or lead fragments..
Had one last week that was shot fair and square but the hydraulic effect ruptured the stomach and separated the rib cage bones form the spine and filled it full of green soup.
Remember E.Coli is a killer..
Uncanny, it's almost like you were there when I (gut) shot my fifth Muntjac.
I only then knew about engine room shots but hadn't realised how the chest-down-arse-up stance of a Muntjac might easily lead to a gut shot. And so it did.
I did try to salvage some of it but made a right old mess. I hosed it out (which turned the meat pale) then tried to dab it dry with blue roll which left me with a pale carcass dotted with bits of blue paper and a lingering whiff of green and blood. After an hour of faffing I dropped it into a bin bag, hauled it out onto the fields and hung it from a tree near a Red Kite nest.
It wasn't a complete loss. I learned about shot placement on Muntjac (I'm now more inclined to sacrifice the fore legs) and also how to go about salvaging such a beast although I've not had to do it yet. To be honest I would probably only bother with something larger, fallow round here, and would leave a Muntjac to the scavengers.
is it just me or am I the only one not so bothered about gut spillage for own consumption?
I thoroughly cook my meat always so dont care about a few deer gut bacteria especially when as a human im much more susceptible to pathogens from an unwell person coughing and splutering over meat?
what about game birds being left to hang for days etc? I think as long as you cook it well it will be fine. Maybe not if you like it still bleeding
I thoroughly cook my meat always so dont care about a few deer gut bacteria especially when as a human im much more susceptible to pathogens from an unwell person coughing and splutering over meat?
what about game birds being left to hang for days etc? I think as long as you cook it well it will be fine. Maybe not if you like it still bleeding
Or just go ahead and eat the green... full of vitamins:
www.smithsonianmag.com
There are quite a few instances of this that appear in various books about the indigenous tribes of boreal forest and tundra areas.
Rethinking the Paleo Diet: Would You Eat the Contents of a Deer’s Stomach?
Animal stomachs for everybody!
www.smithsonianmag.com
There are quite a few instances of this that appear in various books about the indigenous tribes of boreal forest and tundra areas.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
We have put the whole deer in a high mountain river or stream of snow melt if a paunch has been ruptured....well we used to do so that is.
John Gryphon
Well-Known Member
Ian Wright/ Lonely Planet in Scandinavia somewhere went out on a caribou hunt where the local hunter shot one and on gutting it convinced Ian to eat some of the WEDGETUBBLE that the old folks ate.Or just go ahead and eat the green... full of vitamins:
Rethinking the Paleo Diet: Would You Eat the Contents of a Deer’s Stomach?
Animal stomachs for everybody!
There are quite a few instances of this that appear in various books about the indigenous tribes of boreal forest and tundra areas.
He offered some 'green' on the end of his knife and Ian gobbed it and immediately spat it while the hunter laughed uproariously.
Nothing short of imminent death by starvation would persuade me to put it in my mouth!
My dog, on the other hand, has to be restrained from lapping it up. Though her absolute favourite is rectum filled with pellets.
Hayduke
Well-Known Member
Yes my dog too is partial to a bit of green, laps it up if she could!
Here’s a small roe from a couple of days ago. Entry a wee bit low tucked behind elbow, reasonable HL shot. Exit within rib cage but a bit of green in the gralloch. Suspect 308 gave it such wallop it ruptured the diaphragm. Didn’t expect any green though.
Cleaned it out, good to go.
Here’s a small roe from a couple of days ago. Entry a wee bit low tucked behind elbow, reasonable HL shot. Exit within rib cage but a bit of green in the gralloch. Suspect 308 gave it such wallop it ruptured the diaphragm. Didn’t expect any green though.
Cleaned it out, good to go.
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