Beginner processing setup

[Mike1979]

If it's a muntjac, I'd be inclined to take the whole thing back to your flat to process it (after gralloching in the field, obviously).

They're so small you'd fit one in a holdall or rucksack. Another member of this site has taken deer in to London on public transport in that way.

You can then just hang it in a doorway in your flat to skin and butcher it, and dispose of the waste, securely bagged, in your domestic bin.

(I accept it's going to be a different story if you're fortunate enough to shoot a fallow).

Good call. I once had to do a late night dash down a street in Salisbury to get a Sika calf from the back of the car to my father in laws without offending the entire street

 

[Ram]

Post shot give as much time as possible for cooling but be aware throughout the whole process of flies this time of year, I use a large 12v chiller box in the car after reducing to primaries if you are stalking fallow room will be tight so Front and back legs, neck and inner fillets and back straps try and let carcase have air to cool and settle,as said before disposal of spent carcase and blood during transit
I would invest in a 12v chiller box it really helps on cooling and hygiene
Good luck on your stalk

With size and space, I may look at sticking with munties for now as a few gents have suggested, at least until I've done this whole process once or twice. Will look on the second hand market for any 12v chillers though, sounds like a good investment.

Thanks mate

 

[Will the chippy]

You can chill a munty / roe enough with some 2l pop bottles full of frozen water. And a couple of towels etc over the top of a plasterers bath.

 

[Ram]

Have you asked if there is a friendly butcher or stalker nearby who could either process it for you or let you hang it in their chiller and help you butcher?
Might be easier than trying to break down a carcass in the field, hanging off a tree, that hasn’t set.

That's a good idea, will get a post up. You're lucky I'm not in Hemel anymore otherwise I'd have been knocking on your door

 

[Klenchblaize]

With size and space, I may look at sticking with munties for now as a few gents have suggested.

And we wonder why the Lowland fallow population is what it is!!

K

 

[TringSaint]

That's a good idea, will get a post up. You're lucky I'm not in Hemel anymore otherwise I'd have been knocking on your door

I would have been happy for you to use my chiller. It’s sitting idle at the mo anyway.

 

[Tim.243]

And we wonder why the Lowland fallow population is what it is!!

K

Reading these type of threads must be on a parallel to a person buying any land rover and not understanding you will have to fix it...a lot!
"what is an outrigger" "should I grease the UJ's" "why does it leak oil"
Lowland farmer asks stalker "how is the deer cull going?"
"Do you know anything about land rovers?"

 

[Mike1979]

Reading these type of threads must be on a parallel to a person buying any land rover and not understanding you will have to fix it...a lot!
"what is an outrigger" "should I grease the UJ's" "why does it leak oil"
Lowland farmer asks stalker "how is the deer cull going?"
"Do you know anything about land rovers?"

No issues with people learning as they go with stalking...we all need to start somewhere. Im sure you didnt know everything when you started (even though you do now (or like to think so))

With the analogy though....you either have to be handy or stupid to buy a land rover And if you didnt realise you need to be handy...well then you are stupid More then happy for some abuse from land rover owners , but you know its true

 

[Jagged77]

I shot a couple in June and brought home in the skin - the tick burden was horrendous and they were crawling around even after being a 1 deg for 5 days. Was up on the bucks last weekend and skinned before I brought home just to avoid the possibility of nasties. I would hate for my kids to pick one up so doing all I can to avoid. I am lucky that I have a larder to use but even if not I’d hang in the field and get on with it. Be meticulous with your cleanliness and have plenty of cleaning materials with you such as disposable wipes, blue roll, gloves, alcohol wipes. Have a plan to deal with any spilled green or pellets.

Couple of other considerations, a freshly shot deer is a lot easier to skin than one that’s cooled. Once skinned it really is the work of minutes to take off the shoulders and separate the haunches from the torso. Straight into clean linen or muslin and into a cooler box. Stop in at a shop for extra bags of ice if needed.

 

[Tim.243]

No issues with people learning as they go with stalking...we all need to start somewhere. Im sure you didnt know everything when you started (even though you do now (or like to think so))

With the analogy though....you either have to be handy or stupid to buy a land rover And if you didnt realise you need to be handy...well then you are stupid More then happy for some abuse from land rover owners , but you know its true

No I quite agree, however when I learnt to scuba dive I had around 2.5k dives some years later then took up tec diving then built up the hours for the 5 tank 100mtr trimix dives.

 

[pob]

I'd recommend one of these: Decathlon Game bag. Good for stopping blood leakage. A couple of bottles of frozen water in the carcass, in the game bag should see you home.
Buy two and bring the skin, legs, head etc. home in a black bin bag, ready for disposal.

These are good post skinning and for storage of quarters in the fridge: Alaska game bags. A bit like posh pillowcases though.

You might want sandwich bags to bring home the heart, kidneys and liver, if you're that way inclined.

 

[Ram]

First you need to check with the person/outfitter is ok to skin it, but before all of that there is the process of 1st inspection then cleaning out the inspection head feet and gralloch then disposal of that. Then the skinning and that disposal, have you considered if the carcass/beast is not in good order from the first inspection or second! tick burden also!
Good daylight lots of flies/wasps at dusk head torch poor lighting cut fingers!
The need to hang for a bit in the very least. Cool box lots of frozen bottles cut it into 5/6 bits.

They are happy with skinning on field, but there are a few other questions that have come to mind from everyone's comments so will chat with my guide to make sure we're aligned on everything

 

[Ram]

Bread crates or supermarket plastic trays are good for transport, stacking and airflow. If these were then put in a tray in your car the blood will drain nicely and it'll let everything breath.

That sounds like a solid setup especially if paired with frozen bottles. My neighbour works at Tescos will see if he can help source a tray

 

[Ram]

You can then just hang it in a doorway in your flat to skin and butcher it, and dispose of the waste, securely bagged, in your domestic bin.

(I accept it's going to be a different story if you're fortunate enough to shoot a fallow).

Hadn't thought of that... Besides repurposing something like a doorframe pull-up bar, what would you suggest? I'll probably avoid bringing back in fur as a few have mentioned the risk with ticks,

Fallow will have to wait for now... hopefully only until you pull my name out of your draw

 

[Ram]

I shot a couple in June and brought home in the skin - the tick burden was horrendous and they were crawling around even after being a 1 deg for 5 days. Was up on the bucks last weekend and skinned before I brought home just to avoid the possibility of nasties. I would hate for my kids to pick one up so doing all I can to avoid. I am lucky that I have a larder to use but even if not I’d hang in the field and get on with it. Be meticulous with your cleanliness and have plenty of cleaning materials with you such as disposable wipes, blue roll, gloves, alcohol wipes. Have a plan to deal with any spilled green or pellets.

Couple of other considerations, a freshly shot deer is a lot easier to skin than one that’s cooled. Once skinned it really is the work of minutes to take off the shoulders and separate the haunches from the torso. Straight into clean linen or muslin and into a cooler box. Stop in at a shop for extra bags of ice if needed.

That's good to know, will avoid fur for now. Also added other bits to my packing list. Thanks

 

[Ram]

I'd recommend one of these: Decathlon Game bag. Good for stopping blood leakage. A couple of bottles of frozen water in the carcass, in the game bag should see you home.
Buy two and bring the skin, legs, head etc. home in a black bin bag, ready for disposal.

These are good post skinning and for storage of quarters in the fridge: Alaska game bags. A bit like posh pillowcases though.

Do you reckon a game bag is better than transporting back in an aerated tray and stuffing the carcass with frozen bottles? Tempted by the Alaska bags as read it helps the meat not dry out too much in the fridge

You might want sandwich bags to bring home the heart, kidneys and liver, if you're that way inclined.

Absolutely

 

[Cyres]

If its a munty skin and split it up in the field. Put in bags and put in freezer box with some ice blocks.
Cannot understand the comments of lots of blood coming out of meat. Surely it will be bled out esp if heart lung shot. Neck shot can be bled out. Minimal amount of blood should remain.
D

 

[Ram]

If its a munty skin and split it up in the field. Put in bags and put in freezer box with some ice blocks.
Cannot understand the comments of lots of blood coming out of meat. Surely it will be bled out esp if heart lung shot. Neck shot can be bled out. Minimal amount of blood should remain.
D

It's looking like I'll most likely do something along these lines

 

[Tim.243]

They are happy with skinning on field, but there are a few other questions that have come to mind from everyone's comments so will chat with my guide to make sure we're aligned on everything

All of this in time dependant, you watch a slaughter house then things move quickly, deer being the slowest and most open to all elements of the meat trade. Yes they are doing volume but still a food chain process,

 

[pob]

I have used supermarket trays for bringing back small deer over short distances. However those Decathlon bags are good for stopping leaks and keeping flies off. Pack up nice and small too. Might be better for you to have a holdall in the lift than a bread crate with a dead thing in it.
I like the Alaska game bags because I skin in the field, mostly. Let's the carcass breath and no drips carrying through the house or when in the fridge. Hides the evidence from squeamish family or guests visiting the fridge for a cold can too.