First Fallow

Great outing with Watermeadow Deer Stalking (Watermeadow Deer Stalking) on Saturday. The guide spotted a group of Fallow couched up digesting breakfast and put my buddy onto a yearling doe for his first deer without alerting the rest of the group to their presence. Just 30m away the guide encouraged my buddy to only take if he was confident and ready. Infantry trained, snap shooting bread and butter of the trade, he needed no second bidding, releasing the shot instantly with spot-on accuracy, right in the centre of the upper neck. Nerves continuing to fire for some time after, the guide put a second shot straight through the doe’s head just to make absolutely sure of expiry, the efficacy of the 150gr Virtus Merlin 30-06 Copper round from Paul at Corinium, beyond any shadow of doubt.

All of my culls to date having been Roe and Muntjac, it finally gave me a Fallow to practice handling and gralloching in advance of my level 2 stalk next weekend. The Watermeadow guide also helped with some great and much appreciated added coaching and experience sharing.

Thankfully a smaller Fallow, the ~30kg Yearling Doe was just light enough to hang from the shelving of the chiller without breaking the shelf. Must now quickly proceed with finding someone to make the metal bar setup planned to cope with the weight of Fallow in place of hanging animals from the racking. The added height of the triangular setup will also enable larger Fallow to fit.

Thanks Watermeadow, really appreciating your ground and expert guiding

 

[25 Sharps]

Cheers Tim and I have noted Tim's hanger's and will very likely reach out for one once I have the triangular setup with bar between to span across the shelf mounting rails on each side of the chiller, raising the height of the bar between to the maximum height of the chiller. If I understand correctly, Tim only provides the hangers. My buddy is learning welding too so has kindly offered to give putting something together a go if I can provide a design, which I'll do once the coming weekend is out of the way.

As your local, you’re welcome to a couple of my home made 90 (ish ) degree long S Hooks. 8 mm stainless, allow you to hang from the aitch bone so the deer hang higher than the hocks.

 

[tjm160]

As your local, you’re welcome to a couple of my home made 90 (ish ) degree long S Hooks. 8 mm stainless, allow you to hang from the aitch bone so the deer hang higher than the hocks.

That would be amazing Sharps and hugely appreciate. 75 has amazingly kindly helped me out with one, but another pair would be massively helpful. We're in the process of moving where I'll have a little space for a proper deer processing area and I've just joined a local syndicate that will justify a second or slightly larger chiller.

I picked up the bits for the bar arrangement but didn't have time to put together before DSC2 stalk (and second decompression stalk the following day) at the weekend. Two beasts to chill in the meantime I quickly cut a section of bar and popped in, but the weight has seen it compress itself most of the way through the top shelf bar. No great shakes though once I've got the bracket made that will spread the weight over the entire length of the shelf bars.

 

[25 Sharps]

That would be amazing Sharps and hugely appreciate. 75 has amazingly kindly helped me out with one, but another pair would be massively helpful. We're in the process of moving where I'll have a little space for a proper deer processing area and I've just joined a local syndicate that will justify a second or slightly larger chiller.

I picked up the bits for the bar arrangement but didn't have time to put together before DSC2 stalk (and second decompression stalk the following day) at the weekend. Two beasts to chill in the meantime I quickly cut a section of bar and popped in, but the weight has seen it compress itself most of the way through the top shelf bar. No great shakes though once I've got the bracket made that will spread the weight over the entire length of the shelf bars.

View attachment 466717

No worries buddy, drop me a PM and we can sort it

 

[tjm160]

Enormous thanks @pazmino my chiller bar setup is finally complete and absolutely perfect, thank you!! I've also made a second for a vicar friend with an earlier model of the same chiller.



Grateful thanks also to @75 and @25 Sharps for the aitch bone hangers which will now safely allow up to a couple of good size Fallow and the odd Red.

 

[25 Sharps]

Enormous thanks @pazmino my chiller bar setup is finally complete and absolutely perfect, thank you!! I've also made a second for a vicar friend with an earlier model of the same chiller.

View attachment 480333

Grateful thanks also to @75 and @25 Sharps for the aitch bone hangers which will now safely allow up to a couple of good size Fallow and the odd Red.

View attachment 480335

Looks good, I think if it was rigid enough I’d lose that front bar, you’ll have to drop the hook under and then lift up inside. With a 50+ kilo carcass that’s going to be much more difficult than lifting straight onto the rail.

 

[25 Sharps]

Looks good, I think if it was rigid enough I’d lose that front bar, you’ll have to drop the hook under and then lift up inside. With a 50+ kilo carcass that’s going to be much more difficult than lifting straight onto the rail.

Looking again, I would put 2 more vertical bars at the front, then run the front bar at the high level. This will help keep the frame rigid whilst making handling easier.

 

[tjm160]

The difficulty the front cross-bar overcomes is the back of the chiller being 49cm wide and the front being 50cm wide. Without the front cross-bar, the side-bars come off the shelf rail and the whole thing has no stability.

I plan to see how it goes with a Fallow (or two) and if getting them in with the front cross-bar in place proves unreasonably difficult, then building a front bar that spans across at the max height of the chiller makes total sense.

 

[Emilio]

The difficulty the front cross-bar overcomes is the back of the chiller being 49cm wide and the front being 50cm wide. Without the front cross-bar, the side-bars come off the shelf rail and the whole thing has no stability.

I plan to see how it goes with a Fallow (or two) and if getting them in with the front cross-bar in place proves unreasonably difficult, then building a front bar that spans across at the max height of the chiller makes total sense.

I would put 2 verticals at the front of the side bars and then put the side-to side on top of those. that way you have stability and can access the hookrail, like this:

 

[25 Sharps]

I would put 2 verticals at the front of the side bars and then put the side-to side on top of those. that way you have stability and can access the hookrail, like this:

View attachment 480355

That was my thinking too.

Alternatively fix the 2 side members through the wall of the chiller at the front, no real load but it would keep them over the shelf ledge.

 

[25 Sharps]

The difficulty the front cross-bar overcomes is the back of the chiller being 49cm wide and the front being 50cm wide. Without the front cross-bar, the side-bars come off the shelf rail and the whole thing has no stability.

I plan to see how it goes with a Fallow (or two) and if getting them in with the front cross-bar in place proves unreasonably difficult, then building a front bar that spans across at the max height of the chiller makes total sense.

If you are lifting in on your own it will make it difficult, maybe easier as you’re quite tall but after a couple I think you’d want to change it.

 

[pazmino]

Yes, @Emilio 's suggestion sounds sensible, cos like @25 Sharps I think you're going to struggle getting a large fallow in there with that front bar - even without it, manhandling a large carcass when it's fresh and hence not rigid from the floor up to the rail produces on my part at least a hell of a lot of effing and blinding! I was lucky with my fridge in that the width at the front was only a tiny bit wider than the back, so although the bar doesn't rest on the whole length of the shelf support, it's enough to be secure.

 

[tjm160]

Good points, all well raised and we'll see how it works out. I managed ok with these two (didn't have scales to weigh at the time), much bigger and they won't fit in any case. In worst case, I'll just hang off an aitch hanger off another aitch hanger to fit easily below the front bar.

 

[Mike1979]

Good points, all well raised and we'll see how it works out. I managed ok with these two (didn't have scales to weigh at the time), much bigger and they won't fit in any case. In worst case, I'll just hang off an aitch hanger off another aitch hanger to fit easily below the front bar.

That's a snug old fit

 

[tjm160]

It was, I was really quite chuffed with myself at the time

 

[Mike1979]

It was, I was really quite chuffed with myself at the time

I cheated ... I got a secondhand (well probably 8th hand) walk in chiller for a sensible price ... I might pop it on later and go and spend an hour or two in the cool

 

[tjm160]

funny that, I was thinking very similar; perhaps if I stood in there sideways

Honestly, I don't (and can't - health issues) shoot enough to justify much more in terms of chiller facilities. Equally, we are about to move and there's an annexe with workshop and (present) gym space that I'm looking to turn into a proper man cave and have a partition wall put in the gym space to create a full on small larder (including plumbing). A local butcher has also offered to come after work and do my butchery for a very fair price. I have consequently been mulling over leaving enough space for a second bigger chiller. However, whilst I eat venison in different forms 4-5 nights a week, even if I did manage to find the wherewithal to get out a little more, it's a whole different consideration considering moving on excess venison.....

 

[25 Sharps]

Good points, all well raised and we'll see how it works out. I managed ok with these two (didn't have scales to weigh at the time), much bigger and they won't fit in any case. In worst case, I'll just hang off an aitch hanger off another aitch hanger to fit easily below the front bar.

They look sub 40 kg, 55 kg is about the limit I can do without questioning my life choices, I have done 65 but that was a right pr*ck!

Once you get onto 50 kg+ you’ll know it, the only trouble with a long hook onto a long hook is the animal is also long, it’ll be on the deck. Trying to hang on another hook that is moving around with a heavy animal is also a pain.

 

[tjm160]

I hear you Scott but it's stretching things that forces us to change, only a good thing really.

I only had Roe / Muntjac on my permissions until pushing myself on to get DSC2 (anticipating needing for a syndicate place when I lose my main permission to housing in summer 2027) and starting to deal with Fallow in that process that has forced the change in chiller capabilities. Securing said syndicate place a year early (and not even needing DSC2 ) and Fallow are on the Menu from August:



These appearing on the farmer's daughter's trail cam having been let out of a local deer park by lefties is also going to stretch things even further when I finally catch up with them (again, once the appropriate season comes round)!

 

[25 Sharps]

I hear you Scott but it's stretching things that forces us to change, only a good thing really.

I only had Roe / Muntjac on my permissions until pushing myself on to get DSC2 (anticipating needing for a syndicate place when I lose my main permission to housing in summer 2027) and starting to deal with Fallow in that process that has forced the change in chiller capabilities. Securing said syndicate place a year early (and not even needing DSC2 ) and Fallow are on the Menu from August:

View attachment 480388

These appearing on the farmer's daughter's trail cam having been let out of a local deer park by lefties is also going to stretch things even further when I finally catch up with them (again, once the appropriate season comes round)!

View attachment 480384

You’re going to need a bigger chiller, and an outlet!

 

[tjm160]

A weekly outing is all my health will cope with. Some helpful members suggested I make a deal with the local farm shop for them to butcher for me and I did so. Take them two carcasses over any period of time and they will retain one in payment and return the other fully butchered to my preference. Working really well for both parties. These were the proceeds from my one of the two Fallow above: