Venison Price drop!

[Taff]

They've either got to pay more for a head shot carcass, or less for a chest shot carcass. Which would you rather?
It's unreasonable to expect them to pay the same for both, when one will have a significant amount of waste (that they have to pay for the disposal of) and a much lower yield of saleable meat.

I remember being in John strange a dealer / butcher in Lyndhurst, many years ago, no such thing as waste apart from bones, that sausage machine took it all , mostly sold to holiday makers, they loved them.

 

[nun_hunter]

I butcher a lot of my deer and would always head/neck shoot anything I am going to butcher. I can't see why the game dealers would be any different in what they want to butcher.

I've found switching to copper bullets leaves more available meat when I butcher but still less than head/neck shot deer. If I had all the time in the world and no need to try and shoot more deer other than for my own use them I'd always head shoot. Trying to get the numbers down for the farmer means I need to shoot deer further away or in a less stable position to only allow head shooting and so copper and chest shots are a good compromise. I'd be happy to take a variation in price from the game dealer depending on how the deer are shot. In my situation (as pointed out buly others in this thread) the game dealer is offering me a way to get rid of excess deer rather than leaving them for other wildlife. I appreciate others are in a different situation and may require more from their game dealers, but I don't think many stalkers are supplying enough deer by themselves to a gamedealer to dictate what price they get and there will always be another stalker willing to fill their order which is why there is no collective bargaining power.

 

[wytonpjs]

"Eat all you can, give friends all they need, and if there's any left sell it to the theiving game dealer".

Spot on Sadly, my new “business“ model

 

[wytonpjs]

Being in the same shoes as the rest of the public, my main issue is often that there simply is not space in a city centre flat to hang up a carcass to skin.

Above door from pull-up bar or baby-bouncer clamp

 

[skywull]

Who doesn't? Stalkers?
There's a lot of grant money floating about out there, if you care to look for it:
My DSC1 course was subsidised by Welsh Government. My larder was grant funded. Highseats were provided by the Deer Initiative. Next week I'm attending a fully-funded venison butchery course. The design of my venison logo and my marketing material was grant funded. And so on.....

i did mean your average stalker not deer farmers or deer businesses

 

[VSS]

i did mean your average stalker not deer farmers or deer businesses

I know you did.
There are plenty of "average stalkers" who've recieved funding towards chillers, high seats etc, either by virtue of being part of a group initiative (eg, local DMG), or by registering as a food business with their LA and being eligible for support that way.

And a significant proportion of the recreational stalkers that I know personally had the cost of their DSC1 course subsidised.

 

[Freeforester]

I've found switching to copper bullets leaves more available meat when I butcher but still less than head/neck shot deer. If I had all the time in the world and no need to try and shoot more deer other than for my own use them I'd always head shoot. Trying to get the numbers down for the farmer means I need to shoot deer further away or in a less stable position to only allow head shooting and so copper and chest shots are a good compromise. I'd be happy to take a variation in price from the game dealer depending on how the deer are shot. In my situation (as pointed out buly others in this thread) the game dealer is offering me a way to get rid of excess deer rather than leaving them for other wildlife. I appreciate others are in a different situation and may require more from their game dealers, but I don't think many stalkers are supplying enough deer by themselves to a gamedealer to dictate what price they get and there will always be another stalker willing to fill their order which is why there is no collective bargaining power.

Lots of disquiet around Scottish hill men surrounding the performance (lack thereof) of copper bullets, just sayin - seems to be seen as a retrograde welfare issue. Idk, still personally using lead gilded and heavy for the calibre bullets, and mostly head or non shoulder chest shots to minimise damage.

Per the original theme, a friend was offered 28p per kilo recently for cleanly (head) shot red deer. Just FYPI.

 

[South of the M4]

They've either got to pay more for a head shot carcass, or less for a chest shot carcass. Which would you rather?
It's unreasonable to expect them to pay the same for both, when one will have a significant amount of waste (that they have to pay for the disposal of) and a much lower yield of saleable meat.

I think one thing to fix first is the dealers encouraging head shots by offering slightly more on those. If we stalkers kick back on that it would be a start at least.

My game dealer takes the view that, in my case at least, about 40% of the carcasses I take in will have been head/neck shot. I believe he takes an 'average' view and gives a middle price between head and chest shots. A broadly similar percentage of the carcasses I see in his chiller are also head/neck shot.
Encouraging head/neck shots with more money encourages hero long distance shots, with the dangers we are all familiar with - I know he rails against that, and good on him for that.

 

[User00040]

My game dealer takes the view that, in my case at least, about 40% of the carcasses I take in will have been head/neck shot. I believe he takes an 'average' view and gives a middle price between head and chest shots. A broadly similar percentage of the carcasses I see in his chiller are also head/neck shot.
Encouraging head/neck shots with more money encourages hero long distance shots, with the dangers we are all familiar with - I know he rails against that, and good on him for that.

FYI all kangaroos culled for the commercial meat market must be head-shot in Aus. There tests are

Redirect Notice

Their shooting test and calibre requirements:



Most of this is culling done at night, which is ironic given the 'Best Practise Guidance' we have here in Scotland, where head and neck shooting under the (usually Aus made) lamp is barred. (Or should I now say Chinese NV/Bulgarian-Serbian thermal?)

 

[HonestJohn]

Lots of disquiet around Scottish hill men surrounding the performance (lack thereof) of copper bullets, just sayin - seems to be seen as a retrograde welfare issue. Idk, still personally using lead gilded and heavy for the calibre bullets, and mostly head or non shoulder chest shots to minimise damage.

Per the original theme, a friend was offered 28p per kilo recently for cleanly (head) shot red deer. Just FYPI.

I agree with poor performance over 200, unless running magnums etc. Reds my way now 60p/kg, deductions apply for lead shot on top of that

 

[Overlay]

Lots of disquiet around Scottish hill men surrounding the performance (lack thereof) of copper bullets, just sayin - seems to be seen as a retrograde welfare issue. Idk, still personally using lead gilded and heavy for the calibre bullets, and mostly head or non shoulder chest shots to minimise damage.

Per the original theme, a friend was offered 28p per kilo recently for cleanly (head) shot red deer. Just FYPI.

what’s caused the dramatic price drop - overload of carcases or something more serious

 

[Pete6.5]

what’s caused the dramatic price drop - overload of carcases or something more serious

More supply than demand

 

[David Barker]

Relax and make a cup of coffee reduce what you shoot and you will enjoy your deer management more. Once the deer to the dealers slows down you will see the price rise. If that dont happen do we really need to stress.

 

[South of the M4]

My game dealer takes the view that, in my case at least, about 40% of the carcasses I take in will have been head/neck shot. I believe he takes an 'average' view and gives a middle price between head and chest shots. A broadly similar percentage of the carcasses I see in his chiller are also head/neck shot.
Encouraging head/neck shots with more money encourages hero long distance shots, with the dangers we are all familiar with - I know he rails against that, and good on him for that.

FYI all kangaroos culled for the commercial meat market must be head-shot in Aus. There tests are

Redirect Notice

Their shooting test and calibre requirements:



Most of this is culling done at night, which is ironic given the 'Best Practise Guidance' we have here in Scotland, where head and neck shooting under the (usually Aus made) lamp is barred. (Or should I now say Chinese NV/Bulgarian-Serbian thermal?)

Are you suggesting we should head shoot deer in the UK because the Aussies head shoot Kangaroos?
That’s a bit of a stretch….
I hear rumours of Australia being a somewhat larger land mass with fewer human inhabitants, which makes a difference when shooting at night.
I could head shoot another 10% of my yearly total if I had to worry less about the backstop in little England.
Also we have an army of amateur hunters shooting deer, not professionals as in Aussie, apparently shooting over a million ‘roos a year which then go to the abattoirs and on into the food chain, according to the report you attached to your post.
Contrast that with many (most?) UK stalkers taking less than 10 a year. One needs to be taking higher numbers than that to reliably and accurately head shoot time and again in the field. Hence the chest shot, which is more forgiving for the occasional stalker with the inevitable wobbles while on sticks.

 

[Pete6.5]

Relax and make a cup of coffee reduce what you shoot and you will enjoy your deer management more. Once the deer to the dealers slows down you will see the price rise. If that dont happen do we really need to stress.

Isn't that making the problem worse by letting the deer population grow even more and causing a massive over supply in the future.

 

[David Barker]

Isn't that making the problem worse by letting the deer population grow even more and causing a massive over supply in the future.

Pete6.5 the problem we have is not because of the rec stalkers and has been said before by contractors SNH/Naturescot FE/FLS we don,t factor into the equation. So how can we make the situation any worse. The only way to reduce population is to make sure that demand is higher than the supply. The best way to do that is decrease the amount we import and use the environment route as a reason.

 

[Klenchblaize]

Shooters MP calls for hunted deer meat to be given to homeless Victorians and charities | Victoria | The Guardian

Statet MP Jeff Bourman says his ‘Hunters for the Hungry’ proposal will help deal with ballooning deer numbers

amp.theguardian.com

K

 

[Home Loader]

I remember being in John strange a dealer / butcher in Lyndhurst, many years ago, no such thing as waste apart from bones, that sausage machine took it all , mostly sold to holiday makers, they loved them.

There's a name from the past. I remember those sausages, good job the tourists bought them not many would buy them twice, they were strong.

 

[Tree Doctor]

That's exactly my point. The one price that they set for everything is based on the poorest deer that they're presented with.
As for better treatment for suppliers of better carcasses, it's a case of "damned if they do, damned if they don't". I have seen game dealers slated on here for offering a higher price for head shot deer (ie, better carcasses).
I tell you something: If I was a game dealer, I'd only be buying head shot deer, and I'd be paying proper money for them. Disposal of the shot damaged parts of chest shot deer is a cost, and the yield of saleable meat per carcass is considerably lower.
I'm not advocating everyone takes head shots, btw. You've got to shoot within the limits of your capabilities and be humane. But also be prepared to accept a lower price.

I think the game dealers must realise that a lot of work is done by the hunter in preparation and inspection so it’s fit for consumption and should pay a descent price for the venison and they should allow for a bit of damage I don’t agree with head shot deer, a lot of margin for error you have to think of the welfare of the beast with a better shot placement.

 

[VSS]

I think the game dealers must realise that a lot of work is done by the hunter in preparation and inspection so it’s fit for consumption

Unfortunately, not all hunters are as conscientious as you would like to think.

should pay a descent price for the venison and they should allow for a bit of damage

Trouble is "a bit of damage" might actually mean a significant proportion of the carcass goes in the bin. For example, it's not uncommon to lose both shoulders and most of the breasts from a chest shot deer. So either everyone has to accept a price based on the fact that the overall standard is poor, or there needs to be a stepped pricing system that rewards better quality (ie, less waste) submissions. Which brings is on to:

I don’t agree with head shot deer, a lot of margin for error you have to think of the welfare of the beast with a better shot placement.

The difference in carcass quality between a head shot deer and a chest shot deer is considerable, and while I absolutely agree that animal welfare is of paramount importance, so is carcass quality. At the end of the day we're food producers, and the food that we produce has to be good food.
If head shots are considered inappropriate on welfare grounds, then a price that reflects the poorer quality of the carcasses should be accepted without complaint.

Right now I have seven fallow carcasses in my chiller, all head shot, and I'm proud of them. Not proud of my shooting ability - I'm no better shot than anyone else - but proud of the quality of the carcasses. I wouldn't sell them at "game dealer rates". £4/kg is my price for head shot deer in-skin.
But when I chest shoot deer I accept that their value is less.