What to do with the carcasses?

[Tim.243]

The carcass buyers should just turn them away. They're not doing any of us any favours by buying and selling venison that's not up to standard.

Complain direct Tim

National Game Dealers Association | NGDA

For over 40 years the NGDA has represented the game industry at government level, helping to improve the quality and standard of game processing in the UK.

www.nationalgamedealersassociation.co.uk

 

[75]

There’s certainly no pressure at the moment so I’ve got time to work it out. As you suggest, I’ll take one and see how that goes then decide what to do with the next one. I went for a mooch this morning but didn’t see anything, it was more of a recce. Looking at the potential distance I would have to drag them to my car did make my heart sink a bit.

Few folk really grasp how much fun stalking reds can be until they drop a couple in some rough woodland or at the bottom of a muddy field.

Getting them out is as much a consideration as what to do with them after you have got them back to the house / farm etc so pick your shots wisely! And use any sort of mechanical aid you can get your hands on - drag trays / trailers / ramps / trolleys / hoists / telehandler... The less you physically have to handle the bloody things the better!

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Few folk really grasp how much fun stalking reds can be until they drop a couple in some rough woodland or at the bottom of a muddy field.

Getting them out is as much a consideration as what to do with them after you have got them back to the house / farm etc so pick your shots wisely! And use any sort of mechanical aid you can get your hands on - dray trays / trailers / ramps / trolleys / hoists / telehandler... The less you physically have to handle the bloody things the better!

Amen

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I had a former Member of the SD stalking with my and he shot a stag, big body mangled head, I said well done I’ll go get the quad and trailer, he said I’ll get dragging and I’ll meet you at the track (200m away)

Right ho you start says I

15 mins later there he was sitting on said stag smoking a woodbine and said they ain’t like those highland jobs are they!?

 

[Tim.243]

I had a former Member of the SD stalking with my and he shot a stag, big body mangled head, I said well done I’ll go get the quad and trailer, he said I’ll get dragging and I’ll meet you at the track (200m away)

Right ho you start says I

15 mins later there he was sitting on said stag smoking a woodbine and said they ain’t like those highland jobs are they!?

Most sound like they need to improve (like their school report said)

 

[Mike1979]

I had a former Member of the SD stalking with my and he shot a stag, big body mangled head, I said well done I’ll go get the quad and trailer, he said I’ll get dragging and I’ll meet you at the track (200m away)

Right ho you start says I

15 mins later there he was sitting on said stag smoking a woodbine and said they ain’t like those highland jobs are they!?

I shot my first red in Dec down in Devon. I had been warned about extraction and the last one they shot took 3 hours to recover with a capstan winch. So what did I do as a Creedmoor owner I hear you ask... I shot a small 8 point stag, dropped him on the spot, about 30 yards uphill from a track where we could load him in the pickup what a stroke of luck and a nice breakfast on the way back since it was the easiest extraction that we could have wished for.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

You can sell them on Giving Up The Game its a Facebook page

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

You can sell them on Giving Up The Game its a Facebook page

Ever tried to sell a red on giving up the game?

 

[Sheamus]

Most sound like they need to improve (like their school report said)

I'm sick to fecking death of seeing that YouTube clip Tim.
Your like a backward child that keeps wanting to show everyone his toy..
The things worn out,get another for feck sake..
Just go's to show how the divi's down your way estimate spikers Half a ton my arse

 

[suburban bushwacker]

Ever tried to sell a red on giving up the gam

If that's not working the raw dog food people are always keen

 

[Sol]

The daft thing is that there's no need to shoot the stags at that time.
The cull of stags could be completed in the summer, for much better quality venison, leaving just the breeding stags and any promising youngsters on the hill to overwinter.
I think it's only people's love of antlers and the excitement of the "roar" that dictates that they are shot during the rut. From all other perspectives it's a daft time to cull.

Understand some people really hammer hinds and want every particular day possible, but at least over here by say start of February Its pretty much over for us yet most of our stags remain antlered until midway into march at least.

Seems like some careful selection could be considered in about that time of year too for the non mature beasts? Sure, they might not be tiptop shape regarding muscled carcasses, but at least if anything there not rutted out and stink and at least there not end of the rut carcasses either where there skin and bones.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Understand some people really hammer hinds and want every particular day possible, but at least over here by say start of February Its pretty much over for us yet most of our stags remain antlered until midway into march at least.

Seems like some careful selection could be considered in about that time of year too for the non mature beasts? Sure, they might not be tiptop shape regarding muscled carcasses, but at least if anything there not rutted out and stink and at least there not end of the rut carcasses either where there skin and bones.

If it was me I would ban the Shooting of all male deer until the females are at a maintaining level

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

If that's not working the raw dog food people are always keen

Not down this way they’re flooded out with chinks through the winter!

Game dealer £1.50/kg job jobbed, pays the bar bill!

 

[75]

I agree - you'll struggle to move a decent red hind or spiker whole to a domestic buyer; for dogs or otherwise. It's just too big for most people to handle.

Plus you'll need to store it until they can collect (assuming they don't let you down last minute!). It's fine in the garage when it's this kinda weather but when the temperature jumps well into double figures you'll need a chiller of some sort. It's a whole other level of faff (and cost!) that you won't incur if you just weight them straight in at the dealer.

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

I don’t wish to dampen the OP’s enthusiasm, but they are a BALL ACHE!

There is a lot to be said for shooting the more manageable species that’s for sure.

 

[Cheddar F]

Hello all, I’m after some advice if possible.

It’s been a few years since I’ve been stalking and when I did go, it was always accompanied. Now I’ve got the opportunity to stalk on my in-laws farm as they’ve got some reds causing damage to their crops.

My issue now is what to do with the carcasses, as once I’ve shot one or two my chest freezer will be full and I can’t see me eating enough of it to empty it very quickly.

My other thought was to take it to a game dealer, I spoke to a local one who would be happy for me to supply to them as long as I have a DSC1, which I do. But if I take it to a game dealer would I have to register as self employed and declare the income? I imagine I’ll be shooting fairly modest numbers so seems like it could be more hassle than it’s worth.

What’s other people’s experience in a similar position to me? Am I better off trying to give them away to family or friends or, would it be simpler to just register as self employed and drop the carcasses off at the game dealer?

Thanks.

Tom.

Hi Tom,
your trained hunter number should be on your DSC certificate (possibly shown as your candidate number) if you process yourself you'll find that you suddenly have friends that will happily take some off your hands, the Mrs and kids will probably eat anything you are prepared to cook and serve up for them, if not try weaning them on to it with mince, chilli, spag bol and burgers. As others have said reds are more of a handful than fallow and the littluns' so do watch your back.

Trevor

 

[Klenchblaize]

If only all deer were the size of a Munty!

K

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

If only all deer were the size of a Munty!

K

Or max size of a medium fallow doe
Or sika hind I will add

 

[VSS]

Or max size of a medium fallow doe

A youngish fallow doe with a larder weight of around 34 - 36kg is about the best you can get in all respects:

Big enough to be worth shooting and butchering;
Small enough to be handleable;
Excellent lean meat yield per kg carcass weight;
Optimum size cuts for customer requirements;
Best eating quality.

I would be very happy if that were the only category of deer I was processing.
(Provided they were all head shot, of course!).

(Just editing to add that I have butchered all six deer species, so I am making a reasonably informed comparison).

 

[shakey jake]

I don’t wish to dampen the OP’s enthusiasm, but they are a BALL ACHE!

There is a lot to be said for shooting the more manageable species that’s for sure.

I do want to butcher a big stag one day, i know it will be a ball ache, i know ill regret it. Ive no shortage of roe, cwd, munty but i think it would be a bit of fun