How Much Meat On That Deer?

[Semisane]

 

[SwampCat]

Thanks - great information

 

[Semisane]

A handy step-by-step guide for the hind leg roasts. I have this as a Word.doc that prints on one page. If anyone wants it in that forat shoot me a private message with your email address and I'll send it to you.

 

[Tree Spud]

Is the 132 lbs a dressed weight? What do you define as a a "prepped 132 lbs weight"?

If it is, you are saying you get 36 % of a dressed buck in clean meat.

I have harvested over 110 deer in my short career, that ratio does not make sense for a wild deer ... buck or doe. I am used to harvesting very well fed deer from IL & WI ... I would say the ratio of meat claimed is more around 25-27% of clean meat. I am talking about 3.5-4.5 year old bucks that dress out at 180-210 lbs ... after rut and in gun season.

Something is confusing ... how does a 132 lbs dressed 2.5 year old buck have 47 lbs of clean meat ... ?

 

[Semisane]

The deer was two and a half years old. It weighed 130 lbs. on the hoof (or on the cart ). The yield of clean boneless meat was 47 lbs. 13 oz. as shown in the picture. Yield was a bit over 36% of live weight. I weighed everything very carefully.

 

[bueller]

Great post. Thanks for taking the time to document the way you did.

 

[Telemark]

Are you sure that deer is 2.5?

 

[JFK52]

I have been going to the same one man deer processor for the last 25 years. When I asked him what is the biggest complaint of his customers. He told me that they all think there should have been more meat on the deer they brought in and that he was stealing their meat. The person is an "old school" guy in his early 70s. He is as honest as the day is long. People just do not understand how much by product there is when a deer is cleaned. The head, hide, legs, entrails, and all the bones amount to a large part of the total weight of a deer.
I have to agree with "Tree Spud" that the clean meat from a deer is about 25-27% of the gutted weight.

 

[Semisane]

QUOTE Telemark: "

Are you sure that deer is 2.5?"​

Absolutely. We've been ageing every deer shot on our lease for the last 19 years. A 2.5 year old is very easy to identify. ​

 

[Nova]

Semisane, thanks for all the work you did to make the post. Very good info. Much appreciated!

 

[Bill]

My son popped a yearling by mistake about 3 weeks ago. Been there done that! And sometimes on purpose. Didn't weigh it but it was a one handed sling into the truck. Anyway with the backstraps removed every thing else was cut for grinding. We are picky and cut out all the fat and white fiberious stuff. When finished we had about 15 lbs of burger. And I threw in a 4lb pork shoulder for some fat.

Great write up!

 

[Tree Spud]

The deer was two and a half years old. It weighed 130 lbs. on the hoof (or on the cart ). The yield of clean boneless meat was 47 lbs. 13 oz. as shown in the picture. Yield was a bit over 36% of live weight. I weighed everything very carefully.

So .... 130 lbs live weight less 25-30 lbs of guts & fluid removed suggests 100-105 dressed (conservatively).

So how does 47 + 6 lbs clean & trimmings come off of a 100-105 lbs dressed buck? That is 50-53% lean tissue .... pretty amazing ....

Just trying to learn what I am missing when breaking down a deer.

 

[bodie]

The scraps for the dogs would be better for them if they were fed raw. Just a suggestion.

 

[swat1018]

You have to figure probably another 20+ pounds of hide, and probably at least that much more in remaining carcass/bone.

 

[Booner21]

Is the 132 lbs a dressed weight? What do you define as a a "prepped 132 lbs weight"?

If it is, you are saying you get 36 % of a dressed buck in clean meat.

I have harvested over 110 deer in my short career, that ratio does not make sense for a wild deer ... buck or doe. I am used to harvesting very well fed deer from IL & WI ... I would say the ratio of meat claimed is more around 25-27% of clean meat. I am talking about 3.5-4.5 year old bucks that dress out at 180-210 lbs ... after rut and in gun season.

Something is confusing ... how does a 132 lbs dressed 2.5 year old buck have 47 lbs of clean meat ... ?

Mine seem to be close to that as well usually about 45 lbs of meet + loins from a 180 to 200 lb dressed deer guess i am doing something very wrong.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[H20fwler]

I’ve always figured around 1/3 of live weight in boned meat after butchering. We have been butchering our own for decades, I like to get them skinned and cut up while they are still warm. I try and get every bit of good meat I can off a deer, also save heart/liver/tongue.
I take some of the meat in gallon bags to a trusted local butcher and get summer sausage made every year.

 

[OakSeeds]

H20 .... are you aware of the advisory / warnings on deer organs like liver? I am super cautious even though - at my age - it probably doesn't make much difference. Just thought I'd share an informational post.

Health News ‘Forever chemicals’ found in deer and fish lead to ‘do not eat’ warnings by: The Associated Press via Nexstar Media Wire
Posted: Oct 5, 2022 / 11:06 AM CDT Updated: Oct 5, 2022 / 12:46 PM CDT
https://kfor.com/news/health/forever-chemicals-found-in-deer-and-fish-lead-to-do-not-eat-warnings/

 

[davidhelmly]

The deer was two and a half years old. It weighed 130 lbs. on the hoof (or on the cart ). The yield of clean boneless meat was 47 lbs. 13 oz. as shown in the picture. Yield was a bit over 36% of live weight. I weighed everything very carefully.

That is about exactly what I have found, roughly 1/3 the weigh of a deer on the hoof is what you will get in boneless meat.

 

[Catscratch]

Beautiful gun!

 

[trampledbyturtles]

H20 .... are you aware of the advisory / warnings on deer organs like liver? I am super cautious even though - at my age - it probably doesn't make much difference. Just thought I'd share an informational post.

Health News ‘Forever chemicals’ found in deer and fish lead to ‘do not eat’ warnings by: The Associated Press via Nexstar Media Wire
Posted: Oct 5, 2022 / 11:06 AM CDT Updated: Oct 5, 2022 / 12:46 PM CDT
https://kfor.com/news/health/forever-chemicals-found-in-deer-and-fish-lead-to-do-not-eat-warnings/

I'd rather roll the dice with wild vs the shit they pump em full of in CAFOs