How Much Meat On That Deer?

Semisane

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

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Great post. Do you have any other sized deer that you have butchered that you could share their totals? It would be nice to know how much a 100 or 150 pound deer yields. Then we can extrapolate how much our deer should yield. I always wonder if I am getting the correct amount of meat back from the processor, but don't really know how much I should expect.
 
I did the same kind of breakout on a 110 lb. doe a few years back Fishman, except I didn't debone the neck because I wanted to use it for a bone-in neck roast on the pit. The total was 31 lbs. 10 oz. of boneless meat plus the neck. Probably would have been about 34 lbs. with the neck meat. As I recall, l lost a few pounds of bloodshot shoulder meat on that one, but probably not more than 2 or 3 pounds. Unfortunately that picture sequence was posted with Photobucket and was lost when I cancelled my account when they decided to charge $99 a year for 3rd. party hosting of pictures.

The deer was 130 lbs. on the hoof Kwood (or in the deer cart :D)
 
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Yes excellent presentation. We weighed boned meat from five normal size does does shot here in Northern New York. They were all average does with no exceptionally small or exceptionally large ones(normal for here which is from 100 lbs on up to 120 lbs dressed). We did not bone out the ribs but did all other normal stuff. Also not counting the heart, liver or inner loins the average amount of meat per doe was 33.4 lbs. We were not overly fussy trying to get every last ounce of meat but did it about like a butcher would do actually using the same write up as posted.
 
Yes excellent presentation. We weighed boned meat from five normal size does does shot here in Northern New York. They were all average does with no exceptionally small or exceptionally large ones(normal for here which is from 100 lbs on up to 120 lbs dressed). We did not bone out the ribs but did all other normal stuff. Also not counting the heart, liver or inner loins the average amount of meat per doe was 33.4 lbs. We were not overly fussy trying to get every last ounce of meat but did it about like a butcher would do actually using the same write up as posted.

That level of yield, I think, is pretty typical for cloven hoof animals.
Average carcass weight of a 1,000 lb steer is 630 lbs. A 630 lb beef carcass will yield about 330 lbs.

33.4/110 = 30.4%
330/1000 = 33%

Averages being what they are....
 
I butcher around 5-6 deer for myself, and another 6-8 for friends every year. For a doe, I get 30-32 pounds of burger, plus the loins and backstraps. I don't do roasts, just burger, plus the loins and backstraps.
 
Great write ups. Most deer hunters don't believe there is that less meat to eat.

FYI in 50 yrs of deer hunting and way over 50 deer,2 elk I have never lost 1 oz of meat due to blood shot meat areas.
My dad taught me to slice the blood shot meat, soak the meat in cold water (no salt), change the water couple times and it's blood clean. Just my way of doing it.
 
I agree! You did a great job on butchering this meat. Do you freeze most of it? If so what way would you recommend is the best way to preserve your meat and help prevent freezer burn?
 
Larger borealis subspecies in MI or IA- 240 live, 200 hanging, 100- 105lb boneless meat.

Smaller than borealis, macrurus subspecies in IA- 180-190 live, 150 hanging, 70- 75lbs meat.

Large fallow buck-54lbs meat, doe- 25 1/2lb.

4 1/2 year old mule deer buck- 90lbs meat.

G
 
Good job on that.
The first deer I shot I butchered myself, (1984) I got 15 lbs of meat off of it and thought I had done an excellent job. Then my elders told me I had only gotten half the meat, I made sure that didn't happen again.
The next year I took my deer to a processor. He charged me $69 which was a lot of money to me at the time and I got 1 grocery bag of meat back. That was the last time I did that.
I've butchered every deer, elk or hog that my son, daughter & I have shot ever since. (with their help)
You did a great job breaking down the muscle groups and taking the best cuts. I also like to take the front shoulder and the shanks. I get about the same amount of meat off of each deer as you did depending on the size and how much time I have to do it.
There is something very fulfilling about nurturing the habitat to the benefit of the deer, harvesting the deer, butchering it, cooking it, and eating it.
Thanks for sharing that with us.
 
I agree! You did a great job on butchering this meat. Do you freeze most of it? If so what way would you recommend is the best way to preserve your meat and help prevent freezer burn?

A few years ago I bought a vacuum packager. What a great investment. I never have freezer burn anymore.
 
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