This information is provided to enhance the quality of the meat you and your family consume.  Hunters must use safe practices when handling the game they harvest.   Always remember if you are unsure, have your deer processed professionally.

• Always use clean areas and tools

• Use clean water, pre-moistened wipes, or alcohol swabs to clean knife frequently to avoid spreading bacteria.

• Bleed and field dress as soon as possible to begin carcass cool down. 

• Use care not to puncture the digestive tract.  Cut from the pelvic bone toward the breast bone on hanging deer.

• Remove the sex organs on all bucks.  Split the pelvic bone and cut around the anus Tie this closed or use a rubber band to help stop spillage.

• Cut the breastbone open and cut the skin open along throat. Open the rib cage and cut the diaphragm on each side. The entrails can now be pulled from inside the carcass with little cutting along the spine.

• Deer on the ground - pull from throat to anus.  Hanging deer should be pulled from the anus to throat.  Trim off any and all spillage.   

• When boning your deer remove the fat and lymph nodes between muscle tissue.  Trim off excess outside fat and thin membranes.  Too much cartilage will result in chew pieces in your meat.

• To cut deer into primal, remove the front shoulders by cutting between shoulder and chest from breast toward spine. The surrounding soft tissue can be filleted from the rib cage.

• Remove back-straps by slicing down the center of the back and boning along spine outward onto ribs.  Muscle in the neck can also be boned this way.

• Remove tenderloins from inside spine and the diaphragm muscle. Cut the spine and ribs from the hinds.

• Hinds can now be split for chilling.  Bone the hinds by muscle groups for best results.

• Pack cleaned deer meat in ice to chill the meat quickly.  Drain the water and add more ice until meat is chilled.  Properly ice meat, can be held for several days without risk of spoilage. Draining the water and re-icing is essential to help clean and bleed-out your deer meat.

• Never freeze hot meat. Once chilled meat can be frozen before processing without losing noticeable quality.  Process your deer meat as soon as possible for best quality.

• If processing deer meat yourself, keep your area clean and keep processing times as short as possible so meat does not rise in temperature. 

• Always cook meat to temperature above 160°F to prevent food borne illness.  Keep raw and cooked meats separated to prevent cross contamination.

• Thaw under refrigeration and cook as soon afterwards.  Properly cooked and chilled meats can be frozen.