If hunting in warm conditions be prepared to cool it quickly and if necessary travel at night to avoid the warm daytime weather. Flopping a carcass on a car top in an unseasonably warm fall is not the way to bring home deer meat.

You will need a good belt knife, some strong rope and some strong cord. A hatchet or meat saw will come in handy.

The surest way to start an argument around the camp fire is to say you should, or you shouldn't. cut off the musk (or metatarsal) glands from the hind legs as soon as the animal is felled. John Madsen, in his book The White-Tailed Deer, puts it nicely by stating: "Some hunters advocate immediate removal of metatarsal glands of the hind legs. If this is done, wash hands and knife thoroughly before getting on with the job. Removal of these glands is not necessary, however, if the deer is handled properly and care is taken to avoid rubbing the glands".

Dressing out a deer is much the same as dressing a moose, but on a smaller scale. Once the animal is down, approach it carefully. Many a "dead deer" has jumped up and run off, or else swiped at an unsuspecting hunter as he bent over the carcass. As with moose, most deer do not need to be bled after they are shot, because today's high-impact ammunition does a good job of ripping open the arteries.

Now, take the deer and place it with the head uphill, or over a log, so the blood will drain into the hind part of the animal. Taking your sharp knife, make a cut along the center of the belly from the pelvic bridge below the tail to the breastbone. Some hunters split the breastbone while they are at it but others do not do this until they get the deer back to the car. Keep the knife blade pointed upward and be very careful not to cut the abdominal wall. Many hunters cut through the skin only on their first cut. They pull it back from the white membrane underneath and then cut through the membrane, carefully exposing the intestines.

By keeping your finger under the tip of the blade as you cut the hide you can avoid piercing the abdomen.

Cut around the anal opening freeing it from the rest of the deer. Tie it securely with a piece of cord and draw it up into the body cavity. You can include the deer's reproductive organs in this operation if the deer is a doe. A buck's sex organs can be cut off while making the belly cut.

Once you have made the belly cut you can sever the diaphragm between the chest and the abdomen. Now cut the windpipe and gullet free at the throat. Hold these in your hand and pull backwards, at the same time cutting free from the carcass any parts that tend to hold. Some hunters prefer not to cut through the cartilaginous "aitchbone" of the deer's pelvis until they butcher the meat. Others, however, use a heavy belt knife, small axe or saw and do the job in the field. If you choose to do it in the field, be particularly careful of the urine filled bladder. Piercing this will spoil some good cuts of venison. The entire viscera, commonly called guts, will come out once the membranes anchoring it are cut loose.

The tradition about not washing out a carcass, mentioned earlier, applies equally to deer. There are differences of opinion about this rule and it is really a matter of personal choice. Certainly, if your deer is badly gut shot, it is better to wash it out and dry it thoroughly than to leave it bloody and unwashed. It is necessary to wash out the pelvic area. Throughout the dressing procedure make sure that the hair does not touch the flesh.

After cleaning out the deer comes the chore of skinning it. Some hunters prefer to hang the animal from a tree or if it is at home from a rafter in the garage or basement. However, if you decide to skin your deer in the field and You forgot your portable block and tackle. there is another method you can use.

Tie three nine-foot long poles together at one end . Put a stick through the hocks and tie it to the three poles at point A. Push the sharp ends of the two poles marked B and C into the ground. By lifting your animal at point A and pushing up on pole marked D you can hoist even a heavy animal with u minimum of effort. Once the animal is up push the sharp end of Pole D into the ground to form a tripod and start to work skinning the deer.

The figure shows how to skin around the head and how much cape to leave if you want to mount the head. The taxidermist can work wonders but he can’t do the impossible. Be careful with your skinning.

Deer can be skinned on the ground but one of the advantages of using the tripod or block and tackle is that it keeps the carcass away from the sticks, leaves and other bits of dirt that are difficult to clean off later.

At this point we raise the question of aging the carcass. There is disagreement about this procedure but we’re incline to go along with a study of venison care. In a carefully controlled Study home economists came to the conclusion: "Aging treat in controlled temperatures (34F to 36F) for at least 7 days develops better flavored and more tender meat as well as making the carcass easier to handle. Cut and wrap for storage.

Some hunters prefer to butcher their own carcass. feeling that this is part of the hunt. Others, perhaps with wisdom born of experience, take their deer to a butcher. If you cut it up yourself make sure you have the proper equipment: a block to cut on, a sharp butcher's knife and a meat saw. It's best do your butchering in a cold place because warmth tends to make the meat soft and harder to manage. Use the diagrams but be careful not to mutilate the deer carcass by careless knife work.

With about half the deer being bone and fat, the hunter may wish to remove excess fat and bone/he meat prior to freezing. Leaving steaks and roasts in large blocks and cutting them just prior to cooking will reduce the risk of freezer burn.

The same general rules apply to deer as to moose, or elk. Cool the meat as quickly as you can after shooting the animal. Get it home without freezing it, skin it and age it in a proper manner, and butcher it carefully

The animal on the hoof during deer season is normally in good condition. At the moment of killing with a well placed shot, it is good meat. The difference between the meat at the time and the meat your wife puts on the platter is almost entire, up to you. If it's tough and wild and gamey there is probably no one else to blame but yourself.

VENISON LOAF

2 lb. ground venison
¾ lb. lean ground pork
2 eggs. slightly beaten
1 c. fresh bread crumbs
2 c. milk
2 tsp. salt
1 onion, finely chopped
3 tbsp. Finely chopped parsley
3 tbsp. Grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp. Oregano
2 tbsp. Bacon fat
8 oz. Can tomato sauce

Combine the first 10 ingredients. Press firmly into a large loaf pan, spreading the top with bacon fat. Bake at 350°F for 40 mins. Pour tomato sauce over top and bake 20 to 25 mins. longer. Yield 8 servings.

To prevent the loaf from burning place loaf pan in a larger pan with about 1" of water in the outer pan.

BEER SAUCE FOR BARBECUING VENISON BURGERS

½ c. molasses
½ c. beer
½ c. chili sauce
salt & pepper
½ c. minced onions
¼ c. prepared mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

For each lb. of ground venison mix meat with 1/4 c. evaporated milk. onion, salt and pepper, a dash each of Worcestershire and tabasco sauce. Barbecue. basting with sauce.

BARBECUED VENISON MEATBALLS

1 lb. ground venison
½ c. bread crumbs
1 egg
½ c. water
1 tsp. seasoned salt
¼ tsp. seasoned pepper
¼ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. onion powder

SAUCE:

1 env. Dry onion soup
½ c. catsup
½ c. brown sugar (demerara)
½ c. water

Mix meatball ingredients together and form into small meatballs. Brown in a fry pan using a little vegetable oil in pan to prevent sticking. Mix together sauce ingredients in a casserole dish, heat and add meatballs. Cover and simmer over low heat 20 to 30 minutes.

Sheryn Smith
Winnipeg, Man.

VENISON MEATBALLS

2 lbs. Ground venison
1 c. cornflake crumbs
1/3 dried parsley flakes
2 eggs
2 tbsp. Soy sauce
1/3 c. Ketchup
2 tbsp. Minced onions
¼ tsp. pepper
½ tsp. Garlic powder

SAUCE:

16 oz. can jellied cranberry sauce
12 oz. bottle chili sauce
2 tbsp. Brown sugar
1 tbsp. Lemon juice

Mix meatball ingredients together and form balls. Heat sauce and pour c Bake at 350°F for 45 mins. Good with wild rice.

ROAST VENISON

6 lb. saddle or haunch of venison
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
½ lb. diced bacon
salt & pepper to taste

MARINADE:

1 bottle burgundy
2 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
2 carrots
1 lge. Onion
1 tsp. Black peppercorns spring rosemary
2 crushed juniper berries
4 tbsp. Olive oil

SAUCE:

½ c. port wine
1 tbsp. red currant jelly and gravy from venison
1 tbsp. Butter
1 tbsp. flour

For marinade, slice and peel the onion and carrots, then cook gently in olive oil, but do not brown. Put into glass vessel NOT METAL, add wine and balance of ingredients. Soak the venison for 2 days. turning several times a day so that all surfaces are coated with marinade. Remove from marinade. Dry with paper towels.

Combine butter and olive oil in a large heavy pan with a lid and when hot add diced bacon. Fry until crisp. Add venison and brown on all sides. Reduce the marinade to half by boiling on top of stove to evaporate. Strain and pour over venison. Season with salt and pepper. Bake at 325/F, covered, 30 mins. per lb.

Strain juices from pan and reduce to half on top of stove by boiling. Rub flour into butter and add to sauce to thicken. Stir well and add wine and jelly, mixing well. Serve.

MUSTARD OUTDOOR ROAST - VENISON

2" thick arm roast of venison
vegetable oil
mustard (prepared)
salt

At least four hours before serving time cut all excess fat from roast. Brush one side of the meat with oil and then cover with mustard. Coat thickly with salt. Turn roast and coat other side and edges in the same manner. Let marinate 4 hrs. Get a nice wood campfire going until it is hot. Cook roast close to fire on one side for 10-12 mins. Flip and cook other side 10 mins. This will make the roast medium rare. Cook longer if desired. If fire flares up douse excess flame with water to prevent burning of the meat.

STEP JERKY

garlic powder
onion powder
black pepper
seasoned salt
soy sauce
Worcestershire sauce
accent
3 lb. venison

You will also need a knife, pan or bowl. Slice 3 lb. of venison into strips about 3/8`` thick to ensure total saturation while it is marinating.

In container. combine 1/2 c. soy sauce. 112 c. Worcestershire sauce. 2 tsp. accent. 2 tsp. seasoned salt. 2/s tsp. black pepper. Stir mixture well with a spoon. Place meat strips in marinade - make sure they are totally submerged. Marinate overnight. Lay strip on oven rack. Cook for 6-8 hrs. at 150/F. Store in air-tight containers. Jerky will keep up to two years.

Janine Helmer
Duluth, Minn.

VENISON SALAMI

1 lb. venison hamburger
½ tsp. cracked pepper
½ tsp. mustard seed
½ tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. Morton's tender quick salt
2 tsp. hickory smoked salt
½ tsp. garlic salt

Mix well and refrigerate 24 hrs. Mix again and refrigerate 24 hrs. Mix again and refrigerate 24 hrs. Mix again and make into rolls.

Place on broiler pan and bake at 150°F for S hrs. Sausage must drain while baking. Can be frozen when finished baking.

Bunny Roberts
Duluth, Minn.