Oh my lord am I green

[psalm69]

I've hunted birds for many years, but I've only been deer hunting one time and we got nothing. I'm finally set up with the tools to do the job and the time in which to do it. So here is the big question, if I get one what do I do? I'll prolly go by myself as I have been scouting a bit and found some places where I think they'll be come opening day. Any help is appreciated. Scott

[New Hampshire]

Dont feel too bad, I was in your place not more than 2 years ago.  Here is what Ive learned so far in my very narrow experience.  If your going to be alone then its well worth the $80 or so dollars to get a deer cart.  Wal Mart has a folding one that should do just right.  If you bag a deer it will make the walk out MUCH better, because there is nothing harder to drag around than dead weight.  As for field dressing, if youve had experience with cleaning birds then its not a gigantic step away.  Just take your time, watch a video or two (cabelas has a great combo set on field dressing/skinning, and Home Butchering....another worthwhile undertaking if you want to try it.)  Just remember that the lungs stick to the ribcage up near the backbone, so a few quick zips with the knife and everything should gently roll out.  I also suggest that you hide the deer and remember or mark where it is if you need to leave it (say to go get your deer cart.)  We all want to believe every sportsmen is honest.....but they are not.  Too many stories of deer getting swiped or tagging them only to return to a tag and no deer.  If you are hunting with a partner it gets easier because you can field dress while your buddy runs to the truck for the cart, or if you tree stand hunt throw your junk on the cart, pull it out, and strap it to the tree under you.
Hope this gives you a start.
Brian M.

[psalm69]

Brian,
      Thanks for the info. I will check out the video and see if I can't find a deer cart at Wally World. Do you butcher your own kills or do you take it somewhere. I would just really hate to lose any of that good meat. Scott

[New Hampshire]

My buddy and I got the two video set I mentioned and I got an additional one from Wal-mart.  We decided to butcher our deer ourselves (Im cheap and he just plain cant afford to pay a butcher.)  Surprisingly its not too hard, and the video made things so much better.  You are more likely to produce better results butchering your own deer.  Why?  Professional meat cutters are busy people at that time of the year and thus tend to rush along the job.  Plus, you know that the meat you cut is yours.....not so with a meat cutter.  Ive heard stories of guys KNOWING they were stiffed some meat, beta it a couple of steaks or what not.  You also get the advantage of having it done the way you want it.  If your a burger man then you can grind as much or as little as you want.  Same for steak cuts.  The videos I keep mentioning are these: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jhtml?id=0005991613056a&navAction=push&navCount=1&indexId=&podId=0005991&catalogCode=QR&parentId=&parentType=&rid=&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fcatalog%2Fitem-link.jhtml_A&_DAV=search&hasJS=true

He gets a little methodical, but it does give you very good instruction.  He hangs his deer, but my buddy and I decided its easier for us to do the no-hang method found on the video I got at Wal-Mart.  Basically in that method you skin and quarter out the deer right away, let it cool in a fridge (we used a cooler inside of a chest freezer cuz you want it COOL not frozen,) and start butchering after 24 hours.  The meat can be a bit bloodier than if you were to hang it a week, but we found that it did not affect the taste.  All our cuts were boneless.  Like I said above, take your time, be patient and you will have some fine meat indeed   .
Good luck.
Brian M.

[psalm69]

Brian,
      Thanks so much I think I have a good bit of information so that I won't be totally lost in case I do get one. Thanks again. Scott

[THE#1hunter]

One thing that I found out years back, is to make sure that you have a sharp knife, it cuts the work in half so to speak   , its soo much easier when you have the right tools, but that goes with basically anything.