Cold, crisp morning walks to the stand are all too familiar for deer hunters. We prepare all year, get up early, head to the stand, and anxiously await that special moment. Watching the sun come up as the woods come alive with the chatter of animals and the rustling of leaves puts a hunter on high alert. The sound of twigs snapping could be the buck you’ve been waiting for or an unwanted squirrel. Your heart races as the buck walks towards you, and you draw your bow. He steps into your sight, and you let an arrow fly. It is this adrenaline and excitement that keeps us going. You have moments of heartbreak and pure joy, which you will forever remember.
The work begins after your nerves settle down and you find your deer. Having the proper equipment is vital so you don’t do more work than needed. The first step in processing any deer is removing the innards. I carry the Smith’s Edgesport Gut Hook Combo Kit in my backpack. It comes with all the essentials needed to field dress your deer. Everyone has their way of cleaning a deer, but I start at the anus, cut around it, and get as much as possible out. I then move to the stomach, slide my knife under the skin, and cut up toward the rib cage, trying to avoid cutting into the guts. Once I reach the sternum, I cut through it to open the cavity of the deer. I then reach up, cut the esophagus, and slowly remove the organs and guts. Having a sharp knife will make this process a lot easier. Once everything is out of the deer, I typically tip the deer up to get as much of the blood out as I can. Once the gutting process is done, it’s time to get the deer out of the woods and on the meat pole.
The next step is to skin the deer. If you do this right away, it will allow the meat to cool quickly. It’s also easier to skin when it is still warm. We usually hang the deer upside down to allow blood to drain. We skin from the back legs to the head, helping keep hair off the meat. Your first cuts will be around the bends of the rear legs. Once you do that, make a cut down the legs to the belly. Start slowly cutting the hide from the meat. Once you get the legs done, you should be able to pull down on the hide and slowly peel it away from the meat. Use your knife to guide the hide away from the meat. Having the proper tools can make skinning a deer very simple. I keep the Smith’s Edgesport Field Dressing Kit at my cabin, so we have it when needed. It has a skinning knife, two boning knives, and a sharpener.
Once the deer is skinned and the temperature outside is cold enough, let it hang to cool the meat down. Quartering it out and removing the meat is the last step. First, remove the tenderloins. Next, remove the two front legs using the Smith’s boning knife. Then, move to the backstraps, rib meat, and neck meat. Once you have all that off, remove the back two legs from the torso. The Smith’s Edgesport 6” Folding Bone Saw is handy when cutting the legs off the deer and removing the head from the deer. Everyone has their own way of doing things and prefers different cuts of meat. After you have quartered out the deer, it’s time to finish the process by cutting the meat up and packaging it. I personally eat the tenderloins first. Even though a lot of work is involved in harvesting an animal, it’s worth it when you have a freezer full of healthy, tasty meat. If you are looking for a fantastic recipe, here is one my family loves.
RECIPE:
VENISON PEPPER STEAK
From The Kitchen of Terri Ostertag
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound venison steak/chops, cut into 1/4-inch x 2-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 can (10-1/2 ounces) beef broth
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 medium peppers (red, green, or yellow), cut into strips
- 1 cup thinly sliced onion
- 1 can fire roasted tomatoes
- 1 can Italian diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1/3 cup cold water
- 1 package au jus seasoning
- 2 cups Cooked rice
INSTRUCTIONS:
- In a pan, saute the venison in butter with steak seasoning and garlic.
- Once the meat is cooked to your liking, add beef broth and set aside.
- In a separate pan, saute the peppers and onions in olive oil.
- Add the tomatoes, saute a little longer, and then add the meat mixture.
- Mix soy sauce, water, cornstarch, and au jus seasoning in a separate bow. Add it to the meat and pepper mixture.
- Serve over rice.
For more information about Smith’s Sporting Group, please contact Dena Vick at dena@kingeiderpr.com
ABOUT SMITH’S SPORTING GROUP
Smith’s Sporting Group is a multifaceted, diversified company that supports a lifetime of outdoor pursuits and includes Smith’s Consumer Products and Tanners Team Sports. Tracing its roots to 1886, Smith’s Sporting Group designs, manufactures, and distributes key products and accessories for anglers, hunters, campers, and hikers, as well as those that love baseball, softball, and pickleball.
