how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Game hunting and large prey. Deer stalking, hunting with hounds. Boar, pigs etc., large prey, culling, hunting large feral animals.

how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by ThumbNT » 05 Jul 2018, 12:27 pm

the idea of hunting for my own food is really sticking with me, however, the art of processing a kill seems difficult without something to hang it from..

so, how long did it take you fellas to get good at processing your kills? seems like there are so many ways to get it wrong and only a few to get it right.

Cheers!
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Daddybang » 05 Jul 2018, 12:38 pm

I remember it took a couple of trips out with dad as a kid to get to the point of confidence that I could take meat for myself without supervision. Ya can cut up while the animal is on the ground it's just far easier when you hang it. :thumbsup: :drinks:
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by sungazer » 05 Jul 2018, 1:49 pm

Its not that hard to separate the muscle groups they are each encased in a little bit of sinew. Cutting the animal into butcher style cuts is a little more difficult. I havent got that down yet it takes quite a bit of study. a general rule of thumb though is to cut any steak so the grain is on the short side (cut side) then when you bite you are biting with the grain which is easier, giving the feel of a more tender cut.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by ThumbNT » 05 Jul 2018, 2:22 pm

sungazer wrote:Its not that hard to separate the muscle groups they are each encased in a little bit of sinew. Cutting the animal into butcher style cuts is a little more difficult. I havent got that down yet it takes quite a bit of study. a general rule of thumb though is to cut any steak so the grain is on the short side (cut side) then when you bite you are biting with the grain which is easier, giving the feel of a more tender cut.


so like cutting wood with the grain, not against it>

really keen to see how proficient i can get with it, getting all my own backstraps and cuts from hogs sounds like a great way to get around giving coles and woolies all my money. dont want to sound like a dirty hippy commie either but the whole factory farming thing kinda irks me a touch too. getting the meat that i need and keeping out of it sounds like what i want to do.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by sungazer » 05 Jul 2018, 3:43 pm

It is like cutting wood as you cut against the grain. ie section a round log into slabs. The rings are the grain. Then you split wood with the grain. As you would chew the meat.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Bigjobss » 05 Jul 2018, 6:15 pm

One animal of not knowing what to do then your good to go, it really is much easier than it seems, you just need to watch a few youtube videos and jump right in VERY SLOWLY, if you try to rush it because of stress/panic you will make a mistake, take your time.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by sungazer » 05 Jul 2018, 6:26 pm

And those first few times take ages. The amount of time it took me to skin my first deer was hours. It was all done on the shed floor. My back was killing me. Now I bring them in with the tractor if possible and have worked out how to hang them. Skinning is still hard work they blunt a knife or two have the sharpeners on hand.
Still learning the best way to halve them, or at least in what order. There are the best cuts of meat both on the topside right next to the spine and on the inside right next to the spine. In cow terms this would be the Eye fillet and Scotch fillet. (need to double check that ) but very close. There is lots of meat on the neck, and back legs. even on the ribs there are the flaps and briskets and from legs again have some good shoulder meat and then down into the osso bucco in the legs.
I have bought a mincer that I have not used as yet. I have the meat waiting frozen, I need to connect the mincer which is a $70 hand turned one from Preston market to my lathe so it is motor driven. I did this for a grain mill and it worked a treat.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Pudlux » 05 Jul 2018, 8:03 pm

Check out the Bearded Butchers on YouTube. They have a couple of excellent vids on how to breakdown a deer. Concept is largely the same for goat, pig,sheep etc
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Pudlux » 05 Jul 2018, 8:05 pm

Check out the Bearded Butchers on YouTube. They have a couple of excellent vids on how to breakdown a deer. Concept is largely the same for goal, pig,sheep etc
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by marksman » 05 Jul 2018, 8:26 pm

buy a quality farm butcher knife set
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/The-Ultimate ... 1a1b28a406

buy a reciprocating saw for breaking it down and making chops
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Makita-18v-C ... SwgGtbKbkt

and watch a few utube vids from proper butchers
I learnt from my uncle who was a master butcher a long time ago
when we did beef we had to do it on the ground, we made the area very clean first and it was a two man job
now I gut the animal out and take it home to hang and butcher, I leave the skin on to keep the meat clean and moist
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Bent Arrow » 05 Jul 2018, 8:29 pm

If you've hot access to netflix, check out the meat eater series by Steve Rinella. There is a number of episodes showing skinning and basic breakdown, and others with full breakdown and packaging for freezing and a few cooking episodes as well.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Stix » 05 Jul 2018, 9:14 pm

Im not sure i can be of any help over the experience in butchering that is before me, but if you havnt already, knock over a few bunnies & practice on them...from the gutting, to skinning, & then jointing them up...this will give a general idea of what you are up for with any animal, but on a small model scale....almost like the intern surgeon dissecting a frog...hehe

They'll give you an idea of the difference between shoulders & hips--a shoulder can be cut right off yet you have to find the ball joint in the hips to cut off back legs.
Cut in between vertebrae through the 'saddle' & you will see the different cuts on inside & outside of the spine that sungazer is talking about.

The 'construction' of an animal is basically the same whether it be a rabbit or a deer, and having a basic idea of the anatomy of an animal, how its built & the bare bones basics of how to 'deconstruct' it will help in your minds eye when it comes to the bigger stuff that will break your back & fill a big freezer...even down to the more efficient ways to skin them...!

Then if you can knock over a goat, remove its back leg & practice peeling apart the different muscle groups in that leg, you'll see all the 'seams' seperating the different muscles.

You'll love it...elbow deep in guts, blood set deep in your fingernails & staining your boots, shivering like an unbalanced washing machine on spin cycle at 2.30am & everything smelling like the guts of the animal for 2 days, a salted skin ready for fleshing...all appears crazy stuff...that is until youve tasted the best meat you will ever taste...that of your own hunt...!! :thumbsup:
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Gwion » 06 Jul 2018, 5:54 am

ThumbNT wrote:
sungazer wrote:Its not that hard to separate the muscle groups they are each encased in a little bit of sinew. Cutting the animal into butcher style cuts is a little more difficult. I havent got that down yet it takes quite a bit of study. a general rule of thumb though is to cut any steak so the grain is on the short side (cut side) then when you bite you are biting with the grain which is easier, giving the feel of a more tender cut.


so like cutting wood with the grain, not against it>

really keen to see how proficient i can get with it, getting all my own backstraps and cuts from hogs sounds like a great way to get around giving coles and woolies all my money. dont want to sound like a dirty hippy commie either but the whole factory farming thing kinda irks me a touch too. getting the meat that i need and keeping out of it sounds like what i want to do.


Across the grain. Not with it or against it. Across it. Like sawing off a length of 4b2.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Gwion » 06 Jul 2018, 6:02 am

Do you just want "meat" or do you want "cuts"?
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by ThumbNT » 06 Jul 2018, 2:05 pm

Stix wrote:Im not sure i can be of any help over the experience in butchering that is before me, but if you havnt already, knock over a few bunnies & practice on them...from the gutting, to skinning, & then jointing them up...this will give a general idea of what you are up for with any animal, but on a small model scale....almost like the intern surgeon dissecting a frog...hehe

They'll give you an idea of the difference between shoulders & hips--a shoulder can be cut right off yet you have to find the ball joint in the hips to cut off back legs.
Cut in between vertebrae through the 'saddle' & you will see the different cuts on inside & outside of the spine that sungazer is talking about.

The 'construction' of an animal is basically the same whether it be a rabbit or a deer, and having a basic idea of the anatomy of an animal, how its built & the bare bones basics of how to 'deconstruct' it will help in your minds eye when it comes to the bigger stuff that will break your back & fill a big freezer...even down to the more efficient ways to skin them...!

Then if you can knock over a goat, remove its back leg & practice peeling apart the different muscle groups in that leg, you'll see all the 'seams' seperating the different muscles.

You'll love it...elbow deep in guts, blood set deep in your fingernails & staining your boots, shivering like an unbalanced washing machine on spin cycle at 2.30am & everything smelling like the guts of the animal for 2 days, a salted skin ready for fleshing...all appears crazy stuff...that is until youve tasted the best meat you will ever taste...that of your own hunt...!! :thumbsup:


thanks for the reply, definitely will start on rabbit (hope it taste good) and go from that.

kinda use to processing my own big fish that i catch her locally. mulloway, Tailor, flathead, snapper and that kinda stuff so im not afraid of guts and blood but mammals are a different game indeed.

cheers everyone! thanks so much for the links and references!
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Daddybang » 06 Jul 2018, 4:20 pm

Gwion wrote:Do you just want "meat" or do you want "cuts"?


Good question :thumbsup:
I kill skin gut and quarter(dress) and hang my killers but for the fine cuts I get a butcher in. :thumbsup: :drinks:
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by sungazer » 06 Jul 2018, 8:15 pm

Also depends on the animal as to how you cut it up. for example on deer I wouldnt take to it with a reciprocal saw down the spine as a lot of butchers would do on a cow. There is a lot less meat wastage if you use your knife along the edge of the spine and cut out the backstraps. In a cow some of this would be the eye fillet. like wise from the inside again along the edge of the spine hidden under some membrane is another fillet. In a cow this would sort of be the scotch fillet. In cows you have a cuts like a Porter House that is one side of the T bone the other being eye fillet. In a deer there is not much meat across the top so it is only this backstrap rather than a larger piece of meat like a Porter House.
I hope I have the right any Butchers out there please correct me if I am wrong.
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Stix » 06 Jul 2018, 10:58 pm

Whatever you do mate, & im not most certainly not intending to tread on anyones toes here, but dont get ahead of yourself & too caught up in fancy cuts if you're just beginning.
Some people do a 4 year full time apprenticeship as a butcher & still cant butcher a carcass, & some of them follow on with another few years as a butcher & still cant properly butcher an animal into fancy cuts.

Slow cook a bunny in lotsa liquid with vegies/cover & slow(ish) cook a young goat leg...& you'll be hooked...!!

Even if you dont 'like' the taste of the first bunny you kill & cook, you will appreciate it more than any chicken you've ever eaten.

I rekon eating your own kill is something pretty special...
Stew your first bunny, then with your first goat or deer & just rip off a leg n chuck it in the oven... :thumbsup:
After that you extend the house for the extra gun safes, the extra fridges n freezers & all the vaccuum packers, mincers & sausage makers...& thats not to mention all the guns n bludy knives you'll buy along the way...!!! :o
Then worry about cuts :drinks:
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Re: how long did it take you to learn to process a hunt?

Post by Gwion » 07 Jul 2018, 4:34 pm

Stix wrote:Whatever you do mate, & im not most certainly not intending to tread on anyones toes here, but dont get ahead of yourself & too caught up in fancy cuts if you're just beginning.
Some people do a 4 year full time apprenticeship as a butcher & still cant butcher a carcass, & some of them follow on with another few years as a butcher & still cant properly butcher an animal into fancy cuts.

Slow cook a bunny in lotsa liquid with vegies/cover & slow(ish) cook a young goat leg...& you'll be hooked...!!

Even if you dont 'like' the taste of the first bunny you kill & cook, you will appreciate it more than any chicken you've ever eaten.

I rekon eating your own kill is something pretty special...
Stew your first bunny, then with your first goat or deer & just rip off a leg n chuck it in the oven... :thumbsup:
After that you extend the house for the extra gun safes, the extra fridges n freezers & all the vaccuum packers, mincers & sausage makers...& thats not to mention all the guns n bludy knives you'll buy along the way...!!! :o
Then worry about cuts :drinks:


This is basically what i was getting at with my question. It's not too hard to learn how to punch the skin off an animal and joint it out, keep a couple of rosting joints and then bone out the rest for diced meat or stirfry strips.
Learning to cut decent cuts is another matter.
I'm fussy when i do a beast (moo) or sheep because i like proper cuts and hate waste. Most people locally just have a bandsaw for sheep and take two leg roasts and zip the rest into pretty basic chops. Same can be done with most medium sized game.

After doing a few, you will start to get the hang of it. Learning to get you knife through the right spot to easily separate joints is the trick bit for beginners. I'm still hit and miss when it comes to finding the right spot to easily remove the head.
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