From field to table . . .
a Pocket Guide for the Care and Handling of DEER and ELK
FN-536 (Revised), July 2003
Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
Martin Marchello, Professor,
Department of Animal and Range Sciences, NDSU
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Acrobat pdf file of this publication. (59KB)
Before the Hunt: New Considerations
Concern has grown in recent years about a disease affecting
deer and elk called Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), which belongs to a family
of diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs). CWD symptoms
include weight loss, stumbling, tremors, lack of coordination, blank facial
expressions, excessive salivation, loss of appetite, excessive thirst and urination,
listlessness, teeth grinding, abnormal head posture, and drooping ears.
Hunters should be vigilant about identifying deer or
elk displaying CWD symptoms and report suspected cases to wildlife officials
immediately. Many states have specific CWD guidelines for hunters. Hunters need
to know not only the CWD regulations of the states in which they hunt, but also
those of the states in which they may pass through during interstate hunting
trips.
To date, there is no evidence that CWD has been transmitted
or can be transmitted to humans under natural conditions. However, neither is
there strong evidence that such transmissions could not occur. Research
thus far indicates that the abnormal proteins responsible for causing CWD accumulate
only in the brain, eyes, spinal cord, lymph nodes, tonsils, pancreas, and spleen—but
not in muscle tissue.
Therefore, hunters should take a few simple precautions
when handling and transporting deer or elk carcasses:
- Do not shoot, handle or consume any wild animal that
appears sick.
- Wear rubber gloves when field dressing and processing
animals.
- Request commercial processors handle animals individually
so meat from other animals won't become commingled.
- Minimize handling brain or spinal tissues and fluids.
- Bone out carcasses or at least avoid consuming brain,
spinal cord, eyes, spleen and lymph nodes of harvested animals.
- Do not consume the meat from any animal that tests
positive for CWD.
A 3½-ounce portion (before cooking) of game
meat provides about half of the daily adult protein requirement and 130 to
150 calories. Game meats are usually slightly lower in total fat but higher
in polyunsaturated fats than grain-fed beef.
Care in the Field
Be prepared for the hunt.
- Remember to bring a sharp hunting knife, a small hatchet,
a whetstone or steel, about 12 feet of light rope or nylon cord, plastic bags
and clean cloths or paper towels. Other essentials include proper clothing,
binoculars, a canteen of fresh water, a compass, a map and matches.
- In warm weather you may want to bring a can of ground
pepper and some cheesecloth. The carcass may be sprinkled with pepper and
covered with cheesecloth to repel flies.
Abide by game regulations for hunting, transporting
and storing game.
Bleed, field dress and cool the carcass
promptly. Improper temperature is meat's worst enemy.
- The surface of the carcass may be contaminated with
bacteria that can spoil the meat unless the growth is stopped by chilling.
- Clean your hunting knife often with clean water and
a cloth to prevent contamination of the meat.
- Usually it is not necessary to bleed the animal, because
the bullet or arrow has caused enough damage to the animal to bleed it sufficiently.
However, if the animal is shot in the head it will need to be bled. If the
animal is a trophy buck that you plan to mount, do not sever its throat, because
this will cause problems during mounting.
- Cool the animal quickly. Cool the carcass by propping
the chest open with a clean stick and allowing air to circulate. Filling the
cavity with bags of ice will also enhance cooling.
- To aid cooling in warm weather, the deer may be skinned
if you have provisions to keep the carcass clean. Use ground pepper and cheesecloth
to protect the skinned carcass from contamination by flies.
- In cool weather (28° to 35° F), wrap the
carcass or quarters in a sheet and hang in a ventilated shed.
- Do not allow the carcass to freeze. Freezing may toughen
the meat.
Keep the carcass clean.
- Remove all foreign particles and loose hair. Remove
bloodshot areas.
- Wipe out excess blood in gutted cavity with a paper
towel or clean cloth and clean water. Use as little water as possible, because
damp meat spoils faster than dry meat.
- Do not use grass or snow to wipe out the carcass,
because this may contaminate the carcass.
Field Dressing (Wear rubber gloves
during field dressing.)
- Place the animal on its back with the front end elevated
and spread the hind legs. Support carcass in position by placing rocks or
sticks on each side.
- Cut along the midline of the belly from the breastbone
to the anus. Avoid cutting into the paunch and intestines by using the handle
of the knife and the heel of your hand to crowd the guts away. Cut around
the anus, loosening the bung so it will come out with the guts.
- Cut the diaphragm (the thin sheet of muscle and connective
tissue between the chest and the abdomen) free from the rib cage by cutting
through the white tissue near the rib cage.
- Reach forward to cut the windpipe, gullet and blood
vessels at the base of the throat.
- Pull the lungs, heart and guts out of the animal.
Care in Transport and Processing
Keep the carcass cool during transport.
- Do not tie a deer carcass across the hood of the car
or put it in the trunk when it is still warm.
The game may be processed commercially or
at home.
- Be sure to keep the carcass cool until it reaches
the locker plant. Keep the carcass out of direct sunlight and allow
for adequate air circulation.
- If you choose to process your own game, don't cross-contaminate
during processing. Wash your knife, hands and cutting board often with warm,
soapy water. Wear rubber gloves.
- Aging meat is the practice of holding carcasses or
cuts of meat at temperatures of 34° to 37° F for 10 to 14 days to
allow the enzymes in the meat to break down some of the complex proteins in
the carcass. Aged meat is often more tender and flavorful.
- Aging is not recommended for carcasses with little
or no fat covering. They may dry out during aging.
- Leave the hide on and maintain the proper temperature
when aging a carcass. If you do not have the proper cooler space, spoilage
or dehydration may result.
- Aging the carcass two to three days is sufficient.
- If you intend to grind the meat into sausage, aging
is unnecessary.
Care in the Kitchen
For immediate use, store the meat in the
refrigerator and use within two or three days.
- Keep raw meat and cooked meat separate to prevent
cross-contamination.
Freeze game properly. Prevent "freezer
burn" by using the right packaging materials.
- Divide meat into meal-size quantities.
- Use moisture/vapor-proof wrap such as heavily waxed
freezer wrap, laminated freezer wrap, heavy duty aluminum foil or freezer-weight
polyethylene bags.
- Press air out of the packages prior to sealing.
- Label packages with contents and date.
- Avoid overloading the freezer. Freeze only the amount
that will become solidly frozen within 24 hours.
- Game will keep nine to 12 months in the freezer if
properly wrapped.
Do not can meat unless you have a pressure
canner.
- Low acid foods, such as meat and most mixtures of
foods, should never be canned using the water-bath method.
- Pressure and adequate time are necessary to produce
safe canned meat. For the latest canning information, contact your county
NDSU extension office.
Thaw frozen meat in the refrigerator or
microwave oven. Cook game meats thoroughly.
- Foods thawed in the microwave oven should be cooked
immediately. Refrigerator-thawed meat should be used within one to
two days.
- Game meats should be cooked to an internal temperature
of at least 165° F to reduce risk of foodborne illness.
- Big game animals usually exercise more than domestic
animals, so game meats may be drier and less tender. Moist heat methods such
as braising (simmering in a small amount of liquid in a covered pot) may result
in a better product. Chops and steaks may be pan fried or broiled.
- The distinctive flavor of game meats is mainly due
to the fat they contain. To reduce the gamey flavor, trim the fat from the
meat. You may wish to add other sources of fat to maintain the juiciness of
the meat.
- Spices or marinades may be used to mask the gamey
flavor. Meat should always be marinated in the refrigerator.
For more information about food safety, visit the North
Dakota State University Extension Web site:
www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/food.htm
FN-536 (Revised), July 2003
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