How many deer/year do you eat?

[Crosshairy]

Just curious how many deer per year the "cooks" on this forum eat (assuming average-sized TN deer of 90-130 lbs field dressed).

There are obviously a lot of factors that affect consumption rate, so the more info the better. Here's mine...

Average 2-3 deer per year. Family of 4, but kids are young and don't eat much. We don't entertain that often, so portion sizes for most meals are pretty conservative and help stretch the supply.

When the fish are biting, the venison consumption drops, too

 

[BamaProud]

Our deer in South Alabama average that weight on the hoof. When I lived closer I'd say 6-8. Now that I am farther away, its probably around 4...its just harder to transport meat with more luggage, kids and stuff.

 

[TAFKAP]

I don't kill enough to substantially supplement our weekly meat intake. Venison is still currently more a luxury, although I'm working on making wild game more of a staple. It's a function of opportunity and time that limits what I bring home.

 

[FULLDRAWXX75]

Usually 2, That's me and the 2 kids.

FDXX75

 

[TheRealSpurhunter]

4-6 most years. I have made 30lb batches of summer sausage a few times and that will really use it up. We do not buy ground beef, unless my harvest has been cut for whatever reason.

 

[BlountArrow]

I don't kill enough to substantially supplement our weekly meat intake. Venison is still currently more a luxury, although I'm working on making wild game more of a staple. It's a function of opportunity and time that limits what I bring home.

I'm kinda/sorta in this boat. I'm married with (2) young kids. The young kids aren't much on meat yet really - geez hope that changes! Still my wife and I eat about (4) deer per year. I also end up sharing my stock with my brother most years at various points through the year. Similarly, I hope to make venison more of a staple/go-to then the luxury or exception it sometimes is in our home.

 

[huntinkev]

I like to get at least 3. Myself, wife, 6 yr daughter.

 

[Brisco Darlin]

usually two for me , wife and two daughters.

 

[KANATI McD]

1 or 2 used to do me, but since I started processing my own, I want at least five. We no longer buy ground beef, unless we run out of venison. I butterfly my backstraps, inner loins whole, everything else gets ground and vacuum sealed.

 

[KANATI McD]

1 or 2 used to do me, but since I started processing my own, I want at least five. We no longer buy ground beef, unless we run out of venison. I butterfly my backstraps, inner loins whole, everything else gets ground and vacuum sealed.

Do you kill more now because of the reduced cost of DIY processing?

Cost was the initial reason for DIY processing (and curiousity of learning how). But after doing it myself and tasting the difference in the meat (no wild Wang taste), venison just tasted better. Im a little picky when processing and can tell a huge difference. So, I'd have to say the taste from my own processing is the real reason for killing more. My family loves the taste of it now.

 

[redblood]

It would be really hard to wrap my head around living in a state where you could only kill 1 deer a season. Deer hunting wise, Tennessee is a meat eater's paradise.

i am not sure there is a state in the western 2/3's of the country where a hunter can only kill one deer, but i may be wrong- i haven't hunted them all by no means

 

[parkerxbowhunter]

As many as possible but on average i harvest 4 or 5 and we stretch it out and still doesnt last between seasons but other than tender loin back strip a few roasts out of one deer and the kids jerky every thing else is ground into burger with 25% bacon added for fat content. We dont buy any ground beef other than for grilled burgers until deer is gone.

 

[medic]

I like to put at least 5 in the freezer. After the season is over I will make a lot of summer sausage and other types of sausage which will use a lot of it up.

 

[Diehard Hunter]

I want six in the freezer by end of season. Keep loins whole and make filets, use tenderloins for biscuits, have a few steaks made, the rest is ground. My wife's diet requires the venison. Even the leanest ground beef available at the grocery store will make her sick. If we couldn't eat venison all year, we would be stuck with chicken and fish at every meal. I occasionally make some jerky from the front shoulders too.

 

[Bayou Buck]

3 to 4 is normally enough for me. I don't buy ground beef unless its for a big party and I mix it with the deer meat. I average about 40 lbs of meat per deer. Bucks are a little more but some of the smaller does help average it out. 4 deer split between 2 people comes to 160 lbs of meat per year which averages to about 3.5 oz of red meat per day per person. We dont eat venison everyday so it actually is more than enough.

 

[Crosshairy]

I want six in the freezer by end of season. Keep loins whole and make filets, use tenderloins for biscuits, have a few steaks made, the rest is ground. My wife's diet requires the venison. Even the leanest ground beef available at the grocery store will make her sick. If we couldn't eat venison all year, we would be stuck with chicken and fish at every meal. I occasionally make some jerky from the front shoulders too.

That's fascinating (and unfortunate) about store-bought meat. Is that a protein allergy, or something else? I'm glad you're able to provide a great "beef alternative"

 

[DaveB]

Family of 6 and Wife like venison. Killed 5 last year-3 doe one spike one 6.

We go through quite a bit of jerky-2 complete deer last year except backstraps. Venison is served once a week. Wife wants venison burgers for the coming year, plan is take an extra doe just for that purpose.

 

[Diehard Hunter]

I want six in the freezer by end of season. Keep loins whole and make filets, use tenderloins for biscuits, have a few steaks made, the rest is ground. My wife's diet requires the venison. Even the leanest ground beef available at the grocery store will make her sick. If we couldn't eat venison all year, we would be stuck with chicken and fish at every meal. I occasionally make some jerky from the front shoulders too.

That's fascinating (and unfortunate) about store-bought meat. Is that a protein allergy, or something else? I'm glad you're able to provide a great "beef alternative"

My wife does not produce bile. Thus, she cannot break down fats. Even the leanest ground meat in the store has too much fat for her. When I have the deer ground, my processor does not add any fat to it. It is extremely lean, but that is perfect for her. If she were to eat a hamburger with enough fat in it to make a patty, she would literally be going between the bed and toilet for the next 6-12 hours. It took us a while to figure it out, then we had to explain to the doctor what was happening before he could confirm. So, if we want red meat at my house, we eat venison.

 

[Diehard Hunter]

I want six in the freezer by end of season. Keep loins whole and make filets, use tenderloins for biscuits, have a few steaks made, the rest is ground. My wife's diet requires the venison. Even the leanest ground beef available at the grocery store will make her sick. If we couldn't eat venison all year, we would be stuck with chicken and fish at every meal. I occasionally make some jerky from the front shoulders too.

That's fascinating (and unfortunate) about store-bought meat. Is that a protein allergy, or something else? I'm glad you're able to provide a great "beef alternative"

My wife does not produce bile. Thus, she cannot break down fats. Even the leanest ground meat in the store has too much fat for her. When I have the deer ground, my processor does not add any fat to it. It is extremely lean, but that is perfect for her. If she were to eat a hamburger with enough fat in it to make a patty, she would literally be going between the bed and toilet for the next 6-12 hours. It took us a while to figure it out, then we had to explain to the doctor what was happening before he could confirm. So, if we want red meat at my house, we eat venison.

Interesting. So, you cook venison exclusively without adding any fat? What are some of your core dishes?

Pretty much. If we do need to add anything, for example with stir fry, it is a minimal amount of olive oil. We make anything that would normally take hamburger. Anything that is not ground is cooked by grilling, that way we don't have to add any fat. We will also use the crock pot on occasion. It really hasn't been an inconvenience, because my wife learned to cook after we were married, and she learned with venison. She takes recipes that sound good and modifies them and experiments with them. We keep the ones the kids like and forget the rest. It really is easy to cook low fat and to have good meals with venison.

 

[Crosshairy]

I left some of the venison fat in the last pot roast that we made (about a week ago), and it was great. We didn't have any potatoes in the house at the time, so it was heavy on the onions and carrots.

DH, I guess you have to trim off the deer fat as well, right?

 

[Spikes Tactical]

I try to kill two a year - that keeps us in venison throughout the year. One and we run out usually a month or so before the season.

This year is going to stink - only have 3 packs of burger left and a few small zip lock bags of cubed venison. The move to SC prevented me from hunting this year so we will have to purchase red meat from the store this year.

 

[tasaman]

Two deer a season is about all I want for steaks. Any more than that and it gets monotonous. I pay to get mine ground and made into sausage but that is changing soon.

 

[Robtattoo]

3-4 would be the ideal for me. No kids & a vegetarian Wife.
I don't buy ANY meat throughout the year though. If I don't put up enough deer meat, I have to spend more time hunting hogs, small game, fishing etc... If that doesn't pan out, well, I go veggie got a while too.

 

[Crosshairy]

3-4 would be the ideal for me. No kids & a vegetarian Wife.
I don't buy ANY meat throughout the year though. If I don't put up enough deer meat, I have to spend more time hunting hogs, small game, fishing etc... If that doesn't pan out, well, I go veggie got a while too.

Wow...I've never talked to a hunter with a vegetarian wife. Did she "go that route" prior to you getting married? I bet that can make for some interesting conversations! Unless, of course, she did that for health reasons, similar to what DH described.

 

[Robtattoo]

She was veggie when we met Has been since she was 14.
She's not a 'preachy' vegetarian, she doesn't mind others eating meat & she's not trying to convert anyone. She actually prefers me hunting than buying meat (as do I) simply because the meat is organic, free-range & humanely treated. Not to mention it tastes a million times better!

 

[Sako]

Family of three (12 year old son) and we eat around 5... we generally get low towards the start of the next season... I hate buying meat at the store unless it is Bacon....

Seriously, we buy no red meat at all from the store... just eat Venison. We only buy Chicken and sometime some pork.