Opening Weekend Forecast: Get Ready

Ski

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Joined
Nov 18, 2019
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4,527
Location
Coffee County
My brother and I process our own as well and it is very rewarding to take it from scouting and killing to processing and feeding my family! I know it's not for everyone but we enjoy it. Plus I had too many bad experiences with a local processor. Never believed I was getting my buck back

I too enjoy processing, but sometimes I don't have time. But these days I do. I quit using processors when I found green chunks in my ground. Only green in a deer is undigested food, which means gut. I've never taken a gut hit deer to a processor so what they gave me wasn't my deer. It was a popular, reputable place, too.
 

RockMcL

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Aug 1, 2022
Messages
435
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No
I too enjoy processing, but sometimes I don't have time. But these days I do. I quit using processors when I found green chunks in my ground. Only green in a deer is undigested food, which means gut. I've never taken a gut hit deer to a processor so what they gave me wasn't my deer. It was a popular, reputable place, too.
No bragg just fact, I have never used a processor. Can't imagine using one at this point. I believe I learned more ( and still learning) about efficient harvest, shot placement, minimizing meat damage, and bullet/broadhead performance by doing so than otherwise learning.

I honestly believe the after shot analysis also made myself & sons better prepared for serving in the military though I wish my boys had been spared the that understanding.

You will be hard pressed to find better quality (and safe) meat than what comes out of our freezers.

My only regret is sausages. I hate making sausage &meat sticks and my son who loves to lives in FL now.
 

Jcalder

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Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
9,500
Location
Cookeville
No bragg just fact, I have never used a processor. Can't imagine using one at this point. I believe I learned more ( and still learning) about efficient harvest, shot placement, minimizing meat damage, and bullet/broadhead performance by doing so than otherwise learning.

I honestly believe the after shot analysis also made myself & sons better prepared for serving in the military though I wish my boys had been spared the that understanding.

You will be hard pressed to find better quality (and safe) meat than what comes out of our freezers.

My only regret is sausages. I hate making sausage &meat sticks and my son who loves to lives in FL now.
Got any tips on making sausage. Looking at buying a grinder just so I can do my own sausage, snack sticks, polish sausage.
 

RockMcL

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Joined
Aug 1, 2022
Messages
435
Location
No
Got any tips on making sausage. Looking at buying a grinder just so I can do my own sausage, snack sticks, polish sausage.
J
I recommend not to get too cheap on your grinder. This one has been a workhorse.

You can get packages of casing & spices. Just learned my wife threw out all our left over stuff because it was old. The stuff never gets too old honestly but temperature in the house stays better if I let it go.

Honestly you can learn enough reading a package 📦 or online reviews to make excellent snacks/sausage. Don't forget breakfast sausage too.
(We use a lot of straight hamburger too, no fat add. Soup to meatloaf.

For sausage, your smoker is key. You want one that will not take too much babysitting. I just have been put on notice I am to get a new one. Set, check, and forget for hours is what I will look for.

Play with it till you find your magic mix combo of ingredients then load your shotgun with rocksalt to keep friends & family away from your eats...
 

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Falconi

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Jul 21, 2022
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165
Location
Columbia, TN
I too enjoy processing, but sometimes I don't have time. But these days I do. I quit using processors when I found green chunks in my ground. Only green in a deer is undigested food, which means gut. I've never taken a gut hit deer to a processor so what they gave me wasn't my deer. It was a popular, reputable place, too.

Do the processors guarantee you'll get the meat from your deer? I know some just ballpark the size and give you that much meat back. Might be your deer, might not.
 

Ski

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Joined
Nov 18, 2019
Messages
4,527
Location
Coffee County
Do the processors guarantee you'll get the meat from your deer? I know some just ballpark the size and give you that much meat back. Might be your deer, might not.

I didn't ask and they didn't say, so I can't really say for sure. I just assumed if I drop a deer off that I'll get that deer back. Last thing I'd want to do is drop off a yearling doe & get back an old rutty buck. Or worse yet get back somebody's gut shot deer that the processor should have been more careful to trim.
 

Jcalder

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Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Messages
9,500
Location
Cookeville
J
I recommend not to get too cheap on your grinder. This one has been a workhorse.

You can get packages of casing & spices. Just learned my wife threw out all our left over stuff because it was old. The stuff never gets too old honestly but temperature in the house stays better if I let it go.

Honestly you can learn enough reading a package 📦 or online reviews to make excellent snacks/sausage. Don't forget breakfast sausage too.
(We use a lot of straight hamburger too, no fat add. Soup to meatloaf.

For sausage, your smoker is key. You want one that will not take too much babysitting. I just have been put on notice I am to get a new one. Set, check, and forget for hours is what I will look for.

Play with it till you find your magic mix combo of ingredients then load your shotgun with rocksalt to keep friends & family away from your eats...
Looking at getting that grinder in a #8, with a foot pedal
 

Specializedjon

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Joined
Feb 25, 2019
Messages
8,123
Location
Culleoka (Middle TN)
May your aim be true and your knife sharp. Best to all. I just moved here and been so busy with buying house, selling house, moving, and long awaited vacation that covid had delayed. But I will be ready next year. My saving grace is that I have a Texas Hill country hunt in mid December. Looking forward to the stories.
Welcome sir.
 

RockMcL

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Aug 1, 2022
Messages
435
Location
No
Wore out a smaller one, not sure HP, wore out a .5 HP. Know it cost more but the .75 HP eats... we usually do 4-5 deer a year and I think the .75 is on its 4th season. Next year plan to add two pigs to the work.
 

philsanchez76

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Joined
Jul 6, 2019
Messages
1,937
Location
Middle TN
Wore out a smaller one, not sure HP, wore out a .5 HP. Know it cost more but the .75 HP eats... we usually do 4-5 deer a year and I think the .75 is on its 4th season. Next year plan to add two pigs to the work.
x2. going 3/4 horse made all the difference. mine has eaten 16 deer and 2 hogs now.
 

Jaahspike

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Joined
Nov 17, 2010
Messages
475
Location
Arizona
I too enjoy processing, but sometimes I don't have time. But these days I do. I quit using processors when I found green chunks in my ground. Only green in a deer is undigested food, which means gut. I've never taken a gut hit deer to a processor so what they gave me wasn't my deer. It was a popular, reputable place, too.
Agreed. We take pride in field dressing our deer and getting them on ice as soon as possible and I knew my deer shouldn't taste gamey but after I got several back and had to throw it away because it wasn't edible, I said no more. Not to mention it isn't cheap!!!!!
 

Bone Collector

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Joined
Sep 9, 2009
Messages
19,653
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
Below is a graph of the number of unique older (2 1/2+) bucks we've inventoried on trail-camera for each month of the fall from 2009 until this year. The average over that time for each month, as well as the minimum and maximum number for each month are indicated by the lines, and the purple bars are the number for this year. This year, our September numbers matched the record low. October was only 1 above the record low. So far in November, we're matching the record low. Just been a terrible year.
it has been a weird year for sure, but I think it also just depends on where you are, and your local herd. I have seen more large bucks driving to and from work than I can ever recall. All are with does, in fields, near thick cover. some are just out getting a bite to eat.... Saw 2 mature bucks on the way in Tuesday and 2 on the way in Wednesday as well as 1 on the way home.
 

Bone Collector

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Joined
Sep 9, 2009
Messages
19,653
Location
Murfreesboro, TN
I'm afraid for my neck of the woods, that is the case. Wilson Co. Not in line with other years at all.
yeah it seemed I saw a lot of younger deer chasing opening weekend of ML through the week before the second weekend. I hunted Friday AM (11th) and it was warm and rainy, saw lots of small bucks with does. Then nothing for 3 days. Then I hunted Public on Monday afternoon and had what appeared to be a good one pass by a camera. Then Wednesday when I was at work, had another decent one out cruising. It has died back down again. I am in Rutherford. My brother said it has been quiet at his place in Wilson.
 

BSK

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Joined
Mar 11, 1999
Messages
81,484
Location
Nashville, TN
it has been a weird year for sure, but I think it also just depends on where you are, and your local herd. I have seen more large bucks driving to and from work than I can ever recall. All are with does, in fields, near thick cover. some are just out getting a bite to eat.... Saw 2 mature bucks on the way in Tuesday and 2 on the way in Wednesday as well as 1 on the way home.
Where you are has EVERYTHING to do with it. In the drought-stricken western Middle TN, everything is different than other parts of the state. Rut was definitely delayed about 10 days in my area.
 
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