Good to Know

After The Kill

IMMEDIATELY VALIDATE YOUR CARCASS TAG

• Sign your name with a pen or sharpie on the carcass tag signature line
• Detach carcass tag section
• Punch out Date, Month & Sex
• Secure tag to carcass (NOT antlers) with a cable tie leaving the information visible
• Snap a few photos

FIELD DRESS THE ANIMAL

• Remove internal organs
• Split pelvic & remove anal cavity
• Split brisket & remove heart, lungs & wind pipe
• Leave evidence of sex attached
• Get carcass off ground! Either hang in tree or place several logs under carcass to cool
• Separate hind legs so it cools faster
• Place pine boughs over exposed meat to keep birds off
• Skin as soon as possible
• Place skinned carcass or clean quarters in quality tight woven breathable game bags. Be extra careful to keep flies out before tying ends of game bag.

Treat the meat with care, i.e. DO NOT drag it through debris and expect it to stay clean. Remember, this is your meat so take care of it! Avoid putting warm meat into plastic bags DO NOT USE SCENTED BAGS). If using ice to cool, we recommend ice blocks in the chest cavity. DO NOT put meat in a cooler with loose ice…once it melts you have created a bacteria haven and could risk losing the meat.

Yields

Average hanging weights below

Approx. Live Weight = Hanging wt x 1.65 (ex: 64 lb deer x 1.65 = 105 lb live wt)

ANTELOPE

• Buck: 60-70 lbs
• Doe: 40-50 lbs
• Fawn: 20-30 lbs

DEER

• Buck: 100-160 lbs
• Doe: 60-100 lbs
• Fawn: 30-40 lbs

ELK

• Bull: 250-500 lbs
• Cow: 200-350 lbs
• Calf: 60-100 lbs

TYPICAL BONELESS YIELD ON WHOLE CARCASS

• Very clean/Head Shot: 55-60% Yield
• Average cleanliness/Heart shot: 50-55% Yield
• Dirty carcass, shoulder or hind shot: 45-50% Yield