SoCal Deer with ticks.

[TheGDog]

Drag 'm over to a spot of shade... get to work deboning.


The hide and skull I put in one of those Alaskan Game Bags and Zip tie it shut around the antlers. The meat I put in these special lightweight meat bags I got from Kifaru. They are awesome for placing the meat within your pack.

The ticks will survive the car ride home in the cooler. You must crush them through their bodies with your knife while fleshing out the hide. They can survive MANY days in the cooler. Many of them you will NOT be able to crush with your finger nail, even with all your force. They are like little tanks, it's Insane how tough their exo-skeletons are.

While you are fleshing the hide.. be sure to check yourself often. When you find one... pick him off your clothing and again.. crush thru their body with your knife.

I'd have to be very hard-pressed before I'd ever carry one of them on my back. The few I've taken so far had many ticks on them. Mostly in the groin region.

 

[ilovesprig]

You guys are killing me with spraying Raid around the meat...lol

Why?...You're spraying the hide, not the meat, BEFORE you start skinning...Meat is also washed thoroughly after skinning on the tree...And then again at the butcher's.

 

[ttrose]

If I need to spray I use BioShield. The link is below. It's a non-toxic spay that does the trick for me. I started using it after I killed by 1st buck and got a few ticks on me. I don't use it when I hunt but do for scouting etc.

Home - BioShield

www.bioshield-rx.com

 

[socalhntr]

Why?...You're spraying the hide, not the meat, BEFORE you start skinning...Meat is also washed thoroughly after skinning on the tree...And then again at the butcher's.

I had never heard of anyone doing it before you and Sluester (RIP). Guess I'd rather take a chance on having to pluck a tick off myself over taking a chance of tainting the meat. Personal preference I guess.

 

[TheGDog]

Ok.. wow.. this is crazy... I got finished reading this post... then like maybe 30 min later I happen to be in FB and notice this tailored Ad entry...
How creepy is that?

 

[TRICER]

Cleaned a deer in the field last week the meat bees were the only thing that bothered me. Little bastards bites hurt!

 

[TheGDog]

Cleaned a deer in the field last week the meat bees were the only thing that bothered me. Little bastards bites hurt!

OH man, I sooo feel you on the meat bees! I got smarter though and started only skinning as I go. I'd only skin an area right before I'm about to process the meat off that area, that way I'm creating less exposed meat to the air until absolutely necessary. It seemed to help quite a bit at keeping the meat bees situation more controllable and less out of hand.

I'm trippin' off the fact that you say you got stung though! I've been worried about that, as sometimes it was necessary to slowly shoo them away from an area with my gloved hand so that I could begin processing that area.

 

[MJB]

Half hour and I'm done deboned & packed, not enough time to get further than my clothes if that.

For yellow jackets I take some bloody scrap parts and let them have that 15 yds away. We all get along until I close the bag with them inside after I'm done.

 

[TheGDog]

Yes! I definitely huck the scrap parts nice and far away! That helped a bit when it was hot and I opted to remove the guts. Didn't really help so much when doing gutless method though, since that basically just amounts to the forelimbs... and then the rest of the appendage bones after you debone the meat off them. But I guess every little bit helps though.

 

[Bowman]

never had an issue , when the weather is cool, at camp skin the the deer, while it's hanging, cover it with a deer bag, that allows cool air to circulate. let the meat glaze in the cool air..
then quarter it.. done it over thirty times.. +
transport home stick the quartered meat into a fridge and let age.. couple days, makes the meat firm for butchering.. making steaks, ribs , stew meat, or ground down.. all good....

 

[Rory]

Bring a big contractors bag with you. Gut then Bag the deer, throw it over your shoulders. Then only the back hooves are exposed. Used this trick to carry a giant doe out of a canyon last year. Was a trek and a half but didn’t get one tick. Bag was full of them by the time we got back to the ridge. Tied it up and bug sprayed it when we got back to the ranch.

I’m not sure what the hell people are talking about spraying the deer with raid. Never do that. Once the deer is gutted, cools down, they don’t hang out long. If you’re doing it right, the ticks should be gone by the time the deer hangs out over night. Then skin it, then let it hang longer, then bone it out.