How Much Meat Will Your Deer Yield

Yellowhammer,
Because most folks around here don't take a bone saw out to the woods with them to cut the sternum. Plus the lungs won't spoil the meat left in for a little while like the intestines do. They weigh little more than air, anyway. Regional differences.

When he said "the meat is still on the bone" he means that the butcher used a bandsaw and processed the animal like domestic livestock are. ("T" Bones, etc...) Nothing is boned out so the process takes minutes compared to an hour or so.
 
After reading some of the posts I feel I must point out that deer in the northern part of the country tend to weigh a lot more than deer in the southern part of the country (has to do with saving body heat in the winter verses shedding excess heat in the summer ). As a result average deer size tends to be bigger in the north.
 
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As a result average deer size tends to be bigger in the north.




Yes, this is true, but the proportion of meat to hide, bone, guts etc. are still about the same.
 
Christopher,

My quarters were without hide, legs, and head. No different than quarters of beef.

Yellowhammer,

I've read many, many of your posts in the past and respect the fact that you're an expert in your field, but on this particular subject I stand by my belief that the formula in the article is flawed.

And P.S.
Why should I de-bone my deer when the price(competitive) of cutting and wrapping is only 30 cents a pound? The price and convenience is more than worth it.
 
listen Guys,

This all started when someone posted that they shot a 180 lb deer (Live weight) and came home with 140 lbs. of meat (MEAT !!). /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I dont care what region your from but that is just not gonna happen!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

Several of you have completely misconstrued what Yellow hammer was trying to say. The formula he provides is pretty much right there for the yield of meat from a downed animal.

If you gut, skin and de-bone a deer that weigh's 180 lbs on the hoof you are not coming home with 140 lbs of meat. Like Christopher posted, figure on 50%-60%. A 180 lb. deer is gonna give you around 80 to 90 lb's.. Right?
 
I guess I would have to agree with Yellow Hammer. I have shot and seen shot alot of 180 + lb deer. I am sure we lost more than 40lbs from the entrails, head, hide and legs. I am also wondering how much of the fat everyone removes from their deer? We trim every bit off. We also don't eat the ribs. Just to much tallowy fat in them to trim off.
 
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Yellowhammer,

I've read many, many of your posts in the past and respect the fact that you're an expert in your field, but on this particular subject I stand by my belief that the formula in the article is flawed.




The "formula" was based on research. What do you base your "belief" on?

I think the horse is dead (or nearly so) so I am going to get off of him. If you really want to know what you will get, the next time you kill a deer take a live weight, field dressed weight (completely gutted), and then a carcass weight (skinned, not head, no legs) and then weight what you get back.

If I had a butcher that gave me back 140 pounds of wrapped meat for a 180 pound live weight deer, I would keep using him.
 
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