Road Kill Deer

I have a road kill deer coming to my house. I need: 1) a processor 2) to know how long I can wait to gut it.

You oughta write an autobiography! This might be my favorite post ever.

Cathy2 wrote:I have a road kill deer coming to my house. I need: 1) a processor 2) to know how long I can wait to gut it.

I don't know the answers to your questions, but could contact someone to find out how long you can wait if nobody else knows the answer. I have some family members who hunt. I had the fortune of getting some roadkill fawn steaks once, which was probably the only way to legally and morally eat it. It was really good.

A quick search says gut it and wash out the cavity immediately, but let it hang after gutting for 1-2 days under 45 degrees.

As far as processors go, for some reason, I think there's some legal red tape, so you might run into issues if you were thinking of taking it to a processing shop.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I seem to remember GNR Ream's Elburn Market having something to do with deer processing. Either they did it in house, or they had an affiliated operation. I could easily be misremembering, so I'd call first before making he trek to Elburn.

North of the Cheese Curtain, Miesfelds in Sheboyan definitely offers processing. In that case, I distinctly remember seeing a sign on the front door to the effect of "Bring all carcasses to the rear of the store for processing."

Ream's Elburn Market
128 N. Main Street
Elburn, IL 60119
(630) 365-6461

Miesfeld's Meat Market
4811 Venture Dr
Sheboygan, WI 53083
(920) 565-6328

Miller's Old Fashioned Butcher Shop
24032 Lockport Street * Plainfield * USA * 60544 Phone: (815) 436-8997

Coukd also try Johns Elgin Meats, South Elgin

Aslo might need this form for processing: Illinois DNR Roadkill Form

Hi,

Thanks for the idea and tips. I have found a list of wild game processors. I know there are more than what's on this list, though it does name one in McHenry County.

This deer came from a cemetery. A woman had just accidentally killed it when my Dad came upon the scene. He talked to the police officer, who was also a hunter, who estimated this was a good find. Together they loaded into the trunk of my Dad's car. So not only do I look forward to cleaning the deer, it probably means a good scrub of this car, too.

I only learned about this incident after the deer was in the car and in route.

I am sure there will be more to this adventure. If anyone has further ideas, please do comment.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:I am sure there will be more to this adventure. If anyone has further ideas, please do comment.

DON'T forget this advice:

seebee wrote:A quick search says gut it and wash out the cavity immediately, but let it hang after gutting for 1-2 days under 45 degrees.

2 wks on the aging does wonders.

Hi,

We have been watching this video to school us:



Helpful advice from University of Wisconsin Extension, "So You Got A Deer."

Regards,

Do Not, I repeat hang your deer.
Gut as soon as you get it. The temps are two variable for hanging at this time of year and hanging does not work for venison anyway.
Wear long nylon gloves if you can get them at a Sporting Good Shop, comes in a kit for cleaning venison.
Skin and debone as soon as possible. The longer the innards and skin are on in this weather the more the possible effect on taste and quality. Deboning is now the norm because of CWD, you don't want to cut bone and you don't want to work with bare hands. Process all knives, surfaces etc used with bleach.
Secondly, let you nose be your guide, after gutting, if done correctly and you haven't ruptured any internal organs, meat should smell like, well venison, if any organs have rupture cut away any bad smelling meat. I give you 12 hours to gut and another 6hours to get to a processor if temp is below 30F, do not put in Sun.
Pm me your # and I will call you and help additionally if you want.-Dick
BTW, if female and fat gut, do not be surprised to find a fawn.

HI,

I didn't see this in time. The deer is hanging for the night.

I did try calling several processors today, though nobody replied. I did learn Reams is no longer processing deer.

It turned out to be a male, though it wasn't immediately evident. I knew from another friend's experience, a female at this time of year might be pregnant. Very glad I was not confronted with that situation.

I will PM my number, I had hoped you might chime in.

Regards,

Cathy you can call Hometown Sausage Company in East Troy, Wi. Tom Cicero a former Chicago chef knows how to do this. You will have to bring the deer up there though if he can do it. Note that they are closed on Monday but it looks like the weather is on your side for the next day or so.

http://www.hometownsausagekitchen.com/

Cathy - we spoke on the phone so you know my recommendations.

I respectfully disagree with budrichard about hanging deer after they have been field dressed, the body cavity rinsed and dried. We routinely hang our deer for up to three days in an unheated garage - duration temperature dependent - and in our experience it improves the flavor and tenderness of the venison. It also makes it easier to skin when it's time to process. The local processors routinely hang the skinned carcasses for a day or two as well - in a walk-in cooler.

A surgeon friend of mine routinely hangs his deer up to three days, outdoor temperature dependent, from a tree in his back yard.

We are in central Illinois so CWD isn't an issue for us at this time.

Davooda

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

I did try calling several processors today, though nobody replied.

I'm not sure what the regulations are in IL, but based upon my experience years ago when we brought our deer for processing in WI, I wish you luck. The butcher there told me he did not start deer processing until his store closed. That allowed him time (hours) to clean up everything (per health regulations) before he again started cutting beef.

I'm thinking establishments who process deer during the normal hunting season might not be interested in just one now. I hope i'm wrong.

Ron

PS I will soon be sending you a PM

Hi,

After making a number of phone calls, I found at least two processors who will take me in:

Bunzels
Domines

A very local butcher would do it for $150, though it could vary with the animal's weight.

Regards,

Didn't read this until now. We have a cousin between Pontiac and Bloomington who processes meat.

I'm not sure if this is the law in IL, but in some states a person(s) can not collect road kill if it was that person's vehicle that struck the animal.

Poaching using a car, I'm amazed but not surprised they had to pass a law in regards to it.

Sweet Willie wrote:I'm not sure if this is the law in IL, but in some states a person(s) can not collect road kill if it was that person's vehicle that struck the animal.

Poaching using a car, I'm amazed but not surprised they had to pass a law in regards to it.

Why yes officer, I did happen to hit this poor deer in my old '78 Chevy.
Luckily my Brother came along shortly in his nice 2010 F150 to help me get this poor creature out of the road.
What's that? Why, now that you mention it I guess there's no reason to let it go to waste...

Hi,

'My deer' was hit by a stranger. FYI - we did file an online report about this roadkill deer.

I remember reading a hunter's cookbook when I was a teenager, where the person picked up a frozen roadkill pheasant. She commented where she lived it was illegal to collect roadkill game. The only time I ever collected a roadkill pheasant, it went straight into the trunk to avoid detection.

Regards,

zoid wrote:

Sweet Willie wrote:I'm not sure if this is the law in IL, but in some states a person(s) can not collect road kill if it was that person's vehicle that struck the animal.

Poaching using a car, I'm amazed but not surprised they had to pass a law in regards to it.

Why yes officer, I did happen to hit this poor deer in my old '78 Chevy.
Luckily my Brother came along shortly in his nice 2010 F150 to help me get this poor creature out of the road.
What's that? Why, now that you mention it I guess there's no reason to let it go to waste...

Not to take this further off track, but when I was in college, my room-mate with two of our buddies hit a deer. He caught the deer right in front of the shoulder, so it took out a headlight and ruined his front fender. The deer was killed instantly with little damage to the meat.

This was in 84 or 85, pre cell phone, so one guy walked a quarter mile to the next house to call the State Patrol. The other two, with nothing else to do but look at a dead deer, proceeded to field dress it and load it in the back of the truck. Turns out that is not the correct procedure for hitting a deer in Ohio. They ended up with the State Patrol, a Sheriff's Deputy and the Game Warden at the scene trying to decide what to do about the "crime".

After much discussion, they were released with the deer and a reprimand that in the future, the deer is to lay unmolested until the paperwork is done. All three of the officers, off the record, praised Bill for the quality job of field dressing with just a couple of pocket knives.

We lived on deer meat the rest of that year, I'm sure the money we saved on food was spent on beer.

We all get together almost every year and we still laugh when this story comes up.

In Illinois it is legal to keep a deer that you hit, but not legal to hit it on purpose.

Today was the day I did the deed and butchered it myself.

In the morning, I removed the front legs at the shoulder blades and retrieved the backstrap (tenderloin). Just after lunch, I trimmed, packaged and stored it in my freezer.

Before dinner, I removed the back legs with the help of my Dad. I also cut off the ribs, which I plan to smoke on Saturday.

After dinner, I butchered one of the back legs. I started to trim the other and stopped. This leg had been sprayed with the intestine's contents. To clean it, I had trimmed away quite a bit of fur. While this section of meat was exposed and dried, liked aged meat. I had this uncertainty about the quality. I knew I would not eat it and would never give it away. I may be willing to take chances, but not when it may make anyone sick.

The total bounty was:

Venison

Backstrap (filet)
- Two whole pieces: 2 lb 4 oz and 1 lb 9 oz
- Pieces: 10 oz

Front legs
- Two thighs: 2 lb 2 oz and 1 lb 12 oz
- Small Calves: 13 oz
- Large Calves: 1 lb 6 oz
- Pieces: 9 oz

Back leg (used only one)
- Roast: 1 lb 14 oz
- Saddle (split): 1 lb 8 oz and 1 lb 14 oz
- Odd bits: 1 lb

Total of nearly 17 pounds of deboned meat. If I had used the second back leg, this would have bumped up to almost 24 pounds of meat.

What's left? A head, some fur, bones and hooves.

I wonder if you could take those hooves and make them into dog treats. Cow hooves are used that way.

Cathy - congratulations on butchering your first deer! You will save yourself quite a bit of $$$ doing this yourself. I used to, but Mrs. Davooda frowns on kitchen table dissection like we used to do back home.

I noted the backstraps were listed, but did you also find and remove the internal tenderloins (what we call "catfish" in the hinterlands of central Illinois)? These are located inside the body cavity on either side near the back of the ribs. They are, IMO, even more of a delicacy than the backstraps located along the spine. Fork tender - they make fantastic carpaccio. Carefully pan seared and served with just salt and pepper they are a taste treat.

Davooda

Davooda wrote:Cathy - congratulations on butchering your first deer! You will save yourself quite a bit of $$$ doing this yourself. I used to, but Mrs. Davooda frowns on kitchen table dissection like we used to do back home.

I noted the backstraps were listed, but did you also find and remove the internal tenderloins (what we call "catfish" in the hinterlands of central Illinois)? These are located inside the body cavity on either side near the back of the ribs. They are, IMO, even more of a delicacy than the backstraps located along the spine. Fork tender - they make fantastic carpaccio. Carefully pan seared and served with just salt and pepper they are a taste treat.

Davooda

HI,

Thanks, your advice over the phone was greatly appreciated.

I did find those internal tender bits. I cut those out as quickly as I gutted the deer. I got distracted, then later found them hours later on the kitchen counter. I felt really bad tossing them, because I was sure they would have been great. I will bet this is another cut that just disappears (into the butcher's lunch) when you have someone else do the butchering.

I was rather pleased with myself identifying them, because I saw them and intuitively took them. Later when I watched the butchering video, they were described as the deer's filet mignon.

Since I had quotes for butchering from $89 to $150, yes there was a savings. If I had not come upon that very useful video, I might have gladly paid. Now I am glad I gave it a try.

Most of the meat was kept whole muscle. I can later cut or grind, I just cannot piece it back together!

I think I can do this again someday.

Regards,

leek wrote:I wonder if you could take those hooves and make them into dog treats. Cow hooves are used that way.

I never heard of this and just did a quick google. I will saw off those hooves for the dogs. Thanks!

Regards,

Tried to call a number of times but busy?
Anyway, it appears you did fine.
You were correct to discard anything that smells contrary to you, let your nose be your guide.
Wash your utensils in bleach and surfaces you used, remember that we are in the midst of CWD and while there is no proof of transmission, it's similar CW in humans.-Dick

How-To: Field Dress a Deer in 10 Steps

If it’s an adult white-tailed deer, you’ve harvested 30- to 50-plus pounds of lean meat, depending on its age and your geographic location. There’s only one problem: Your meat isn’t packaged in cellophane and Styrofoam like meat at grocery stores. It’s inside a hide, fully intact and attached to bone.

OK, No problem. First, you must field dress your deer.
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