I had just pulled out of my driveway this morning when I see a dead doe laying in the field beside my house. There was a little pile of headlights and bumper plastic followed by a line of anti freeze that moved to the shoulder so it was pretty easy to figure what had happened. I worked late last night and I know it wasn't there when I got home so It happened within the last 8 hours.
I kept driving as I have a few projects that need to get done. By the time I got to work I was convinced that the deer was still salvageable and worth dealing with. I never had any aversion to the thought of collecting a road killed deer but always told myself "I don't know how longs it's been there" or "it's too far from home or inconvenient". This situation was different. I went back and forth as I already had too much to do and this weekend wasn't looking any more open. I just couldn't help but feel like that deer would just lay there and rot so I changed my schedule around a little.
I headed home and dragged the deer to my back yard. It was a big "long nose" It had both hind legs broken just above the knee and I assumed it's back was broken from the fact that it didn't go very far and had pawed a bare patch with its front legs.
I elected to try the gutless method because I assumed it would likely have ruptured the guts in one way or another and I figured I was going to be pretty selective with the cuts I took. This was the first time I tried the gutless method on a white tail since we usually just gut them and hang them for a few days. It went surprisingly well and my wife even got in on the action.\
I was surprised how good of shape the deer was in once I got the skin off. I was able to take off both hind quarters with very minimal damage and the front shoulders with no damage at all. I took some cuts from the brisket and neck then went to the back straps. I rarely butcher a deer that has been dead for such a short amount of time. The deer was still very warm and rigor had just started to set in. The back straps needed very little convincing to come out and my hands did most of the work. I found one place about 3/4 of the way back the back strap that looked like it had been crushed by the impact so I threw it out. The last piece to get was the inside loin. The one on the side of impact was jelly but the opposite side was in good shape.
Once I got the inside loin out I got hit with the stench of open guts. I didn't see any stomach contents on anything but the smell it unmistakable. I took the trim meat and back straps into the house to start cleaning them and after a while I noticed a stomach smell again. I took a whiff of the inside loin and it smelled like stomach and a bit like manure. I rinsed it in cold water but it still held some of the smell. Part of the back strap near that part of the deer smelled similar so I set them both aside. The quarters are hanging in the shade this afternoon in a cold breeze until I get home.
I'm back at work now and feel really good about going home when I did. I was able to shoot 3 deer this year and had a 1/4 of a cow elk but was still concerned about running out before next hunting season. This was a blessing, although whoever hit it in their car might think otherwise. I'm also fortunate my wife gets as excited about filling the freezer as I do and she will help butcher and package this evening. Date nights look different now then 5 years ago.
Every evening before family dinner we give thanks to God for the food we are about to eat and the resources that make it possible. While I was at work debating over dealing with the deer or not I couldn't shake the idea that this would have been immoral to let this deer go to waste. I would imagine if a hunter doesn't pick a road killed deer it likely rots into the ground or is disposed elsewhere. I'm thankful I posses the knowledge of taking a deer apart and knowing how to handle the meat. I would imagine we all take that for granted.
I did call it in to the PGC and got a salvage tag issued. Pennsylvania gives you 24 hours from the time you collect it until you report it.
Anyway- a few questions as this is my first time dealing with an animal that was hit by a car. Will contact with the stomach contents make the meat inedible? Will rinsing the meat or trimming the outer edges get back to edible?
Is rinsing meat in cold water somehow bad for the meat? I know you aren't supposed to rinse poultry and never really needed to with previous game.
Do any of you have any road kill collection stories worth sharing?
I kept driving as I have a few projects that need to get done. By the time I got to work I was convinced that the deer was still salvageable and worth dealing with. I never had any aversion to the thought of collecting a road killed deer but always told myself "I don't know how longs it's been there" or "it's too far from home or inconvenient". This situation was different. I went back and forth as I already had too much to do and this weekend wasn't looking any more open. I just couldn't help but feel like that deer would just lay there and rot so I changed my schedule around a little.
I headed home and dragged the deer to my back yard. It was a big "long nose" It had both hind legs broken just above the knee and I assumed it's back was broken from the fact that it didn't go very far and had pawed a bare patch with its front legs.
I elected to try the gutless method because I assumed it would likely have ruptured the guts in one way or another and I figured I was going to be pretty selective with the cuts I took. This was the first time I tried the gutless method on a white tail since we usually just gut them and hang them for a few days. It went surprisingly well and my wife even got in on the action.\
I was surprised how good of shape the deer was in once I got the skin off. I was able to take off both hind quarters with very minimal damage and the front shoulders with no damage at all. I took some cuts from the brisket and neck then went to the back straps. I rarely butcher a deer that has been dead for such a short amount of time. The deer was still very warm and rigor had just started to set in. The back straps needed very little convincing to come out and my hands did most of the work. I found one place about 3/4 of the way back the back strap that looked like it had been crushed by the impact so I threw it out. The last piece to get was the inside loin. The one on the side of impact was jelly but the opposite side was in good shape.
Once I got the inside loin out I got hit with the stench of open guts. I didn't see any stomach contents on anything but the smell it unmistakable. I took the trim meat and back straps into the house to start cleaning them and after a while I noticed a stomach smell again. I took a whiff of the inside loin and it smelled like stomach and a bit like manure. I rinsed it in cold water but it still held some of the smell. Part of the back strap near that part of the deer smelled similar so I set them both aside. The quarters are hanging in the shade this afternoon in a cold breeze until I get home.
I'm back at work now and feel really good about going home when I did. I was able to shoot 3 deer this year and had a 1/4 of a cow elk but was still concerned about running out before next hunting season. This was a blessing, although whoever hit it in their car might think otherwise. I'm also fortunate my wife gets as excited about filling the freezer as I do and she will help butcher and package this evening. Date nights look different now then 5 years ago.
Every evening before family dinner we give thanks to God for the food we are about to eat and the resources that make it possible. While I was at work debating over dealing with the deer or not I couldn't shake the idea that this would have been immoral to let this deer go to waste. I would imagine if a hunter doesn't pick a road killed deer it likely rots into the ground or is disposed elsewhere. I'm thankful I posses the knowledge of taking a deer apart and knowing how to handle the meat. I would imagine we all take that for granted.
I did call it in to the PGC and got a salvage tag issued. Pennsylvania gives you 24 hours from the time you collect it until you report it.
Anyway- a few questions as this is my first time dealing with an animal that was hit by a car. Will contact with the stomach contents make the meat inedible? Will rinsing the meat or trimming the outer edges get back to edible?
Is rinsing meat in cold water somehow bad for the meat? I know you aren't supposed to rinse poultry and never really needed to with previous game.
Do any of you have any road kill collection stories worth sharing?