Clean Kill....

[Plank Road Farm]

What does a clean kill with regards to whitetails mean?
I've read somewhere that if the deer runs the adrealine released in the animal spoils the meat.
So the DRT (dead right there) is the goal, no running.
Where is the best place to shoot the deer to insure no adrenaline release?
It seems that there is no such thing as DRT when bow hunting.
Every video I've watched shows the deer running off after being shot through with an arrow.
Is there anything that can be done to minimize spoiling the meat?

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Ok for one it doesn't "spoil" the meat. But it will give it a bit more of a "gamey" taste if you don't hang it. On average I will hang a bow kill for 4 to 6 days (I have access to a walk in cooler) verses 3 to 5 days for a DRT rifle kill. On average there are very few DRT kills made in comparison to a deer takes at least a few steps. Even if it drops right there and thrashes about, there is an adrenaline release. So basically just worry about making the most efficient shot you can make with your bow.

 

[rodensouth]

I don't think a deer running under a hundred yards makes much difference. However a friend of my dads runs dogs and has given him meat, those bucks tasted funky.

I have had DRT's and ones that ran 40 yards and couldn't tell a difference and I'm pretty taste sensitive.

I haven't taken anywhere near the numbers of others on this forum, so I'm curious about responses too.

I think neck, head, or high shoulder are most likely DRT.

 

[heeler]

Over the last 46 years of deer hunting I have killed over 75 deer and can say that only a very small handful,probably six or less really,have dropped dead in their tracks from the shot.
Too me it's a clean kill if you have taken out the lungs or heart even though the animal my run 30 feet to as much as 120 yards.
Having the deer run a short distance after being mortally wounded has never tainted the meat on any deer I killed or for that matter eaten.
Maybe if the deer was really worked up on a warm day and had been running for a good distance while being stressed out by a pack of dogs or coyotes chasing him then you might very well have an issue.

On a side note a young man who hunted on a place with us several years ago switched out to at least three different calibers,each more powerful than the last,trying to find that magic sledgehammer and was always amazed that the deer he shot even with his 7mm mag still ran when hit.
It's going to happen more times than not unless you break their neck or hit him in the head.

 

[wankerjake]

I've never had adrenaline spoil any meat from mule deer or elk, and I think it's a bunk theory myself. As mentioned above, adrenaline is likely released in DRT kills as well as the animal thrashes about. Adrenaline is a neurotansmitter and a hormone that is found in the body at any given time. I think it is quite unlikely that it alters the taste of the meat. Also it isn't like the adrenal gland holds gallons of the stuff, a little goes a LONG way. It just doesn't make any sense that it would alter the taste of the meat. Hence, I give little credit to the theory. Maybe something else is the cause, but I doubt adrenaline is the culprit.

I have heard more antelope hunters than anybody preach the importance of DRT kills, but rarely hear deer and elk hunters worry about it. As I said I've hit animals bad and they've went aways, and they tasted fine. If you want the meat to taste good, and I can't stress this enough; keep it clean and cold. In my experience at least, it really is as simple as that.

Drt's however are as handy as they are humane. When they are hit well, they don't run up/down/across huge canyons and such, and it makes them real easy to find. I'm a big fan of the neck shot, although on deer it's a trickier shot. Elk have huge necks and it's a great spot to hit them. I tried my first (not last) high shoulder shot last year. I shot a buck out of his bed, right in the shoulder. It throttled him, he didn't even flinch. I've heard from others that it anchors them pretty well and they bleed out quickly. It ruins a little more meat but it's a give/take kind of thing. Just stay away from shoulder shots and ballistic tip type bullets, I've heard you can really end up with a mess on your hands

 

[788Ham]

DRT is a good philosophy, doesn't always work that way though! If a deer/elk runs less than an 100 yds, no problem, further might get them a little worked up. We've found over the past 40-some years I've hunted with my Pop, to get them gutted as soon as you can, like "right here and now!" Also, some folks claim they can taste a "gamey" taste, IMHO, this is due to leaving the hide on too long! As soon as we can get the animal to camp and hung up, the hide comes off, and game bags covering them go on, this in itself lets the whole animal cool quicker. Seems like the hide of an deer lets an oil start leaching into the meat if left on too long, this will leave a tainted taste if not removed soon after its demise. I used to work at a place that had tours during the day, an out of state pickup/camper, parked in the lot, had 3 deer on top of the camper, still had the hides on the deer, the out of state tags were from way down south! WHEW !! Bet that meat was gamey as Hell when they got home.

 

[crazykayaker]

Out of all the deer I've shot, I've never had one run. I shoot them in the shoulder and break it down that way. If you take away it's ability to run, it won't run. Busting it's shoulder has always either killed it straight away, or allowed me to get another shot into it. I guess the only draw back to this is that it can ruin some of the meat in that shoulder, but I've never had that much of a problem with it. I've always used a 12 gauge with a Remington 2.75'' rifled slug for deer hunting. I did recently get a Ruger M77 in .308 Win. though, so we'll see if my method still works.

I hope this helps.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Processing your deer is also one of the MOST important things to keep a close watch on. When processing, remove ALL the "silver skin", Fat, and Sinew as these 3 things are usually 85 to 90% of foul taste in venison. When doing up Ground meat, add beef fat or pork fat. Do NOT use the fat from the deer as it really has a "funky" taste to it. Other than that, like 788 said, get that hide off and the carcass cooled down ASAP. A good game bag serves 2 purposes, #1-It will allow for air flow and cooling while helping to draw the blood out. #2-It REALLY helps keeping the flies off the thing! Bleeding it out is also paramount to better tasting meat. Blood is another source of that "funky" taste.

Hanging your deer also serves more than one purpose. #1-It allows for the bleed out. #2-It allows the muscle tissue to break down and tenderize. The longer you "age" meat the better and more tender it will be. Of course that is to a point. On average, the older a deer is the longer you want to hang it. But one fact that is inescapable, A 5 year old or older rutted up Buck is going to be a tough customer no matter how long you hang it. Pretty much every buck I have ever shot over 4.5 years old has been made into burger. They make for fantastic chili but pretty much suck for a steak. Not to bad for sausage either

 

[jnoonan22]

wew i'm getting nervous about getting my first deer after reading some of these posts. hopefully i will get one close to my in-laws house on their farm. since i've never field dressed anything other than squirrels before, it looks like i'm going to have quite an experience dressing and getting a decent tasting meat... hopefully i'll have some experienced help close by.

 

[brettrow]

If you want to lesson deer running, I recommend shooting them when they are not "alert", but relaxed as an alert deer, like one that spots you right before the shot, will take a breath and run even if lung shot. If they were eating is a good example of relaxed. Unless you see the deer drop and is dead, let it have time to go off and die in peace, as getting down and going after it too quick could push the deer to run a great distance even if mortally wounded. Let it have 15 minutes if not more depending on the shot. Dont gut shot it whatever you do. If you dont have a good shot, let it walk because in your hunting career you will see many deer and a bad shot is not worth it. Depending on where the shot hits they can still run pretty far even if heart shot. My average deer taken with a bow runs 30-50 yards, double lung shots most common. As far as gamey taste, I soak my meat in a cooler full of ice and water for 3 days or so, as the ice water bleeds the meat. I change the water every day and refill with more clean water, and add ice so it stays super cold. Blood has gamey taste in it. I do not gut my dear, I just quarter them and cut the back strap out, then I de-bone and put in the cooler. Wear rubber gloves, have a hose near by. Cut all fat away. Also, if your hunting in a elevated stand with a bow, aim slightly lower because the aerodynamics of an arrow will cause the arrow to "lift" like an air plane wing catching air. I recite the thought in my mind "Hunting up high with a bow, shoot slightly low". I NEVER recommend shooting a deer in the head, and really never the neck either. Dont worry about a DRT, your goal is a humane kill not an easier tracking job. I just read a story in a deer hunting book of a hunter who was crossing a creek when a buck with its face half blown off ran in, gulping for water with barely a lower jaw hanging. Another hunter had attempted a head shot and missed. The hunter put the deer out of its misery. I always aim at or behind (usually an inch or so behind) the shoulder with a rifle, and behind the shoulder with a bow. A deer may run a little with a lung shot, but it will expire quickly if you dont push it.

 

[wankerjake]

Dont worry about a DRT, your goal is a humane kill not an easier tracking job.

A CNS shot accomplishes both. The goal is to recover the animal first and foremost, not to be "humane". You can botch a lung shot a punch one in the guts, also not cool and you may not recover it. No matter where you aim there is a risk of hitting them badly. Nothing against lung shots, I've taken my share and I'll do it again. It's a deadly shot and it runs very little meat, but they generally run a ways if all you get is lungs. Neck shots are not an everytime thing either, it's a smaller target and if you aren't close or steady enough then you can't take it. But it is certainly a good spot to hit them. You see the neck contains major vascualture and the spinal cord. Often you get them both and they are dead about as fast as you can kill one...plus they don't go anywhere. To each his own but I'm quite a big fan of the neck shot (as you maybe could tell)

 

[Smokey Joe]

DRT's and field dressing...

IMX, I agree with the posters who say get the deer gutted ASAP, let it cool, keep it clean. I've had deer drop bang-flop, and others go half a mile, and no difference in the taste. But then, I don't hunt deer with dogs.

Everybody has their own little twists to add, and there is no "This is THE right way" to handle a downed deer. But not getting dirt/flies/gut contents into the meat, and letting it cool quickly, are both very important.

I've gutshot a couple deer, tsk tsk. It's going to happen to you, too, if you hunt long enough. Gutted them right out and got them to a garden hose ASAP, and washed that cavity out good. The taste of the deer was not ruined, but EWW what a mess to field-dress!

Those shoulder-length gloves that Hunter's Specialties puts out are a godsend, especially in cold rainy weather (you don't have to strip to the skin to clean the deer) and double especially in the case of a messy gut shot.

One thing I DO NOT LIKE is the butt-out tool. It seems to be a profane way of handling a matter that hunters have simply been using knives on, effectively, for centuries. The butt-out makes me think of Vlad the Impaler.
Ecch.

J. Noonan 22--Yr experience with squirrels will stand you in very good stead for field-dressing deer. Just do the same things you do to a squirrel, except that there is a lot more of everything to do it to. You might wish to save the liver and the heart--With a deer both are big enough to save, and are excellent eating. Cut the little green gall bladder off the liver carefully, and don't let the gall bladder contents touch anything but the ground if you can help it. I carry a couple of plastic bags just for the liver and heart, but if you use the gloves mentioned above, you can use them one more time to get the liver and heart back to camp--just hold the heart/liver in your hand, wearing the glove, and turn the glove inside out down your arm and over the meat. Tie it off and take it home. Works slick.

 

[heeler]

Well put Smokey Joe.
And good luck J.Noonan22 with the upcoming task at hand.
You will do just fine.

 

[R.W.Dale]

It's not adrenalin but lactic acid buildup in the muscle tissue that gives a run out buck a Gamey taste.

You, I a deer or any other mammal build up this substance in our muscle tissue when our muscles are overexerted and produce this substance faster than the body can get rid of it. Now when you run a sprint and rest afterward our bodies will begin to filter out and pass this byproduct of our muscles. But when a deer runs out and dies all his muscles are frozen in this expended state.

Hence the slightly different flavor.

 

[wankerjake]

Yeah, I would buy lactic acid build-up before adrenaline. That makes way more sense. Like I said i've never had a problem with deer or elk, though I've heard antelope are especially susceptible to this. Any antelope hunters have any experiences with bad tasting meat after running?

 

[buck460XVR]

It's not adrenalin but lactic acid buildup in the muscle tissue that gives a run out buck a Gamey taste.

yep, and it is not specific to wounded deer. It can come from deer that have been driven or heavily pressured, or bucks during rut that have been doin' nuttin' but chasin' girls all night. Even then, if the meat is handled properly, the "off" flavor will be minimal. But add improper cooling, improper field dressing( or other contact with body fluids such as gut shots) and improper butchering, and the "gamey" taste will be magnified. Commercial processors with their band-saws have ruined more venison than lactic acid or adrenaline.

 

[caribou]

Its not how your meat got dead, its how you care for the Dead meat.

We eat alotta Caribou.....

 

[interlock]

i agree with the majority of the posters here. i shoot 20+ deer a year (although less this year) if you hit an unaware deer that is quietly grazing through the heart and lungs it is likely to go straight down or only run 10 yards or so. for me that is a drt shot. if the deer knows you are there it will go further.... worse still is if it is not a good shot, maybe too far back and you try to make in you will have a long day of tracking or time to go for your dog.

i think that a deer that is shot doesn't know that he has been shot. he knows he has been smacked hard and is hurt but if not adrenalised at that point it doesn't instinctively run.

if it is a good shot through the heart and lungs the mega drop in blood pressure means that adrenaline doesn't get much into the system. i wonder if the taste difference is the lactic acid because there is no oxygen in the muscle so they are working anaerobicly (spelling malfunction).

interlock

 

[waffentomas]

Prepping the meat/caring for it is THE most important thing. I leave the silver skin and fat on my meat that is going in the freezer for a while as it protects it from freezer burn. They don't affect the taste or quality of the meat while frozen, but freezer burn basically ruins the affected meat. But, fat and silver skin MUST come off when thawed. Fat is what imparts the gamey taste, not adrenal dumps. I used the hear the same thing about it, but it's an urban myth. Silver skin is sinewy and makes the meat tough to chew when it gets mixed in with it.

In the shoulders and rear, separate all the muscle groups. You'll see them. Just run your hand in between the silver skin lining that separates them and the groups will part. Careful with the knife, TAKE YOUR TIME, what ever meat you cut by accident you essentially ruin. It turns gray when you thaw it out and it'll taint the taste, though it's not bad for you or anything.

I brought a nice, big, 5x5 mule deer home (sadly, because I shot him on a slick, rocky cliff face, I had to cut off the rack to save it from certain doom as I drug/slid the carcass down a rough, rocky and very dangerous slope. They never make it easy - I love it!


and a whole elk this year. Between cleaning my gear, car, laundry and boning out meat, it took me 3 1/2 solid days of work to get all the meat packed and in the freezer. But that was all extra time the meat was able to age. Even at 45 or 50 degrees outside, in the garage, on the cool floor, with a bag of ice in the middle of it (use a zip lock - don't let that meat get wet!), and a fan on high, the meat stayed nice and cool and tasted great when we ate it.