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I was wanting to start butchering my own game this season. Any tricks or tips? What do you buy? What was a waste?

There are a lot of YouTube videos on it. I also do my own butchering and find it just as enjoyable as the hunt. For basics you will need a good knife and a pulley to lift any big game. You can buy butchering kits at most sporting goods stores. You can also get your own grinder, sausage stuffer, and dehydrator. I recommend buying a quality product as the plastic grinders usually don't last long and cannot process much meat at a time. The best advice I can give is after you debone the animal keep the meat cold. You don't want the whole carcass sitting at room temperature while you are grinding as this invites all kinds of things that can get you sick.

Look at the Havalon knives.

They are surgically sharp with low cost replaceable blades.

I like having 4 different knives at my disposal while working. A 10 inch Cimeter, a flexible boning knife, a semi-stiff boning knife, and a 4 inch utility knife. I also keep a filet knife around.

All are kept as sharp as possible, which for me is hair popping sharp if the steel will allow that.

Abraham wrote:Look at the Havalon knives.

They are surgically sharp with low cost replaceable blades.

My father whipped one of those out last year after I harvested a small doe. Wow that thing was sharp! Replacing the blade is a super easy way to ensure you always have a sharp edge. Accidents happen with dull knives.

TheDude wrote:

Abraham wrote:Look at the Havalon knives.

They are surgically sharp with low cost replaceable blades.

My father whipped one of those out last year after I harvested a small doe. Wow that thing was sharp! Replacing the blade is a super easy way to ensure you always have a sharp edge. Accidents happen with dull knives.

With sharp knives, you let blade do the work. You dont have to saw back and forth or tug on the knife to get it to cut.

Good thing is, you can usually eat your mistakes.

I am getting more into butchering, and am trying to conjure up the funds to build a butcher shop for my family to more efficiently butcher animals from chickens to steers. If you have never done butchering before, find somebody who has. Watching somebody at work with a knife is more valuable than anything else. I have a book that you might like, it is called "The Ultimate Guide to Home Butchering: How to Prepare Any Animal or Bird for the Table or Freezer." Though it may be fairly vague in some places, it is a great place to start. Look around for it, as most Tractor Supply stores carry it, as well as book stores. Or try online shopping if you're into that stuff. It goes around from tools, knifes, equipment, to preparing for butchering, and butchering, with coverage on different cuts and such.

I can't really make any suggestions to you, without knowing what it is you plan on doing, how often, your experience, etc. A good place to start though is a really good couple of knifes!

Charlies.Contingency wrote:Good thing is, you can usually eat your mistakes.

I am getting more into butchering, and am trying to conjure up the funds to build a butcher shop for my family to more efficiently butcher animals from chickens to steers. If you have never done butchering before, find somebody who has. Watching somebody at work with a knife is more valuable than anything else. I have a book that you might like, it is called "The Ultimate Guide to Home Butchering: How to Prepare Any Animal or Bird for the Table or Freezer." Though it may be fairly vague in some places, it is a great place to start. Look around for it, as most Tractor Supply stores carry it, as well as book stores. Or try online shopping if you're into that stuff. It goes around from tools, knifes, equipment, to preparing for butchering, and butchering, with coverage on different cuts and such.

I can't really make any suggestions to you, without knowing what it is you plan on doing, how often, your experience, etc. A good place to start though is a really good couple of knifes!

Thank you, we have a tractor supply near us I'll go take a look

If you ever get a chance to come to the Houston area make a stop at Allied Kenco. They are loaded with items for butchering game. I hate going in there because I always want to buy more stuff.

http://www.alliedkenco.com/

Richbirdhunter wrote:

Charlies.Contingency wrote:Good thing is, you can usually eat your mistakes.

I am getting more into butchering, and am trying to conjure up the funds to build a butcher shop for my family to more efficiently butcher animals from chickens to steers. If you have never done butchering before, find somebody who has. Watching somebody at work with a knife is more valuable than anything else. I have a book that you might like, it is called "The Ultimate Guide to Home Butchering: How to Prepare Any Animal or Bird for the Table or Freezer." Though it may be fairly vague in some places, it is a great place to start. Look around for it, as most Tractor Supply stores carry it, as well as book stores. Or try online shopping if you're into that stuff. It goes around from tools, knifes, equipment, to preparing for butchering, and butchering, with coverage on different cuts and such.

I can't really make any suggestions to you, without knowing what it is you plan on doing, how often, your experience, etc. A good place to start though is a really good couple of knifes!

Thank you, we have a tractor supply near us I'll go take a look

The best part of it all, is the feeling you get from providing for your own with your own two hands. I re-read your post and noted that you mentioned only "game," though I took it as general butchering. Learn more about it, as there is ALWAYS something to learn. You can go a long way with a knife, but you can go even farther with that knife with the proper knowledge.

Let me know you your journey's go! I don't post here on the forum about my game, nor do I document the process start to finish. I do take great pride in my work, but I do not believe in trophy hunting or bragging, I only show my works to my wife and God.

Charlies.Contingency wrote:

Richbirdhunter wrote:

Charlies.Contingency wrote:Good thing is, you can usually eat your mistakes.

I am getting more into butchering, and am trying to conjure up the funds to build a butcher shop for my family to more efficiently butcher animals from chickens to steers. If you have never done butchering before, find somebody who has. Watching somebody at work with a knife is more valuable than anything else. I have a book that you might like, it is called "The Ultimate Guide to Home Butchering: How to Prepare Any Animal or Bird for the Table or Freezer." Though it may be fairly vague in some places, it is a great place to start. Look around for it, as most Tractor Supply stores carry it, as well as book stores. Or try online shopping if you're into that stuff. It goes around from tools, knifes, equipment, to preparing for butchering, and butchering, with coverage on different cuts and such.

I can't really make any suggestions to you, without knowing what it is you plan on doing, how often, your experience, etc. A good place to start though is a really good couple of knifes!

Thank you, we have a tractor supply near us I'll go take a look

The best part of it all, is the feeling you get from providing for your own with your own two hands. I re-read your post and noted that you mentioned only "game," though I took it as general butchering. Learn more about it, as there is ALWAYS something to learn. You can go a long way with a knife, but you can go even farther with that knife with the proper knowledge.

Let me know you your journey's go! I don't post here on the forum about my game, nor do I document the process start to finish. I do take great pride in my work, but I do not believe in trophy hunting or bragging, I only show my works to my wife and God.

I agree Charles, I'll shoot a doe before a buck they taste better. The best tasting animal I harvested was a yearling elk it was like eating veal.