I ordered a copy of the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries DVD titled, A Professional Guide to Field Dressing, Skinning & Butchering Whitetail Deer.

The DVD can be ordered through the VDGIF website or through Robert Bingel (VA Bowbender)

It is, without a doubt, the most informative, simple to follow thing I've seen for YEARS! Robert's skinning & butchery is first class & his presentation & explaination of everything he does is perfect. The way the jointing & butchering of the deer is explained makes it very easy to follow along.
Every one shouldhave a copy of this, if they're planningon doing their own game prep.

Brilliant                        

I taught the field dressing section of Alabama's hunter ed program for a few years and one thing that always puzzled me was....the reluctance of hunters to study and ask for pointers in regards to game care!

sounds good rob, hopefully you'll be able to put it to good use in the near future   :D

Rob -- Thanks for the tip. Field meat care is an essential and elemental part of woodsmanship and hunter ethics. Lack of this basic knowledge, and lack of interest in learning, is one reason that so many folks falsely believe you need an ATV to pack out even a small deer. Assuming a healthy animal, meat quality is a product of how fast the animal dies (adrenaline buildup taints meat), how fast the recovery is made, how fast the animal is gutted and taken apart after it dies to facilitate cooling, and how soon you get the meat seriously cooled 35-38 degrees F ... the latter is especially critical for caribou and antelope which spoil rapidly, less so for deer and elk. Doing everything we can to maximize the flavor of wild game so that even our wives and kids love it is a moral imperative for all ethical hunters. Bravo for VA! dave

Ya don't get this;


without this:



When people focus on the killing, they miss the real origins of hunting. As humans, we started hunting in order to eat. The pursuit is the fun part, after you've "caught" it, then the work begins. I have a hard time respecting someone who pursues the fun without accepting the responsibility. Having a hands-on demonstration is the best way to learn, and I wish I had had this video when I started out. I sorta had to piece it together for myself from books and magazines. Oh, and from taking the critters apart, too.  :D  

Killdeer  

Now that looks like my kind of restaurant  

I have another video (as well as a couple for the field processing) about taking apart a deer into different filets, steaks, chops, etc.  GREAT stuff.  Whole heartedly agree with everything said above!  Well said Kildeer and Dave!

If/ when they do another tradgang video, I'd absolutely LOVE to see a bigger chunk of it devoted to this.  Dave, I'd love to see your "blood and guts made easy" in video form!  Even some at camp cookery of the freshest, choicest meat anywhere would be cool!

Mike