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How Much Meat From a Deer – Quick and Easy Way to Estimate Venison Yields

For most hunters, the venison acquired during a hunt is a bonus to the thrill of the hunt itself. If you’re working with limited space in your freezer, and most of us are, a vital question to answer is “how much meat from a deer?” Read on, and soon you’ll be an expert in figuring out how much venison you’ll be able to get from that beautiful whitetail you just harvested.

So, How Much Venison am I Getting?

For our purposes here, all of these calculations will concern lean, boneless venison. If you leave the fat on the meat or make “chops” which include the bone you’ll have more overall weight but in the end, the amount of meat will be pretty much the same.

As a general rule of thumb, you’re most likely to get a bit under fifty percent of the field dressed weight of the deer.

If you’re on your first hunt, you might be surprised to know that the average buck weighs around a hundred and fifty pounds or so, while does will mostly range about a hundred pounds. The average weight can go up by about twenty pounds or so depending on the area you’re hunting in, but whitetail really aren’t that large of an animal.

Bigger bucks can weigh up to three hundred pounds, of course, but despite the tall tales of hunters these fabled bucks aren’t the kind you’ll be bringing in every season, especially as a beginner. They’re usually the ones who all the hunters in the area have seen or heard of but no one has managed to harvest just yet.

In general, field dressing will remove about thirty percent of the weight of the deer. For those unfamiliar, this would include gutting the deer to remove the innards before packing them out. The actual percentage will vary from deer to deer, but thirty percent is a fairly safe estimate for most deer.

If that sounds like a lot of math to you, then don’t worry too much about it. Essentially you can estimate the venison yield of a deer at around thirty to forty percent of its live weight.

The Flaw of Crunching the Numbers

While we could certainly give you an equation for the amount of venison you’ll receive from a deer, and we will, there’s a lot of additional factors which will come into play in the real world. It’s rarely as simple as whipping out your calculator and knowing how much meat you’ll have.

There’s going to be waste, no matter how good of a butcher you are. Improper here and there during the butchering process can take a few percentile points off of the meat you’re harvesting, you may trim too close to the meat and shave some off while you’re trimming the fat, and there will be some accidents pretty much no matter what.

With a bit of practice, there’s no need to send your deer off to the butcher, however. Most of us are competent enough to be able to handle the task ourselves.

The actual musculature of the deer itself will certainly have a lot to do with it as well, some deer will just be “buffer” and have more meat and less fat while others might be pleasantly plump which imparts some extra flavor but will lower the overall yield once the fat is cut away.

Essentially, no matter how complex of an equation you use to determine the exact weight of the venison you’ll be stuffing away at home you’re still making a rough estimation.

FURTHER READING➜ How Fast Can A Deer Run – How Hard Would It Be To Catch A Frightened Deer On The Run➜ How To Attract Deer Fast- 6 Steps That Will Have You Attracting Whitetail Like A Pro➜ How To Get Deer To Come To You In 6 Easy Steps

Let’s Get to the Math

Using the figures we’ve applied so far, we can come up with a pretty simple equation to give you an estimate of how much meat you’ll receive from the deer in question:

(Full Weight*.7)*.45 = Weight of Lean, Boneless Venison

We used .45 because the figure is usually estimated to be between forty and fifty percent of the field dressed weight of the deer.

You can also work this equation in reverse if you’re looking to brag about how big the buck you shot was, but it’s best to weigh the deer while its field dressed and add the extra thirty percent since wastage during the butchering process will mess with your calculations for the live weight.

Alright Poindexter, Just Give Me an Average

If you’re disinclined to use math at all, well, your average buck is going to give you between 45 and 65lbs of meat once cleaned. This figure can vary quite a bit, and it’s probably a good idea to make sure you have room for about 65lbs of meat to be stored per tag you intend to use during the season.

Does will yield around 30 to 40lbs of venison once cleaned due to their smaller size.

Conclusion

There you go, you now have the tools to know how much meat from a deer you’ll be able to get this upcoming season. The truth is, you’re better off with averages if you’re calculating how much you can store, and the main use of these equations is probably bragging rights to calculate how much the entire deer weighed when it was still alive. Either way, happy hunting!

Did you enjoy our article? Have some questions or comments? Let us know below!

FAQ

How much meat do you get from a 130 pound deer?

Much of the deer’s meat is in the form of muscle, with smaller amounts in organs and fat.A 130-pound deer will yield about 40 pounds (0.9 kg) of edible meat. This break down would be 30% in visible, lean tissue like steaks and roasts; 25% in ground products like hamburger; 20% fats; 15% bone products; 5% other, including offal or organ meats; and 1/2 lb (225g) sinew for use as seasoning/wrapping materials. The offal, tendons, hearts, brains etc., are often turned into sausage or chitterlings.”

How much is a whole deer worth in meat?

A whole deer is worth anywhere from $50 to $70 per pound for meat.Information to include in the answer: Anywhere from $0.55 – 0.65 per ounce depending on the weight of the animal, whether its male or female, what it’s cut up into, etc.The average weight for a deer is 350 pounds with around 181-182 pounds being usable flesh which would mean about 1/4 of one deer can be turned into cooked meat at 12 lbs per person which would provide 36-48 servings if fully petted by hand and processed in strips after cooking – enough for 18-27 people with plenty left over!

Is deer meat healthy for you?

Yes, as long as it’s pastured and grass fed.

Deer meat is a lean form of protein with lower levels of saturated fat than beef. Grass-fed deer meat typically contains less total fat and less cholesterol than grain-fed beef, and it tastes much finer (some people even say “gourmet”). It’s healthier and contains more benefits.

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Planting Soybeans For Deer – When Is The Best Time To Plant Soybeans For Deer?

This is an important question with more than one answer; you could waste a lot of time and money planting at the wrong time, and depending on what you are trying to achieve, and where you are geographically, the answer could vary greatly. A few of the things we will look at:

What is the effect you hope to have on your herd?
Are you trying to lower your winter kill rates?
Are you trying to increase the size and antler mass of your resident bucks?
Is this a plot you are preparing to hunt over during deer season?
What geographical location are you planting in?

By answering these questions, I will help you to decide when the best time to plant soybeans for your deer is.

Why are you planting soybeans for deer?

It seems like a pretty simple question and answer, but is it really? Many people plant soybeans with the intent of creating body and antler mass in their resident bucks. Of course any time you can feed your deer quality nutrition, you are going to see corresponding growth in both areas.

But what if your region experiences extremely harsh winters? Might it not be beneficial to provide a crop that can help your deer herd through winter, reducing the winter mortality rates?

If your intention is to create a few monster bucks for hunting season, then by all means, get those beans in the ground as early as possible. You will want the high protein and mineral forage available to your herd during the crucial time they are in velvet.

If this is the case, you will want to plant after your last spring frost and when the soil temps, at one inch planting depth, are consistently 65 degrees Fahrenheit. This usually means late May or early June in the northern states, and late April or early May in the southern.

Keep in mind, you will either need a large enough plot to bear the feeding pressure of your resident herd, or you will need to deter them from feeding in some manner until the plants are mature.

It is a good idea to deter feeding for 4-8 weeks in areas with heavy deer pressure, during cooler than normal temperatures, or if your plot is a small one.

When should I plant if I am trying to reduce winter kill in my deer herd?

In some areas with extremely harsh winters, where the mortality rate is high among your deer herds, then planting later, and providing forage as late into the winter months as possible, might be the answer for you.

Soybeans have a tendency to mature faster when planted later in the growing season. For every three days you delay planting, you only delay “harvest” by one day. Keep in mind that a good frost will kill them, so ideally you need those plants to be mature before that happens.

In the northern states, the first frost can come as early as mid September, so you will have to plan accordingly for your shorter growing seasons. There are good seed companies out there.

that have seed mixes specifically for your geographic area. They mix several varieties of soybean that have staggered maturation rates, keeping your plots viable for a longer period of time

Are you planning on hunting your food plot?

If you are planning on being able to hunt over your food plot, come hunting season, then of course you will need to have your bean crop mature enough to draw the big bucks with the promise of good, high fat and protein forage.

Deer use the fat in soybeans to help maintain their body temperature, so when the nights are getting cold during hunting season, they will likely be drawn to your food plot. Of course, in order to do this, your plot must be producing a good quantity of seed pods, as this is where the majority of these nutrients are held.

With this goal in mind, I would plant as late as possible while still allowing your soybeans to mature and produce as much as possible. This has the further benefit of providing nutrition to your herd well after hunting season closes, when they need it the most, allowing you to retain more and healthier deer for the next season.

FURTHER READING➜Do You Know When To Plant Food Plot For Deer?

➜ What Do Deer Eat In The Winter?

As you can see, the question of when to plant soy beans for deer is a complicated one.

There are so many variables to take into account, that there really isn’t one standard answer. We talked about the impact that you are hoping for on your deer herds, whether you are trying to create mass in your bucks, we talked about winter mortality, how the plots will be utilized, we even touched on geographical requirements and planting seasons.

This is a lot of information to consider for such a simple question as, “When should I plant soy beans for deer”, but I hope that I at least made the decision a bit more clear-cut, and gave you some things to think about before you put seed in the ground.

How To Build A Deer Blind-Anyone Can Do it! How to Build a Box Blind

When it comes to hunting deer, a blind is a favorite for many hunters. They can be especially useful if you own or allowed to build on the land you’re using to hunt on, since you’ll be able to build a permanent structure in their place. No matter what your building skill level, if you follow this simple guide, you’ll soon know how to build a deer blind that’ll be unnoticeable and allow you a chance at the big ones.

What You’ll Need

You don’t need a whole lot to build a blind. Basically, the less skilled you are, the more you’re likely to have to spend. For this blind, we’re going to go with a basic wooden construction and some camouflage, so you’ll need the following.

Basic carpentry skills
Basic tools(screw gun or hammer and nails)
Two four by fours for the base

Enough two by fours for the framing
Enough plywood/particle board to skin the blind
Six hinges of equal size

Since this will be a box blind, you’ll want to measure out how big you want things. Make sure you have enough room for you to crouch with your rifle and have a rifle rest if you prefer to use one.

Most of the wood can be found as scrap, but make sure that you buy the framing wood new in order to ensure the structural stability of the blind. It won’t do you much good if the whole thing falls on your head after a season or two.

You may want to consider investing in some metal joints if you’re in an area where the temperature varies a lot as well. These are optional for the most part, but wood changes in size by a noticeable amount with the temperature and the brackets can make the whole process a lot easier.

Keep in mind we’re making a box blind that anyone at all can build, if your construction skills will let you do something more advanced than allow your creativity to run free.

How To Build A Deer Blind

1.) Location, Location, Location

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While you can build your blind anywhere, you’ll want to make sure that you find a spot where you’ll be likely to find the deer. If you’re on managed land this is pretty simple for the most part, face the rifle doors at a food plot that’s under heavy use during your favored time of the season.

If you’re not quite sure where the deer are in the area, you’ll want to make sure that you do some scouting first. This is an essential part of the process for any kind of hunting, but a blind limits your sight much more than a stand so you’ll want to make sure that you’re facing the right direction.

Protip: If you have truck access to an area, you may want to consider building the blind entirely at home and then dropping it off. This will both allow for easier access to tools and make less of a disturbance in the area you plan on hunting in.

2.)The Foundation

For the most part, this is a simple process. Simply take your four by fours and place them to support the stand. By elevating the stand off the ground a little bit you’ll be able to keep bugs out, so there won’t be any distractions while you’re waiting.

Cut the four by fours so that you can lay them out with about six inches sticking out on either side of your floor. Cut the boards for the floor, and lay down the foundation for your frame using some of your plywood..

3.)Framing it Up

If you’re not much of a framer, you might want to ask a friend, but the process is quite simple. You’ll simply be matching off the two by fours in order to provide the proper structure. If you’re not quite sure what you’re doing, buy some steel brackets and make sure they’re drilled before you go out since they’ll be able to guide you quite well.

You’ll want reinforcement along the longer sides if you’ve decided on a rectangular design. As long as the blind is reasonably sized, a single extra two by four running to the top will be enough for the most part.

After the initial frame is stable, you’ll want to build the door frame and the “windows” for your rifles. The door frame will be the trickiest part for the novice, but if you build your door at home you’ll be able to size it quite readily in the field.

4.) Skinning It

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Cut the plywood or particle board to match the sides. Make sure that you leave openings for the door and the rifle ports or you’re really not going to be doing too hot when it comes time to use it. Don’t worry about decoration just yet, you’ll be taking care of that after you get the doors on. Most people use galvanized steel for their roof, and it’s definitely a worthy choice.

The main thing here is to ensure everything is airtight, especially if you’re using scrap wood for this part of the endeavor. If your lumber is of questionable quality, try bringing along some silicone or other sealant in order to keep the stand nice and temperate while you’re spending long hours waiting for your deer.

5.) The Doors and Ports

http://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/articles/crazy-deer-stands

The doors can be something of a challenge if you’ve never done anything like this before. While your rifle ports can simply be affixed to the existing skin with hinges and screws the actual entrance to the stand will be a bit trickier.

Try building the door at home and taking it out as one piece. If it matches off while framed, all you’ll need to do is attach the hinges. Allow for about an eighth of an inch of clearance in order to prevent issues with the wood swelling as temperature and moisture levels change throughout the year.

Protip: Keep all of the hinges lubricated in order to prevent any extra noise. The hinges themselves will most likely take some weathering after being out, even if you spring for stainless steel. A good fix is something with as little scent as possible if you find yourself with a squeaky door in the season, but the better way to do it is to check on the blind a few times in the off-season to make sure.