# Harvesting a Prey Animal



## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

Who here harvests their own meat for their dogs and/or themselves/family?

Do you hunt or farm, or both?

In regards to farmed animals-- say, a small goat-- what is the most humane method of taking the animal's life? I'm going to get the opportunity to do this pretty soon, and I would like to be as kind and respectful to the animal and the people who raised it (my in-laws) as possible.

Thanks.


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Hi. I hunt for my own consumption and my dogs. With deer, a carefully placed shot through the heart is ideal. If I were to dispatch a goat (never have, mind you) I would think a shot to the head would be quick and humane. Just make sure to remove bullet before feeding to the dogs


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

We hunt, just deer and grouse, I am getting goats from someone who raises them but they take care of killing it, not sure how they go about it, probably shot to the head. I can ask her and find out.


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## shellbell (Sep 24, 2011)

I get lots of deer from people I know who hunt, and right now I have 14 ducks in my freezer. I am going to attempt to skin one of the ducks tonight and see how that goes. The deer come to me skinned and quartered already and I just take it from there. Oh I have also bought rabbits from Craig’s List, but I always request that they be killed first. I’m willing to pay an extra dollar for that service.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

We have done goats before and a shot to the head puts them down quickly. Between the eyes and pointed at an angle down is best. 

We then hang the animal with a gambrel by the rear limbs, bleed them out by cutting the jugular vein on both sides (we use a kiddie pool to catch blood), skin it completely (take a reciprocating saw to the last joint on the front limbs and to remove the head (have a good sized garbage bag handy) remove both front limbs, then carefully open the gut as you don't want to puncture the bladder or stomach, remove intestinal track but make sure you get the kidneys, spleen and pancreas (might want to find a YouTube vidor), remove the heart and lungs to keep, then take the reciprocating saw and remove the ribs by cutting the breastbone out first and then cutting down either side of the back bone, all you have left is the neck, spine and rear quarters, we then section the entire neck and spine with the saw into approximate 1 pound sections (leaving the blackstrap and loins (unless you want them for human consumption!), drop the hind quarters down to the ground and remove from the gambrel, remove hind quarters from the pelvis, then section the pelvis (goats are small so usually halves or quarters will do for 1 pound sections. 

I always leave legs whole and freeze them, breaking them down the day I feed them to keep the work load and time down to minimum on butcher days. 

I also package all the organs together so that is an organ meal for my dogs 

I also slice up the lungs immediately to make dehydrated dog treats. 

All in all this takes us about two hours.

Also, you'll want good sharp knives, gloves, trash bag and can, mop and bucket, kiddie pool or something to catch messes, and at least one other person to help and keep you company!

Good luck! I've been doing my own processing for a few years now and it's an invaluable lesson to learn! Let me know if you need any help!


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## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

DaneMama what do you do with the blood? So far anything we've butchered has been birds/rabbits but we are planning to do the goat and deer in our garage.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

IMO the best way to gauge where to shoot them is to draw an X from eye to ear and shoot in the middle.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

We will be processing 2 goats this weekend. I could do a photo tutorial if you'd like.


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## catahoulamom (Sep 23, 2010)

Sprocket said:


> We will be processing 2 goats this weekend. I could do a photo tutorial if you'd like.


I would be very interested in a photo tutorial! I would really like to learn how to process smaller animals (goats, fowl, etc). I'm way too chicken to do it now but need to start getting desensitized to that stuff so I can in the future.


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

Indeed, a photo tutorial would be much appreciated, thank you! I have done some butchering/processing myself-- I processed a roadkill jack rabbit for the dogs once (I cooked it and removed the bones, to be safe), and I've butchered a lamb-- it was already killed, skinned, and eviscerated by the farmer-- but I cut it up and packaged it. But I've never done the actually killing before. I want to be humane about it.

And yes, DaneMama, I too would like to know what you do with the blood? Do you use it to make blood brownies for the pack?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

catahoulamom said:


> I would be very interested in a photo tutorial! I would really like to learn how to process smaller animals (goats, fowl, etc). I'm way too chicken to do it now but need to start getting desensitized to that stuff so I can in the future.





Fundog said:


> Indeed, a photo tutorial would be much appreciated, thank you! I have done some butchering/processing myself-- I processed a roadkill jack rabbit for the dogs once (I cooked it and removed the bones, to be safe), and I've butchered a lamb-- it was already killed, skinned, and eviscerated by the farmer-- but I cut it up and packaged it. But I've never done the actually killing before. I want to be humane about it.
> 
> And yes, DaneMama, I too would like to know what you do with the blood? Do you use it to make blood brownies for the pack?


Well the tutorial is going to have to wait a while longer. Drew got attached to the goats and wants to keep them to mow the pasture for a while... They will be going to freezer camp at some point so I'll post a tutorial then


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Fundog said:


> Indeed, a photo tutorial would be much appreciated, thank you! I have done some butchering/processing myself-- I processed a roadkill jack rabbit for the dogs once (I cooked it and removed the bones, to be safe), and I've butchered a lamb-- it was already killed, skinned, and eviscerated by the farmer-- but I cut it up and packaged it. But I've never done the actually killing before. I want to be humane about it.
> 
> And yes, DaneMama, I too would like to know what you do with the blood? Do you use it to make blood brownies for the pack?





GoingPostal said:


> DaneMama what do you do with the blood? So far anything we've butchered has been birds/rabbits but we are planning to do the goat and deer in our garage.


We actually give a lot of the blood to the chickens....they go nuts for all the clots. Its weird but its the circle of life! We also give the girls a chance to lap some up as well. 



Sprocket said:


> Well the tutorial is going to have to wait a while longer. Drew got attached to the goats and wants to keep them to mow the pasture for a while... They will be going to freezer camp at some point so I'll post a tutorial then


I've been planning a photo/video tutorial for a while now and am going to do it the next time we process a llama. It actually takes a lot of planning to do a well done tutorial because I've tried in the past when I didn't have as much experience processing and it was really horrible LOL. I feel more comfortable now that I've processed a lot and have a routine down! It would be good to have more than one tutorial though as everyone does it differently!


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

DaneMama said:


> I've been planning a photo/video tutorial for a while now and am going to do it the next time we process a llama. It actually takes a lot of planning to do a well done tutorial because I've tried in the past when I didn't have as much experience processing and it was really horrible LOL. I feel more comfortable now that I've processed a lot and have a routine down! It would be good to have more than one tutorial though as everyone does it differently!


I have the pattern down pretty well so I think it should go fairly smoothly. Not sure who should take the photos because Drew can't process like I can or take good photos :tongue:. I've done enough deer this year that its like old news anymore. I tend to think about things A LOT before I do them so I have the pattern mastered over and over in my head. The only part that would be new for us is the shooting, everything else we have done before


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

Okay, I have one more question: what do y'all do with the hides? Do you cut them into strips and make rawhide chews, or do you use the hide for another project, or do you throw it away, or do you sell it to a rendering plant, or....?


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

When we do a deer, Wayne just throws the hide away along with guts.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Fundog said:


> Okay, I have one more question: what do y'all do with the hides? Do you cut them into strips and make rawhide chews, or do you use the hide for another project, or do you throw it away, or do you sell it to a rendering plant, or....?


We have always thrown them away. When I do sheep in the future, I plan to work them to make sheep skin rugs. It is fairly easy too! :biggrin: Goats, I might keep to stitch together into a chair or outdoor rug. Who knows


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

We have always thrown them away. Skinning an animal "neatly" is HARD....not to mention finishing work on the hide is hard work too. I've thought about it but I'm not really a fan of dead animal parts laying around the house LOL


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

I skinned a roadkill jack rabbit pretty easily-- her belly was gaping open and she lost her kits-- but a rabbit is different and easy, like peeling pajamas off a toddler, lol. I left the pelt outside to dry, but the wind came up and blew it to pieces. : (

I would think throwing out a perfectly good deer hide (or even a goat hide or sheep fleece) would be a huge waste of natural resources. But I'm a fiber artist, so experimentation is something I'm game to try (ha! pardon the pun). 

A properly tanned goat hide would make a good dog bed, dontcha think? Or should I just make rawhide chews out of it?


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## AveryandAudrey (Sep 20, 2010)

My family hunts. I get deer, elk, rabbit, dove. They shoot rifle and bow hunt, and i process the meat. Summer sausage and steaks for them, big cute of meat for my dogs!


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I don't think skinning correctly is difficult at all. It does take a bit of thinking but really is easy with a sharp knife and some elbow grease :smile:. Personally I find it to be the easiest part of processing. I have never worked a hide but from what I've seen it isn't an extraordinary amount of work. I would probably enjoy the work and enjoy the outcome. I really can't wait to make sheepskin rugs. It takes about a month if you have good sunny weather, and does require a few different steps but its worth it, IMO :biggrin: You can also scrape the hide clean and then salt it and keep it for a couple months until you have time or good weather to let it dry when you wash it. There is a wonderful series of videos on youtube that show each process. Its one of those things that if you want it, you have to work for it


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

Well Sprocket, let's see a hide completed already!


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

Here's a "halfway" done picture from last year....




















Okay, three. Sorry they are small, just click on em'.


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

wolfsnaps88 said:


> Well Sprocket, let's see a hide completed already!


Gotta get some darn sheep...or do these angoras...oh decisions..


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Skinning is my least favorite part! Its what takes me the longest most of the time (with llamas because the skin on their legs is paper thin which tears easily and the skin on their neck and back is 1/2 inch thick). If I had the desire to have animal skins around the house I'd absolutely take the time and effort to make them! I just don't have the desire :thumb:


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I have always loved sheepskin rugs so I do have a great desire for them!  When I was a kid, we had a few around the house and I would just lay on them whenever I could :biggrin: I wonder how angora goat rugs would work out? :wink:


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## Fundog (Oct 25, 2012)

Sprocket, I have a large supply of mohair I'm working with at the moment. It's awesome-- every bit as soft as my Annie Girl-- You would need to carefully wash the fleece, which is time consuming, but not that much work, really. Then after it is squeaky clean and degreased and unstinky, you lay it out flat to dry. Then you can use an ordinary dog brush to comb it out. It will be nice and fluffy, like angel hair.

For a whole skin-on fleece, though, I'm not sure which is better: to scrape the skin before or after washing. Maybe it doesn't matter?


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Fundog said:


> Sprocket, I have a large supply of mohair I'm working with at the moment. It's awesome-- every bit as soft as my Annie Girl-- You would need to carefully wash the fleece, which is time consuming, but not that much work, really. Then after it is squeaky clean and degreased and unstinky, you lay it out flat to dry. Then you can use an ordinary dog brush to comb it out. It will be nice and fluffy, like angel hair.
> 
> For a whole skin-on fleece, though, I'm not sure which is better: to scrape the skin before or after washing. Maybe it doesn't matter?


I'll PM you the videos that I found on youtube. This guy outlines the entire process of how to cure them


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## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Fundog said:


> Sprocket, I have a large supply of mohair I'm working with at the moment. It's awesome-- every bit as soft as my Annie Girl-- You would need to carefully wash the fleece, which is time consuming, but not that much work, really. Then after it is squeaky clean and degreased and unstinky, you lay it out flat to dry. Then you can use an ordinary dog brush to comb it out. It will be nice and fluffy, like angel hair.
> 
> For a whole skin-on fleece, though, I'm not sure which is better: to scrape the skin before or after washing. Maybe it doesn't matter?



So I already PMed you but I figured I would post just in case others are interested in the process. I found a series of 5 videos that break it down. There are also a ton of videos linked to these that show how to do other kinds of hides, render tallow and stuff like that  

You can see at the end of the process how soft the leather is. Its like suede.


How to make a sheep skin rug 1/5 - YouTube

How to make a sheep skin rug 2/5 - YouTube

How to make a sheep skin rug 3/5 - YouTube

How to make a sheep skin run 4/5 - YouTube

How to make a sheep skin rug 5/5 - YouTube


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