For a while now our 7y/o daughter has been helping us butcher chickens, but I have never let her kill one because I wasn't sure she could do it. Today she said she wanted to try. So I put a stick that was about an inch and half long on our chopping block and told her to chop it in two. With one hit of our big meat clever she sent two pieces flying through the air. The first chicken she got a little nervouse and only managed to knock it out so I finished it so it wouldn't suffer. Chicken number two she managed to cut the head off but it was still attached with the skin, with another swing she finished the job. Then comes number three, with one powerful swing she does the deed clean, no follow up needed. I told her that now she can feed herself, and that is more than most people can say for themselves. She was very proud of herself. I figure in a few more years I can retire and let her run the place. OGM
Thanks She has always whatched me butcher but now is gettting to where I can trust her with a knife and is doing more of it herself. She can now do the whole chicken by herself. This fall when it comes time to butcher some goats we will she what she can do with them. Of course deer season is coming as well if I shoot one she could do the rest. OGM
Cool!!! Great Job!!!! I know I need a refresher on butchering (yeah, I know there are some great ones on this site).
Cool deal. I know your right on the deal that a LOT of folks cant and wont put meat on the table for themselves. We still have several friends that live in the city who from time to time have asked us about cheap meatcespecialy when money was real tight. Our standard offer is that if they want to come out (we might even go get them) then we can help them get an animal CHEAP or in some cases FREE and they can put a couple hundred pounds of meat in their freezer for well under $50 (or even free) but the catch is they have to HELP butcher it. We will walk them through it and even do a lot of it for them but they have to jump in and help. Out of better than a dozen offers we have had 1 take us up on it and that was a case where the wife thought or told the husband they were gonna pick up meat ready for the freezer and when they got here there were 2 pigs on the trailer, 1 for us and 1 for them. They helped some but havent been interested in cheap or free meat since.
Last year a friend of my father-in-law got a couple "extra" deer that they didn't want. They offered the first one to him and he graciously accepted, a week later offered another. He accepted it but offered it to me. The catch was the deer was just shot that afternoon and was only field dressed, I had to help butcher it. My first thought was "Great!!! Now I get to test those claims from the new knives we got that said they can cut through bone like butter!!" Well, they DON'T But hey, I learned enough that in a pinch I could prolly butcher a deer to fee the family
That is just sad. When I was about 6y/o I wanted to go squirrel hunting with my Dad. He agreed to take me with the understanding that I would clean anything he shot and clean his gun to his liking. That taught me how to care for game and guns which to this day I am thankful that he did. OGM
Kckndrgn No knife, no matter the cost of the knife will cut through bone like butter. What I have tought my wife and daughter though is that you don't need a meat saw (although we do have one and it does get used) to butcher. I paid $30 for a Ka-Bar 20 some odd years ago. and it will go through the joints of an animal with practice. The trick is to find where the joint seperates and to cut the ligaments and tendons that hold the joint together, then it will just fall apart. OGM
...or like some folks I know do, just bone the carcass as you go so you dont really even seperate the skeleton, but my preference is a good bone saw and if thats not available a hacksaw makes a good substitute.
Agreed. I like having/using a bone saw but it can be done without one. To me deboning waistes to much meat, but if you are going to jerky it then you have no choice. An even faster way of cutting up a carcass is to take the paint off of a sawsall blade and cut it up with a sawsall. OGM
Well, live and learn right? We were butchering up a deer, so the FIL had me cut off the legs just above the "scent" gland. Everywhere else we basically took it apart at a joint, as it has been mentioned. Now I just gotta find a place for me to do some hunting so "I" can put the meat on the table
Because of things outside my control I didnt grow up hunting and such as I would have liked. I am now a father and having to try to learn these things so that I can pass them on to my spawn. Its tough to learn things like this. Planning on going on my first hunting trip this year. After getting my hunting license from the state. I hate to think that right now I could have trouble providing for my family. My good fortune is my signaficant other knows how to disassamble the critters.
Re: Putting meat on the table (PICS TO SHARE) Here are the photos to share, which go with the "ORGINAL POST" (<--by my hubbie) about our daughter happily requesting "TO BUTCHER ALL ON HER OWN"... Finally I found the time to get on-line/figure out how to post PHOTOS on S.M.F.! he,he,he PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT! I don't know how many folk we've met have asked us "HOW DO YOU BUTCHER all of your own homegrown meat?"... all squeamish/scared! Well, I know it can be rough (<--mentally) for those who didn't grow up in that sort of an environment. But I will also say... that it's not that hard if a 7 year old countrygal can do it! So there is still HOPE for you, if you aren't there yet!!!! Just learn how to "TURN OFF YOUR EMOTIONAL BUTTON:" and you'll be just fine. Remember that homegrown foods are healthier and not full of hormones/poisons which make you sick/give you & your family cancer & etc. That alone should give you enough incentive to "be strong & go for it"... Best of luck to those of you who are in the "learning phase" or need a bit of inspiration. Hopefully this has helped? Sincerely, ~W~ ( A.K.A. Mrs. OGM )
