What is the average yield in lbs. of venison from the deer in your area ? Average for bucks and average for does.

I'd also like to see the same data for elk and moose for those areas that harvest them.

And what is the approximate amount of fuel (gas/diesel) expended per season or per animal harvested ? That's kind of a side note, but important as comparison to some other issues.

I was looking at questions regarding the environmental value of hunting. One of the components that's missing is the amount of protein provided by the animals we harvest. I see parts of it, but not much on a nationwide basis.

Be interesting to calculate that and do some comparisons to other environmental questions/concerns.

after a lifetime of hunting and fishing I have found that the average cost per pound of consumable flesh is $127, not counting licensing fees.

hope this helps, and provides some insight as to why the outdoorsman is a valuable asset to the overdocumented and undereducated state level manager.

Average yield, maybe 150-180 pounds for deer (this includes doe harvests, which bring the average down quite a bit). Moose and elk double that, at least. (these are just educated guesses, I have seen no official data). The amount of fuel I'll use in a trip is about 25 gallons. $127 per pound sounds about right to me. (I'll sure never admit it to the wife, though) - Dan

Man you guys get off cheap. Bucks here average about 150 to 175 lbs., which will yield about 90 lbs. of meat at a cost of $2600 per pound when you factor in such variables and intangibles as celebratory drinks, lunch at Tiffany's Gentlemen's Club, the pre-requisite lap dances and post party massages. Of course not just any meat processor will do, my favorite being Captain Jimmie, the Mad Meat Man who is currently located in Jamaica. But his Jamaican Jerky is to die for. Factor in airfare, a week on the island while the meat ages and cures and it all starts to add up.

I guess if I ever kill an elk I will have to declare bankruptcy.

My wife just doesn't understand why I am always broke during hunting season.

[ 09-10-2003, 16:18: Message edited by: crowrifle ]

I figured 100# of useable meat will cost a minimum of $20/pound not counting the rifle prices. If I include those, it goes way up.

Kind of like the "Master Card" commercial;
Rifle======= X-amount $
Gear======== X-amount $
vehicle&gas= X-amount $
Guide======= X-amount $
License&tags=X-amount $
Food======== X-amount $
Incedentals= X-amount $

What it does for the heart and soul?== PRICELESS!!

Wow, Dan!
You've got some big deer up there!!
In my previous life as a farmer/game processor, I weighed many thousands of MT critters. The ~average~ deer carcass will go about a hundred pounds, in these parts. A real big buck could double that, but we're talking averages, so....
About 55% of that is boned out meat, give or take.
The average elk carcass is right about 300#, with big bulls going 400 or some better. Same dressing percentage.
Cost per pound? That calls for some Enron-style accounting. Either astronomical, or negligible, depending on how you expense things.
It's worth it, I know that....

Rimrock,

This discussion reminds me of the Montanan's who cut firewood to save money on heating costs.

Quality saw=$400
Spare chains,lube and gas= $100
Gas money for pickup= $40
Emergency Room bill from woodcutting related
mishap= Thou$ands
Body shop bill from wood slamming into back of
cab/rear window when driver applies brakes=$900

ETC,ETC

Ya do it for the fun, not the carb/protein count.

I have often thought though just how efficient or inefficient cattle and especially horses appear to be. My lone nag can bare 35 acres in a few months and ALL he seems to DO is eat.

FN in MT

I cut wood by hand. Got warmed twice for the same expense.

Here in sunny southern California a buck will yield 45 to 80 lbs of boned meat. I backpack hunt and also hunt on a mountain bike so I nearly always bone out my deer in the field. The big ones I usually only leave the shoulder blade in the meat because it is a pain to bone and only weighs a few ounces. I will leave more bone in the small ones. Anyway as a result I have weighed a bunch of boned deer. The typical buck probably yields about 50 lbs.

I usually make two trips afield per deer and burn about 20 gals. of gas per trip.

Besides the meat you have to add in the other benefits. My wife hunts with me in early season. She was getting a bit broad beamed here lately. It is hard to believe how slim and trim she is after two hunting trips this year! I am falling in love again! So you gotta add the value of the fat farm and the marriage counselor to your benefits.

Rimrock, the next #1 trophy whitetail from the Alberta/Saskatchewan border will have to top 410 pounds, if I remember correctly. That's not a common deer though, still I'd certainly like to find him or his cousins. I'm in Bozeman now, and drive to Livingston every day. I keep looking out the sides of the road looking for deer and elk. I guess driving off the road would drive the cost per pound up a whole bunch. The deer up north don't have huge racks though. Very big bodies (to deal with the cold winters, I surmise) but the racks aren't correspondingly large. Too bad, too. I would love to see the racks we'd have if the body/rack ratio were like, say, Texas'. Now that would be a nice rack. - Dan

That would be an enormous deer.
Considering that the average beef carcass goes 600#....
Anyway, we ought to meet up while you're here, Dan. Drop me a line. I believe I'm going to be around this weekend. Laying sod. I'm told that closely resembles hard labor, but I've been climbing around the mountains enough that I shouldn't suffer just too badly. Might work up a thirst, though....
I just got in from a late afternoon/evening bowhunt. Checked out a spot that can occasionally have good elk, but is kind of hit or miss. Do-able for a quick hunt, though. Only saw three muley bucks. Certainly no 400#'ers ;-).
I did manage to blunt a cow! A simmental, I believe. I know, it's a terrible thing to do. The ranchers have a hell of a time making money and all, but this cow was on public land, so was only costing her owner I believe some ridiculously low $/AUM, so they can both afford me some amusement. And I grew up around the cursed things, and I tell you, sneaking up on one and smacking them with a blunt behind the shoulder is just bally good fun!

I should probably add that I'm shooting a recurve, and didn't pull it ALL the way back. I don't dislike 'em that much....
It's actually quite sporting!

20 ga. "Topper" - Free
Walking 25 yards to the clump of woods in the backyard - Free
1 20 ga. shell - 50 cents
Iowa hunting license - $35
Skinning knife - $20

Big, fat, corn-fed Iowa doe - (depends) pounds.

Seriously, I spend $55.50 every year I get a license (I can't get a license every year due to schedule, etc..) So, I don't quite get the "economics" part of it. And I suppose I've owned the skinning knife for going on 20 years, now, so that probably brings the number down to $36.50 every year, and getting cheaper by the year.

I'm a cheap bastard and wouldn't pay the price you all do, just to hunt.

I've never thought about deer, but I know I walk about 150 miles per elk shot, counting scouting trips, etc. Not cheap, just in shoe leather and Ibuprofen.

The really expensive meat is ruffed grouse and chuckars. Each bird costs me about $100 in depreciation, fuel, shoe leather, motel room, meals, etc. Add the dog expenses in, and I bet it would run about $500 per lb.

Too bad the IRS won't let you take a deduction for that amount when you donate to Hunters for the Hungry or some-such..... LOL! Dutch.

Where I hunt it's Blacktail only. 30-60 pounds of meat. Gas $25. Jerkey,chips,pop,candy bars,etc, $100
Fuzz

Mark, Rimrock, check your PM's. - Dan

I have weighed the boned-out meat from three of my Idaho elk, two bulls and a cow. The weights from a cheap bathroom spring scale were 198, 203, and 208. The bulls were young branched antlered and the cow was an old girl.

Very rough estimate--When you gut out and remove skin,and legs from knee you'll lose about half its hoof weight. If you bone out the meat,you lose half again. Commercial butchers leave the bone in so you'll have more pounds in the freezer---but it aint meat. Why is that concept so hard to understand? Had folks tell me from my yield,I was wasting meat---they had theirs done commercially and had no idea how to do it themselves.

In our area, a doe will average about 70 pounds field dressed, or about 95 to 100 live wt. Big does will go maybe 15 pounds more. I shot a nice 10 point last year, weighed 128 pounds field dressed, or about 165 live. There may be a few bigger than that, but that is pretty representative of our big deer. Now go a few miles and find some of them along the Red River that live on Soybeans and Wheat year around and some of the bucks will push 250 live wt.

I have canned a lot of deer My mother has canned more then we can count. She always said out of a deer if you get 8 quarts you have a big one. I found that she is about right. A big buck here well go over 200 most I would say ave 125 to 150. a lot are less. We are talking totaly boned.