How do you do it?

Doug Hodges · #1 08/25/13, 09:14 AM

I was reading the "eating an intact 6 month old" thread and I just don't think I can bring myself to do it. I can shoot bambi out of my tree and clean him up and my whole family devours him. Don't tell anyone but I really like the yearlings, I don't care if they still have spots. They taste awesome. I love dads goat meat. I for sure cant butcher my own bucks. I don't think I can even take them to the butcher and have it done. I may have to do some trading with other goat people so I can eat some and I don't want to know what you do to the ones I trade off. Maybe If I have several and don't raise them as pets, it might be easier. What are you feelings on eating the bucks and culls?

coso · #2 08/25/13, 09:25 AM

I haven't been able to butcher one either. If we didn't bottle raise everything I might be able to. We butcher chickens, pigs, cattle, rabbits, etc. Maybe one of these days. I keep threatening to, but the family gives me this sad look if I even mention it. Just kill a few more deer !! If you are like us up here in MO, there is basically no limit. We kill three or four a year and eat them all.

Alice In TX/MO · #3 08/25/13, 09:27 AM

After they have been transformed into little white paper wrapped packages in the deep freeze, they are simply meat. Easy? No. Doable? Yes.

Pony · #4 08/25/13, 09:41 AM

I don't have a problem butchering the meat, but Nick has to pull the trigger. If I absolutely had to do it, I would, but he is so generous to protect me from that loud blast, so I will let him.

As Alice said, a little time, white paper, and freezing makes it a lot easier to eat.

JBarGFarmKeeper · #5 08/25/13, 09:45 AM

I must add...I've been a vegetarian for 18 years...

CraterCove · #6 08/25/13, 09:46 AM

I've only done one or two experimental kill and butchers and I will be just fine with it. I really, really cannot trust anyone but myself to do my animals in. Death is never humane but it can be respectful and I don't mind the emotional torment because it means I care and that I will be careful and not waste any of what I know personally to be a precious life.

Doug Hodges · #7 08/25/13, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coso

I haven't been able to butcher one either. If we didn't bottle raise everything I might be able to. We butcher chickens, pigs, cattle, rabbits, etc. Maybe one of these days. I keep threatening to, but the family gives me this sad look if I even mention it. Just kill a few more deer !! If you are like us up here in MO, there is basically no limit. We kill three or four a year and eat them all.

I killed 9 deer last year. I urban hunt and its unlimited. My boys killed some too.

Pony · #8 08/25/13, 11:26 AM

I'm unfamiliar with the term "urban hunt." Would someone like to clue me in?

Doug Hodges · #9 08/25/13, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pony

I'm unfamiliar with the term "urban hunt." Would someone like to clue me in?

Several towns in Arkansas have bow only hunts to try to eradicate the deer problem. It's through the international bow hunters association.

where I want to · #10 08/25/13, 02:06 PM

I was helped along by having my very first buckling being the most vicious little son-of-a-gun on the face of the earth. At two days old he was butting into my ankle (the only part of me he was tall enough to hit) whenever I got into his limited range of vision. It went down hill from there.
The little cuss had to be isolated when weaned at 3 months so I could go in with the girls. Even then going into his field was a risk. I flipped him over a dozen times till he only attacked when he thought my back was turned. But he kept an eagle eye out for those opportunities.
I looked forward to sending him off to the killers as soon as he had enough bulk to go.
But I admit that I feel totally different about the girls and even a few charming bucklings. Sigh.

ozark_jewels · #11 08/25/13, 05:05 PM

I do it by telling myself the truth. That a quick bullet is the most humane ending that I can "guarentee" my excess bucklings and cull does. It does NOT make it easy.
The bucklings.....ehh. I single them out at birth to be eaten and other than disbudding and banding, I do not touch them. They are wild, I do not get attached. I can admire them in an un-attached fashion(they are usually very pretty!), knowing that they will be meat come early fall.

The cull does, old unproductive does, cull bucks.....those are a LOT harder. They were in my herd for years, some for MANY years, most all their lives. We have spent so many hours together, good times, great times, bad times, we have been through them all.

But in the end, when they are no longer a productive member of the herd, they have to go so I can afford to feed those who are. If they are cull does, I do butcher them. I may bawl my eyes out after pulling the trigger, but nothing goes to waste.
My old does who gave me everything? Those does will likely live their last couple years here as non-breeders and when they have no quality of life left, I will put them down. I try to give them one good last summer/fall and put them down before the trials of winter can hurt them. I might butcher them, I might not. It depends on how needy we are in the meat department. But that is SO hard, I can't even tell you.
I don't find it disrespectful at all. The doe is gone, I gave her the best gift I could give her by being there at her last minutes and a quick death. They are gone before you hear the gunshot. But the actual butchering can be very hard on ME.

But all those excess bucklings? I give them a great life, then a quick death. They were never scared on a truck, in the salebarn, never neglected or abused. That is the best I can offer them, and I think its pretty good.

JustinRobinsREO · #12 08/25/13, 05:22 PM

I have a hard time for a brief moment when and right before pulling the trigger. If I didn't feel bad I wouldn't be human. After the shot though I see nothing but cuts of meat and food for my family.

ozark_jewels · #13 08/25/13, 05:37 PM

People sometimes asked me how long it took before "I liked shooting them". What?? When I start liking the shooting part, thats when I'll quit! Its a job, plain and simple. Not one I like, but one that I do. After they are dead, its simple. The killing is the hard part.

Pony · #14 08/25/13, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ozark_jewels

I give them a great life, then a quick death. They were never scared on a truck, in the salebarn, never neglected or abused. That is the best I can offer them, and I think its pretty good.

This. Exactly.

Thanks, Em.

motdaugrnds · #15 08/26/13, 04:26 AM

The large portion of our food comes from what we grow; and this includes meat. Unless kids are spoken for in advance of their being weaned, we get a "mind set" that they're going into the freezer. This keeps us from making pets of them! Then when butchering time comes around, shooting them in a humane way is done, though still difficult to a degree. It is the breeders who get old I cannot eat; so there is no need to butcher them. They inevitably wind up in our little graveyard under a specific shade tree.

Suzyq2u · #16 08/26/13, 07:03 AM

"conveniently" We haven't been able to just yet. We've sold the excess from the last 2 kiddings as hubby was pending surgery and I didn't think I could manage on my own. This time around, we only have one buckling and gosh he's cute, sigh. I knew the others would be going for mowing at first then dinner, and I could handle that. We would have done the same with them.

I imagine just as emily said, it won't be easy but once the quick death has been done I'd be able to butcher as to not waste the meat. Just as we've done with the chickens. Our newest buck we're breeding this year is about to get some tennis balls on his horns or he's going to be on the list too!! O.o

Bret4207 · #17 08/26/13, 08:28 AM

I have no more trouble than I do shooting a deer, duck, horse or dog. After you've put down a few of your own horses and dogs and such....I don't "like it" but it gets done. After they're dead it's just meat.

mammabooh · #18 08/26/13, 08:29 AM

We've only had two kidding seasons here so far. The first one, we got all doelings, so didn't have to worry about it. This year, we had two doelings and three bucklings born. I had fully planned to raise the boys for meat, but Hubby thought it might be nice to sell them very young and get some cash instead. So, that's what we did...I advertised them on craigslist, and there was a girl here within an hour to buy all three. We are going in a couple of weeks to watch her show one of them at the fair.

Hopefully next year, though, I'll be butchering a few. We don't hunt (not opposed to it at all, we just always seem to have other stuff to do), and we don't buy meat, so any meat we get from the bucklings will be a treat and won't be replacing something else. It won't take much at all for us to have plenty.

Mike CHS · #19 08/26/13, 09:29 AM

I am a little hesitant pulling the trigger and have to keep telling myself they had a good healthy life with us.

25 years ago my neighbor and I each raised a calf for the first time. As it turned out he was as big a wimp as I was so we wound up trading before taking them to the butcher. My kids would have refused to eat that critter they helped raise.

ozark_jewels · #20 08/26/13, 11:09 AM

I very recently put down Shane, my first dog. I have put down several old family dogs over the years, it was hard. But Shane was my first dog, and he was a pretty awesome dog. Shane was 13 years old and had been getting very slow for over a year. I knew the time was coming, and thought I was prepared. That morning he was unable to lift himself to come greet us. We gave him a bowl of his favorite food, all told him goodbye and my brother and I took him out to the shady back yard. I told him what a good dog he was, how much I loved him. Gave him a last hug and did the deed. It ripped me apart. But I'll tell you, it was the same the last time I had to put down one of my old does. Its not easy, its heartbreaking. But I think its my responsibility to do it myself and be there for them at the end. Been there with a couple of much-loved cows as well. But goats and dogs tend to be closer to my heart. By being good goat owners and loving our animals, we open ourselves up to a world of hurt. But in the end, I think its worth it, and makes us better people. I have an older doe, and two older LGDs that I know will reach that point in the next few years. I'm trying to be prepared for that.
Time to stop crying on the computer and finish the dishes.