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I just read a bit by Monbiot concerning "UK overrun by wild deer"........he lists all the environmental damage caused by these, and then he points out that we import 3000 tons of farmed venison a year from new Zealand.....
I'm presently paying £8-£9 a kilo for New Forest venison, and it would be interesting to know how much I'd have to pay to shoot one for myself, assuming I could keep all the meat.
Anyone?

Pete

Last time I went stalking, (and we're talking at least 7 years ago), it was £1/kg (in Northumberland for properly hung Roe)

Pete wrote: ↑Mon Aug 21, 2023 10:13 pm I just read a bit by Monbiot concerning "UK overrun by wild deer"........he lists all the environmental damage caused by these, and then he points out that we import 3000 tons of farmed venison a year from new Zealand.....
I'm presently paying £8-£9 a kilo for New Forest venison, and it would be interesting to know how much I'd have to pay to shoot one for myself, assuming I could keep all the meat.
Anyone?

Pete

Where are you getting at £8-9 ? Even at that price, I would love to get my hands on some


A fried who culls for an estate - most goes to them, was saying that the typical rate is £1 for fully prepared/hung and even less in some cases! And I saw some in a supermarket - "Wild English Vension" at over £30!

I buy from a regular game stall at a farmers market. They sometimes even sell frozen stuff off at half price.
They source it from local shoots.

Pete

Here you go:

https://www.hampshiregame.co.uk/recipes

Pete

Pete wrote: ↑Tue Aug 22, 2023 10:06 pm I buy from a regular game stall at a farmers market. They sometimes even sell frozen stuff off at half price.
They source it from local shoots.

Pete

Thanks, a bit far away, but I go that way occasionally, so willl keep a note.

Sorry just realised you were actually asking how much it is to go stalking! Last time I went out it was £130 for Roe. I'd imagine it will be closer to £200 now.

Unless you live local enough to go back to where you were stalking you won't be able/it would be pointless taking the animal you shot as it wouldn't have been properly prepared. Of course if you've got all the kit to do it yourself then I'm sure most estates could accommodate that.

Apart from gutting, skinning, jointing, and hanging until it glows in the dark, what other preparation is needed?

Pete

I always hang my deer whole.

Hanging is weather dependant.

I am currently eating a red stag marauder shot earlier in the year.

It was shot at night and then skinned, butchered, processed and freezered the next day as the weather was so warm.

Unless you have an insect free larder to hang in you need to process fast or the bluebottles will have an egg laying fest.

I usually joint the hind quarters and loin, The rest is removed from the bone and cut for stew and mincing. I do a lot of mince as I make burgers and sausages as well as adding it to the pluck for staggis.

If there is the usual bunches of fat hanging in the cavity rip that out and render it down as it makes the best chips you have ever tasted, especially if you use Golden Wonders, the king of tatties.

The tongue is usually boiled and skinned for cold meat, I save the kidneys for frying and half the liver, the rest goes into the staggis with the lungs, heart etc..

Depending on how it was shot the blood is also kept as it makes great black puddings.

Mouthwatering!......

Pete