ethics on meat

[woodshed]

Yesterday my friend shot a small doe. He didn't realize that it was a yearling and quite small because she was alone. It was a far shot.

Anyhow, we had earlier agreed that if he shot a doe we would split the processing and meat. He didn't want to spend all the money or did he need all the meat, I guess.

Well, this doe was SMALL. He felt the price per pound went up too much to have it professionally processed.

A side note: I'm very dissappointed in him, he actually got frustrated with the mess of gutting the animal. At one point he wanted to just leave it!!!!

I told him that was unethical and totally wasteful. I stepped in and finished the job.

Neither of us has ever butchered a deer. Last night, I convinced him that was how to save his money and we would learn from it for the future. He agreed and we dove in,,,,,,or I did.

When we finally finished and it came down to the meat distribution, I felt very uncomfortable. I have shot two deer this year. I am an archery hunter and have even more opportunity. This will be his one and only deer this year.

At first I started splitting up 50/50 like we originally agreed for with professional processing. Then I started to wonder if I was screwing him out of his meat. I did most the work, we agreed on that, and he said go ahead. It's just that I felt like he was getting jipped out of his only deer. That's what friends do right,,,just help with the deer. Next time he'll help me.

So,,,,what is the ethical and fair protocal here. He was not at all fussing, it's all me.

thanks.

[NYBUCK]

Re: ethics on meat

Woodshed, if it was me and I had two in the freezer, since that will be his only deer, I would give it all to him. As for helping him, like you said, that is what friends do.

[QDMAworks4me]

Re: ethics on meat

Well we have done two things during the time I have been hunting.

Situation 1: Anyone that was in the woods and helped you get the deer we used to split the deer up, the person who got the deer took most of the deer and then we would give a little of the meat to the people who helped you get the deer out of the woods and cut it up.

Situation 2: We just all helped out like you did and get the deer out and the person who shot the deer took all the meat. This changed from situation 1 only because each of gets a few deer a year and don't really need to share meat.

I would suggest maybe in this situation that you just give the meat to him and let him have it all since you have a few deer in the freezer.

[Guest HuntCast]

Re: ethics on meat

I would give it all to him....... not that he deserves it from the sounds of it! Leave the deer??

If a friend gets a deer, and doesn't know how to gut it..... after making him try first, we all step in and do it. Same thing would go I guess for processing, although I haven't done it myself.... so those things shouldn't count toward "payment" in meat. Thats just friends helping friends.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with him cooking you up a steak or two in gratitude

[sskybnd]

Re: ethics on meat

thats the way i feel i would give it all to him, being you already have 2 in the frezzer and thats his only one, i dont think it would hurt to give it up, for being a small deer i think i'd have to tell him if he wants more meat than he should'nt be shooting little deer. me and my buddy hunt together and never thought of splitting the meat so to say, we call each other and ask if we/they would like to have dinner with us or them and if that splitting the meat than we do it like that.

[arrow32]

Re: ethics on meat

Id just let him take it all youve already got half a freezer full and he has only got one. Just me tho. Like you said friends help friends when it comes to doing stuff like that.

[Doc]

Re: ethics on meat

I couldn't tell from the message whether your friend had never gutted a deer before, so I will assume that he has not. In that context, you should have merely instructed as he did the actual work of gutting. A hunter has to learn, and he won't learn if you do it all for him. I worry a bit about his squeamishness on the gutting job. It sounds like if he ever gets a deer on his own with no one around, he may just leave it there, especially if he doesn't have the confidence of having done it himself at least once. I don't mind helping out, and often do, but if this was his first attempt at these kinds of things, I think the better help would have been to concentrate on instructing rather than just getting the job done.

By the way, how did the butchering job go? Did you have any diagrams or anything? I remember back when we first started doing our own butchering. We made a few mistakes, but overall it really didn't come out too bad. Actually, you can mess up pretty bad and still have some very fine eating.

Doc

[bghunter777]

Re: ethics on meat

drive on down to Pa I'll pop one for ya you can have the hole thing. I will make sure it a fully mature. as for the doe I would give you friend the meat seeing its going to be his only deer of the year. and man have you ever eaten the tenderloins off of a very young doe. if not you are truly in for one of Gods great giftle to us.

[woodshed]

Re: ethics on meat

Doc,

no this is not his first deer. He has a decent idea of what to do. I think he's done it a couple of times. I too have only done it a couple of times myself. So I can't say I could instruct him a whole bunch.

I don't think he's the "too" squeamish type. This particular deer was messy due to the hits it took. So the job was not as comfortable as usual. After all that and the fact the deer was soo small, he felt that there probobaly wasn't enough meat left to do anything with.

I knew that there was plenty of meat that wouldn't be tainted. We needed to do our best to give it our all and get as much off this little deer as possible.

My friend quickly and naturally agreed and that was the end of it. I hope I didn't misconstrue his ethics regarding deer. He is a great guy.

thanks though, the butchering went well except for the silverskin that stays on alot of the meat. We don't know the best ways and when that should be removed. I have another thread about that going already.

[Shaun_300]

Re: ethics on meat

[ QUOTE ]

Woodshed, if it was me and I had two in the freezer, since that will be his only deer, I would give it all to him. As for helping him, like you said, that is what friends do.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree 100%!

[Guest rds]

Re: ethics on meat

I have gotten 2 deer myself this year and just shot another one tonight for my buddy who can't shoot well due to a med problem and asked me to do it for him so I did. He told me we could split the meat but even though I will be gutting it and all I already (like you) have 2 and figure he would do the same for me, so I am giving him the meat.

[Stinger-Hunter]

Re: ethics on meat

Stick with the original agreement.

[woodshed]

Re: ethics on meat

thanks everybody.

I told him about our conversation. For the third time he has said I'm reading way too much into this. He says it's not a big deal. I said it's burning a hole in my freezer and he should have it all. He said it's in a good spot and not to worry about it.

I guess that's what I'll do. I've tried to have him take all the meat from the beginning after processing and 2-3 times since. If he doesn't want it then I'll keep his and eat off mine for now. If he wants some later cause he's out, I'll set him back up. If he never runs out by the time I have already eaten two deer then he probobaly didn't need it anyhow.

again thanks

[wtnhunt]

Re: ethics on meat

[ QUOTE ]

Woodshed, if it was me and I had two in the freezer, since that will be his only deer, I would give it all to him. As for helping him, like you said, that is what friends do.

[/ QUOTE ]

Same here. If he is a true friend and one you want to keep, give him all the meat.

[Doc]

Re: ethics on meat

[ QUOTE ]

no this is not his first deer. He has a decent idea of what to do. I think he's done it a couple of times. I too have only done it a couple of times myself. So I can't say I could instruct him a whole bunch.

I don't think he's the "too" squeamish type. This particular deer was messy due to the hits it took. So the job was not as comfortable as usual. After all that and the fact the deer was soo small, he felt that there probobaly wasn't enough meat left to do anything with.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ok, it looks like I read the whole thing wrong. Sorry about that.

I would say that if you offered all the meat several times, and he has refused, then you are doing the right thing. After all, you can't force him to take it. As long as you have adequate freezer space, hang on to it for him until he wants it.

Doc

[horst]

Re: ethics on meat

Woodshed, crazy idea here, why dont you call him the next time you shoot a deer, have him help you gut it. drag it out, and cut it up, then give him some of your meat in return.Everyone then has plenty in the freezer

[woodshed]

Re: ethics on meat

Doc, Horst, and all,

Great ideas and thankyou. I think your right. He has been given my chances to keep the meat. He has graciously told me not to worry about it and to keep it.

I will do just that Horst. Hopefully I will get another one in archery. I will most likely want to butcher all of mine now in the future. I will surely want to share some of it with him. NOn the less I have freezer space and will keep him supplied with more if he needs it.

thanks everybody, I feel better about it.