EAST LANSING, Mich. — The folks at Michigan State University extension service want deer hunters who’ve been successful at shooting a deer to also be successful at preparing it.

That’s where Jeannine Schweihofer, MSU Extension meat quality educator, comes in. Schweihofer said that most hunters gut deer they’ve bagged themselves and that this should be done as soon as possible. “You don’t want to wait a day or a half a day to do that,” she said.

She said gutting it right away helps to cool the carcass down; also, if there is any damage to the animal’s gut from a bullet, it becomes all the more important to dress the carcass quickly.

“The meat around the bullet or shot has to be removed, also,” she said. 

If temperatures are above 40 degrees Fahrenheit the hunter needs to take immediate steps to keep the carcass cool, such as putting ice or snow inside it. Also, remove the hide if possible. Even with temperatures below 40 degrees, the carcass should be hung up for no more than 2-3 days to age it before being cut up and refrigerated.

At this time of year meat processors will often do this kind of work, too. Schweihofer said for $70-100 a meat processor will skin a deer, cut it up and package it. Special items such as sausages will drive the price towards the high end, she stated. Schweihofer also wants to remind hunters about the importance of cooking venison properly. The big issue seems to be ground meat.

“The potential is definitely there when handling any meat that’s perishable, there’s definitely a potential for food safety issues,” she said. “This is why we emphasize safe food handling.”

The bottom line, she said, is ground meat needs to be cooked to 160 degrees Fahrenheit. In other cuts of meat cooking temperatures aren’t as much of an issue since the inside of the flesh hasn’t been exposed to anything that could contaminate it.

Also, this season the Michigan Dept. of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) is running an incentive program to get deer hunters to submit their deer for Bovine tuberculosis (TB) testing. If a hunter’s deer turns out to be positive for TB the hunter can get a $200 payment from the state.

“Under this new program, if a wild free-ranging white-tailed deer harvested during the 2011 hunt is turned in for bovine TB testing, and it cultures positive, the hunter may apply for a $200 incentive,” MDARD Director Keith Creagh said in a statement. “MDARD recently announced 57 counties in Michigan’s lower peninsula achieved Bovine TB free status; but there is still a pocket of Bovine TB in deer that can be transmitted to cattle.

“This new incentive program is one tool in our toolbox to help refine the footprint of the disease and protect Michigan’s $9.2 billion dollar beef and dairy industries.”

Officials are especially concerned about the area just south of Alpena where TB is known to be endemic in the state. More details on the incentive program are available at www.michigan. gov/emergingdiseases