Whitetail Deer Meat Yields

[BoilerBowHunter]

I searched for a thread like this, but I couldn't find one save one in the mule deer forum.

Curious to know what other folks are getting in terms of meat yield from whitetail. I know there are lots of factors, but I'm curious either way. I process on my own at home. I am very picky in terms of trimming off fat, silver skin, etc. Here's what I yielded this year. It feels like it's on the low end, but the button buck was really small to begin with. I don't weigh deer, so I don't have that data unfortunately.

• Small button buck
  • Front quarters were unable to be kept due to broadhead damage and significant amounts of blood soaking in
  • 12.5 lbs of ground
    • Excludes tenderloins and shanks which were kept separately
    • Excludes both front quarters
    • Included back straps

• 2-3 year old doe
  • 23 lbs of ground
    • Excludes one back strap kept as steaks
    • Excludes shanks which were kept separately
    • Included tenderloins and one back strap

 

[birdman22]

I don't think you're far off, I've always guessed 25 to 30 lbs. including backstraps.

Always crazy how little yield there is, but I trim everything out. I assume the butchers leave more of that in for their grind and that is why people get more meat back from processors? I have never used one.

 

[UpNorth89]

I'd say your pretty close. For your typical adult doe or smaller buck the 25-35 pound range is pretty typical.

 

[Macintosh]

I have figured I package a bit less than 50% of the dressed weight of the deer. But that includes heart and liver, loins, backstraps, the four quarters, 4 bone-in shanks, neck, and however much of the flank steaks and rib meat I can trim off. We have 2 deer in our chest freezer from this fall, a 115lb doe and a 170lb buck, with not much else in there, and the freezer is FULL. I do trim silverskin from steaks, but I also leave a lot on slow-roasting cuts and stew where it cooks right out. Otherwise I think a lot of people trim stuff that I eat, and also I go out of my way to damage as little meat as possible.

Its really impossible for me to gauge the OP’s yield without an idea of deer weigjt, and without weihjt of the backstraps, etc. I’ve never weighed just the grind/stew meat.

 

[Wheels]

I think 40% of dressed weight is pretty accurate.