How can I minimise meat damage on deer?

Time Well Spent June 15, 2022

I’m getting bruising and meat damage on my deer carcasses, what’s the best way to minimise meat damage? Dom Holtam replies…

Q: I’ve noticed that I am getting a fair bit of meat damage on my deer carcasses, lots of ‘jelly’ and bruising. What is the best way to reduce this?

DOM HOLTAM replies: A slow, heavy bullet will generally do less damage than a fast, light bullet. Frangible bullets travelling very fast will fragment more on impact. A traditional soft-nose that delivers controlled expansion and is designed to exit the animal will most likely break up less.

However, there are a few other things to consider: hitting heavy bone (shoulder/spine) can change the result considerably and correct shot placement can really help to minimise the damage to the carcass. Rib to rib behind the shoulder on a sideways beast should do little damage to the main ‘meat’ areas but will deliver a fast, humane kill.

And, for me, that is the really big one: meat damage is entirely secondary to a clean kill. If you lose a little venison but your animal is dispatched swiftly, does it really matter? Trim out the bruising and be pleased with a job well done. I know some people make good money from their carcasses but profit should never come at the expense of deer welfare.