# Meat good after a paunch shot?



## bwsmith (Sep 1, 2011)

Again sorry for the newbie questions.  But if you hit a deer with a bad shot, bow or bullet, and hit the intestines, is the meat ruined?  I see a lot of video and hear people talk about paunch shots.  But at the same time, when field dressing I keep hearing how the most important thing is not puncturing the intestines. What's the verdict, is paunch shot deer meat still viable?


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## Forest Grump (Sep 1, 2011)

You would want to discard any directly contaminated meat, either from the projectile or the "juices" from the abdominal contents. You also wouldn't want to consume one hit that way that had lived for a day or that you had "left overnight" like they do on some TV shows. Otherwise, meat from parts like the hams, shoulders, backstrap etc...shouldn't be expected to be contaminated by intestinal bacteria if there is no direct contamination by ingesta. Use your common sense, clean tools & avoid cross-contamination, & it should be fine. Also, don't mess around before cleaning that one, get it clean & cut up asap.

The best solution, of course, is don't take or make that shot & you won't have the dilemma.


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## HuntinDawg89 (Sep 1, 2011)

I've cleaned gut shot deer (rifle shots) where the stomach and other digestive organs were nothing but soup....washed it out really well, but didn't discard any meat...never had any problems - unless you count gagging while I'm field dressing.


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## bwsmith (Sep 1, 2011)

Absolutely, but I am a believer in try for the best but plan for the worst in case it does happen.  That is why I posted it before season so people wouldn't think I was a crappy shot   So to be on the safe side, make the viable meat into sausage and stew meat so you know it is all cooked Well Done?


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## paulito (Sep 2, 2011)

As the one poster stated, typically your gut shot deer "goo out" into the chest cavity and what not. I have thrown away a shoulder that "open" from the shot and had gotten contaminated by the guts. However, i would say it would be very hard for the hind quarters to get messed up. Typically if it is bad enough i ain't going in to get the tenderloins but i will take everything else. Keep in mind, where i do most of my hunting we have a shinning/cleaning shed. Typically deer are cleaned and in the cooler within hours at most of expiring. If i was field dressing and hauling one to a processor i may have a bit of a different opinion. You clean it real well though and i would do everything in my power not to waste any meat.


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## satchmo (Sep 2, 2011)

If you find your deer before the meat spoils after a gut shot , it won't be any different than if you double lung it. It will just stink more when you are dressing it.


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## Quickbeam (Sep 2, 2011)

Depends who you ask.  William Bartram (late 1700's) described a favorite meal of the Indians where they would cook the deer in it's own stomach and intestinal contents.  Bartram didn't think very highly of this meal.   Southeast Asians still cook goats and deer in this way.  Assuming you have more Anglo-Saxon American taste, you're just gonna wash the meat off really good.


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## K80Shooter (Sep 2, 2011)

HuntinDawg89 said:


> I've cleaned gut shot deer (rifle shots) where the stomach and other digestive organs were nothing but soup....washed it out really well, but didn't discard any meat...never had any problems - unless you count gagging while I'm field dressing.



X-2  Just clean it out real good.


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## childers (Sep 2, 2011)

just clean it real good


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## miles58 (Sep 2, 2011)

Number one...Don't shoot 'em in the guts.  In fifty odd years of killing deer I have yet to gut shoot one.

Number two...If someone else does or you have to deal with a really stupid mistake on your part, gut them ASAP and hose out the inside ASAP.  If you don't have a hose use fresh water and a cloth.

Number three...  I have cleaned up more than a few gut shot deer and I have never abandoned the tenderloins.

Number four...After you've gutted it and washed and then rinsed it out hang it head up and let it drain well.


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## Twenty five ought six (Sep 2, 2011)

As others have said, wash it out really good.  There is nothing really septic in the paunch until it sits awhile.  The deer was living with it.


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## Toxic (Sep 2, 2011)

The meat must be throughly cooked, if it came into contact with fecal matter. Doing this will make sure any bacteria is killed.


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## Twenty five ought six (Sep 2, 2011)

Toxic said:


> The meat must be throughly cooked, if it came into contact with fecal matter. Doing this will make sure any bacteria is killed.




If you freeze for three days at 0 deg F or below, it will also kill the bacteria.

This is the temp that most stand alone freezers use.


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## elfiii (Sep 2, 2011)

satchmo said:


> if you find your deer before the meat spoils after a gut shot , it won't be any different than if you double lung it. It will just stink more when you are dressing it.



x 2.


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## Toxic (Sep 2, 2011)

freezing does not kill all bacteria


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## Twenty five ought six (Sep 2, 2011)

Toxic said:


> freezing does not kill all bacteria



Yes, technically you are correct.  It deactivates them to the extent that the meat is safe to use.


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## Son (Sep 2, 2011)

Simple rule. Discard all meat the intestinal fluids or contents have touched. The rest is fine to eat.


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## simpleman30 (Sep 2, 2011)

Son said:


> Simple rule. Discard all meat the intestinal fluids or contents have touched. The rest is fine to eat.



wrong.  

wash the meat and you'll be fine.


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## Etter2 (Sep 2, 2011)

Wash it and eat it


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## meatseeker (Sep 2, 2011)

If its gut shot. Dont gut as normal. cut about six inches at the bottom of the belly and let all that will come out,this will reduce the mess getting everywhere else as bad. then carry on as usuall. rinse it good. I would soak in ice water with salt overnight.Then rinse it good and cut it up. Salt stops bacteria growth, remember thats how meat was cured for years.  jmo


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## crsdos (Sep 2, 2011)

Only very limited meat would be contaminated just cut out what is and the rest should be alright.


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## CAL (Sep 2, 2011)

miles58 said:


> Number one...Don't shoot 'em in the guts.  In fifty odd years of killing deer I have yet to gut shoot one.
> 
> Number two...If someone else does or you have to deal with a really stupid mistake on your part, gut them ASAP and hose out the inside ASAP.  If you don't have a hose use fresh water and a cloth.
> 
> ...



Reread no.2#


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## Forest Grump (Sep 2, 2011)

Son said:


> Simple rule. Discard all meat the intestinal fluids or contents have touched. The rest is fine to eat.



You'd be smart to take good advice, like the above,
It's great to be machismo, but by the time your physician figures out you have E.coli, you will either be dead or in renal failure; not a good trade. Clean the meat, discard any that is visibly contaminated, eat the rest at your own risk. Use your noodle: you go to the butcher shop: guy says, here's a fillet 1/2 price, but the cow pooped all over it! If you are the guy who will wash it off & take the bargain, good luck to you. Are you that guy, really? 

Truly, the very best answer is what I told you before: 
DON'T make that shot!!! But you do what you wish, you are a grown-up.


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## benosmose (Sep 3, 2011)

Why would you gut a gut shot deer skin it leave the ribs and inside tenderloins cut off the hams shoulder backstraps and all the meat you can you really have not lost much and did not have to deal with ten pounds of sour acorn mash.But like they said dont leave them laying around while u tell the story to your buds get it done before things start turning green.


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## Georgiadawgs78 (Sep 3, 2011)

benosmose said:


> Why would you gut a gut shot deer skin it leave the ribs and inside tenderloins cut off the hams shoulder backstraps and all the meat you can you really have not lost much and did not have to deal with ten pounds of sour acorn mash.But like they said dont leave them laying around while u tell the story to your buds get it done before things start turning green.



I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that doesn't fool with the gutting of a deer. Just skin her and cut the backstraps, shoulders, and hams off. The rest goes to feed the yotes.


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## F.A.R.R. (Sep 3, 2011)

Several people have posted about trying not to gut shoot a deer. This is good advice but in reality if you hunt long enough you will have to deal with this.  Talk to most veteran hunters and they will have their share of stories about great hits-misses-and hiting not exactly where planed.  There may be a few hunters who only shot when everything is "perfect" and are such skilled shots that they always hit exactly where planned.  I have never know anyone who intentionally gut shot a deer but most of the time things in the field are never "perfect" and sometimes bad things happen-it's part of hunting.

Also sometimes even the best behind the shoulder broad side shot can get into the stomach-due to bullet deflection.  Also many times at longer ranges a deer you think is perfectly broad side may not be-and sometimes these types of shots may hit vitals and then get into the stomach.

Sorry to be long winded but it seems you may be newer to deer hunting and don't want you to get discouraged.  If and when you run into a deer where the stomach is broke (how ever it happened) most of the meat will be fine, as the most direct contact will only be with the tenderlions. Sound advice would be to discard any meat which came in contact with the stomach contents.


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## thomas gose (Sep 3, 2011)

Georgiadawgs78 said:


> I'm glad to see I'm not the only one that doesn't fool with the gutting of a deer. Just skin her and cut the backstraps, shoulders, and hams off. The rest goes to feed the yotes.



I feild dress them because it takes 37 seconds and the tenderloins are worth it!


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## benosmose (Sep 3, 2011)

thomas gose said:


> I feild dress them because it takes 37 seconds and the tenderloins are worth it!



you can still get them cut a little hole reach in and take them out.I still gut them too bout half the time but it cause i have a deer cooler and i let mine hang for 10 to 20 days to let the meat age a little it dries out some and taste so much better hard to do if you dont own a cooler though.


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## Toxic (Sep 3, 2011)

Twenty five ought six said:


> Yes, technically you are correct.  It deactivates them to the extent that the meat is safe to use.



not trying to argue, freezing does nothing to some bacteria. If you was to thaw it, they would keep on growing. Don't take my word for it, do a search of the web all the info you need is there. Fully cooking until the internal temp is over 170 deg is the only way to kill the bacteria and make the meat safe to eat if it was contaminated. Its the same for chicken, freezing does not make chicken safe !!


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## tombond (Sep 3, 2011)

As I understand, subsistence hunters in NW Canada eat the stomach contents first upon killing a Caribou, full of nutrients.
My dog found the leftover stomach contents of a deer we killed near home in December and it stayed a frozen block of digestive stuff for a week or so.  He would return home like a "stumbling drunk" as the fermented contents were either intoxicating or poisonous, or both.  No long term effects on the dog that we have seen.  Clean it good and enjoy the woods.


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## Twenty five ought six (Sep 4, 2011)

Toxic said:


> not trying to argue, freezing does nothing to some bacteria. If you was to thaw it, they would keep on growing. Don't take my word for it, do a search of the web all the info you need is there. Fully cooking until the internal temp is over 170 deg is the only way to kill the bacteria and make the meat safe to eat if it was contaminated. Its the same for chicken, freezing does not make chicken safe !!



I've been processing sausage and cured meat  for years according to USDA guidelines, and some of it is never heated above 100 deg F or so.  It's perfectly safe to eat.  None of it is heated to 170 deg., unless it is fresh sausage that is cooked.

Thanks for your input though.


FWIW, here are the current USDA guidelines on safe cooking temperatures - Note that 170 is conspicuously not mentioned.



> *What is a safe internal temperature for cooking meat and poultry?*
> 
> 
> Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb and veal steaks, chops, and  roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145 °F as measured with a  food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source. For safety  and quality, allow meat to rest for at least three minutes before  carving or consuming. For reasons of personal preference, consumers may  choose to cook meat to higher temperatures.
> ...


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