Improperly cared for, deer meat becomes an abomination; and proper care should start at the moment the hunter presses the trigger of his rifle, if he wishes to have a choice piece of meat. It is not always possible to place a bullet just where the hunter wishes to put it, but every effort should be made to see that the deer is killed almost instantly and not permitted to wander for hours in a wounded condition. Aside from the humane aspect and thinking only of the meat, a wounded deer soon becomes a sick deer and the fever from this sickness will soon affect the quality of the meat.

A brain shot is the most effective, but the vital area in a deer's head is so small that it is seldom possible to be sure of hitting this target. A bullet in the lung area is slower to kill, but is about as sure, with the added advantage of more thorough bleeding. This bleeding will be mostly internal, but as long as the blood is drained from the meat, this does no harm, for as soon as the lung cavity is opened, it can be removed. Shots through the paunch or intestines are seldom immediately fatal and the contents of these organs are certain to taint the meat around the bullet wound. The longer the animal lives after being shot in these areas, the greater this tainted area will be. This is often the cause of the off-flavor to which so many people object.

I have always tried for a lung shot unless I had a standing target at close range, in which case I shoot for the head. The former is the best shot for the trophy hunter who wants a head for mounting, as well as for the man who is interested in having good quality meat.

The heart shot, while more effective, needs to be placed so far forward that one and sometimes both shoulders are penetrated by the bullet; and quite often a large amount of meat is affected. While shoulder meat is not the choicest part of the deer, it is too bad to have it spoil, and spoil it will if torn by bullets and not taken care of within a short time. Most hunters seek their deer at a distance from their home and they wish to transport the animal for display purposes without skinning or dismembering it. This prevents the proper care of any meat which has been ruptured by bullets, and by the time that the deer is prepared for eating, some of this meat will be spoiled or will have an off-flavor if still edible.

After the deer has been shot, the work begins. I have seen a novice walk to the deer that he has just killed and say, "Now what do I do?" The deer has to be transported out of the woods and the safest, and usually the easiest, way to do this is to drag the carcass. In order to make this chore easier as well as to cool the carcass, it is customary to remove the internal organs. If the deer happens to be a buck, it should be castrated at once. This may or may not have an effect on the flavor of the meat, but tradition says that it is the thing to do. Personally I don't believe that it makes any difference.

It is not always possible to place a bullet just where the hunter wishes to put it, but every effort should be made to see that the deer is killed almost instantly and not permitted to wander for hours in a wounded condition. Aside from the humane aspect and thinking only of the meat, a wounded deer soon becomes a sick deer and the fever from this sickness will soon affect the quality of the meat.