Previous Tip            Back to Tactics/Tips            Next Tip

How Much Venison Can You Get From One Deer?

A few years ago, my brother gave me a deer scale for Christmas.  It was about time we put to rest all of those deer camp bragging stories about who's deer is heavier.  Let the scale to the talking.  I wish we would have had that scale back when we were younger and it felt like dragging a train out of the woods.  But now that we have the scale, we weigh every deer that gets put on the meat pole at deer camp.

Once you know the hanging weight of a dressed out deer, you should be able to estimate how much venison you'll be able to put in the freezer.  First, some terminology:

Live weight - you guessed it, on the hoof weight

Field dressed weight (FD) - without the guts

Carcass weight - without the guts, head, legs or hide

Venison weight - boneless meat only

Type of Northern Whitetail Average Field Dressed Weights
Fawn 65 - 85 pounds
Healthy mature doe 100 - 130 pounds
1 1/2 year old buck 85 - 125 pounds
2 1/2 - 3 1/2 year old buck 120 - 190 pounds
An old brute 200 + pounds

Venison yield will depend on the size of the deer, how much the deer has bulked up, the shot placement and how picky you are when you butcher the deer.  The maximum venison yield is for a head shot and a very tedious butchering job.  The realistic venison yield accounts for some muscle damage and a reasonable butcher job.  All weights are in pounds.

Live Weight
FD * 130%
Field Dressed
FD
Maximum Venison
FD * 50%
Realistic Venison
FD * 25-35%
104 80 40 20-28
130 100 50 25-35
156 120 60 30-42
182 140 70 35-49
208 160 80 40-56
234 180 90 45-63
260 200 100 50-70
286 220 110 55-77
312 240 120 60-84
338 260 130 65-91