Care and Handling of Game Birds from Field to Table
Ashley Goudey, Nutrition, Food Safety & Health Agent
Dove hunting with your buddies is not only fun but can also be nutritious! A 3 ½ oz. portion (before cooking) of game bird meat has about 150 calories and provides half the average daily adult protein requirement. Wild game birds, if handled improperly may become contaminated with bacteria or gastric juices. Remember the following tips during hunting, storage, and food preparation to reduce your risk of food-borne illness.
Opening
day of any wild game season is exciting for hunters and their families. Dove season is the start of this excitement
in my home which carries throughout the hunting season. Before the season starts, I think it is a
good idea to keep everyone reminded of how to keep their wild game as safe as
possible from the field to the table.
Dove hunting with your buddies is not only fun but can also be nutritious! A 3 ½ oz. portion (before cooking) of game bird meat has about 150 calories and provides half the average daily adult protein requirement. Wild game birds, if handled improperly may become contaminated with bacteria or gastric juices. Remember the following tips during hunting, storage, and food preparation to reduce your risk of food-borne illness.
·
Be prepared for the hunt!
o Bring a sharp hunting knife, a whetstone or steel, light
rope or nylon cord, plastic bags, clean cloths or paper towels, and a cooler
filled with ice.
o Abide by all game regulations for hunting, transporting,
and storage of wild game.
·
Field care and transport
o Wear latex gloves while cleaning wild game.
o Do NOT harvest and eat sick or abnormal birds.
o Wipe out the cavity with a clean cloth or paper towel, do
not use grass or snow, this may contaminate the bird.
o Do not cross contaminate.
Wash hands, knife, and cutting board with hot soapy water and wash
thoroughly.
o Store birds in a plastic bag on ice to keep them clean
and cold. Keep birds under 40°F. If
cooler is not available, put the birds in the back seat in the shade.
o Do not transport birds in the trunk of a vehicle, this
does not allow heat to escape from the birds.
·
Safe Processing
o For immediate use, birds should be stored in the
refrigerator at 40°F or less and used within 3 days. For long-term storage, the whole cleaned
carcass may be frozen at 0°F or lower.
Freezing the meat while it is fresh and in top condition will enhance
the quality of the meat.
o Freeze game meat using moisture/vapor-proof wrap such as
heavily waxed freezer wrap, laminated freezer wrap, or freezer-weight
polyethylene bags. Wrap tightly,
pressing out as much air as possible.
Label the packages with the date and content. Be sure to use the
packages within a year.
·
Safe Preparation
o After freezing, thaw the birds in the refrigerator or
microwave. If microwaving, be sure to
cook immediately after thawing.
o Fully cook game birds to an internal temperature of at
least 165°F.
o Game birds may be prepared like chicken.
Remember to have fun and stay safe this hunting season!
For more detailed information
about caring for wild game, visit the KSRE publication link that is the source
for this information: http://www.bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/mf2177.pdf
