WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Once a hunter has bagged a deer, the work is only half over. How to field dress it, skin it, process the meat and store it for future tasty meals are skills hunters need to know.

Hunters who are interested in learning how to process their own deer should plan to attend the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) Deer Hunting: Field to Freezer program from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Oct. 11. This program will be at MDC’s Ozark Regional Office, 551 Joe Jones Blvd. in West Plains. People can register at:

https://mdc-event-web.s3licensing.com/Event/EventDetails/211938

At the Oct. 11 event, Capt. Gerald Smith and other conservation agents in MDC’s Protection Branch will provide tips on how to field dress, skin, and butcher a harvested deer. Field dressing is an important skill for hunters to have, even if they plan to take their deer to a processing facility. For those who want to butcher their own deer, this program will show how to turn a harvested deer into neat packages of lean and healthy meat. This program will also cover the regulations that pertain to stored venison. Though this program is free, registration is required.

Staff at MDC facilities across the state are holding in-person and virtual programs. A listing of these programs can be found at mdc.mo.gov/events.