What percent of live weight do you expect to get back in meat?

[GeauxLSU]

I've used for processors for a LONG time. Wish I had the space and equipment to do them myself but don't. Hopefully one day....
I always have the lingering doubts but honestly with the exception of one bad experience in west GA, felt 'ok' with what I received back.
A rule of thumb for white tails I've often heard was about 33%. But have also seen claims well north of 40%. I shot a buck a couple weeks ago. My processor does not use a scale, but I have one. I am now questioning my scale as it said the live weight was only 165#. This was a mature buck. https://theoutdoorstrader.com/posts/10754237/
I received back 56# of meat. PURE meat, no added fat, no jerky, sausage, etc. to make the calculation fuzzy. That comes out to 34%. It felt right but now I'm curious what others have seen real world. Especially those of you that do your own (assuming you weigh anything).

 

[GFB]

I have no idea. In for answers.

 

[geezer]

In for answers as well...

 

[4ssss]

I always thought at least 50%. I believe you should have got more than 30% back with a mature buck. Something’s not right, but did you get that 165# gutted?

 

[bowhtr1]

I was always told at least 30 percent.

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[Glorfindel]

30-40% sounds about right. Shooting the deer thru the front shoulder can change quite a bit tho.

 

[rbstern]

30-40% sounds about right. Shooting the deer thru the front shoulder can change quite a bit tho.

Agree with this.

If you get a perfect heart/lung shot with a predictable exit on the opposite, you may get on the high side of that range. Bullets in terminal mode don't always go in a straight line, so the chance of some meat being unusable is always there.

 

[(M)]

2nd on depends where it's shot and how many times.

 

[medium187mph]

Depends on shot placement and the person who is doing the processing.

I knocked a small doe in the head and processed myself. I had around 65-70lbs of meat

I knocked a young buck in the shoulder and took to a local processor gutted... got a 50lb frozen box in return... in all fairness the processor was slammed and was aiming for speed

 

[GeauxLSU]

I knocked a small doe in the head and processed myself. I had around 65-70lbs of meat

You WEIGHED it and got 65# of meat off of a 'small' doe?!?