The author prefers pre-cooking his meat before canning. He cubes venison into roughly 1-inch pieces, which he then cooks in distilled water in a stock pot. (Photo by M.D. Johnson)

It was my then-future wife, Julia, who in 1993 not only first fed me home-canned venison, but also taught me how to put up my harvest. Under her tutelage, I discovered that while caring for and canning our wild-game meat can be time consuming, it carries with it the sense of a job well done—not to mention providing some of the finest wild edibles available.

However, canning wild game isn't without its challenges. Here, we'll take an in-depth look at what goes into properly and safely canning your harvest.

For many folks, the first question when it comes to canning wild venison is, "Why?" Obviously, one of the primary reasons for canning venison is the fact it tastes good. However, other factors also justify the time and effort spent.

First, it has a long shelf life. The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) recommends using home-canned foods within a year, not due to safety but for the best in food quality. If jars are stored correctly—that is, in a cool (50 to 70 degrees), dark place—and the seal isn't compromised, the contents should remain safe for years.

Second, the origin is known, and it's healthy. When you can venison at home, you know exactly what's being processed, how it's being processed and that it's both nutritious and healthy. Third, canning at home is inexpensive. Yes, there are costs involved if you're starting from scratch. However, after the initial purchases—pressure canner, jars, rings, seals and a handful of other accessories—canning at home is essentially a time investment.

First off, a warning: Pressure canning involves pressure, heat, steam and metal. The process requires your full attention. It isn't something you can walk away from, nor can you let yourself be distracted.

Personal defense in the hunting woods could involve taking down a charging bear. Winchester's new Big Bore ammo, available in 10 mm, .44 Mag., .357 Mag., and .45 Colt, is specifically designed for big bears in bear country. Winchester's Nathan Robinson talks features with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

Ruger's popular American bolt-action rifle has been a hit with hunters for years. This year, the rifle will be chambered in 7mm PRC, the hot new load that was a hit at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. In the video above, Matt Willson of Ruger highlights the features with Game & Fish's John Taranto.

Marlin is back in the game with the re-introduction of the classic 336 and 1894 lever-action hunting rifles. Eric Lundgren of Ruger, which now owns Marlin, highlights the features of both rifles with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. The Model 336 is expected to be launched soon; the Model 1894 should launch this spring.

The National Wild Turkey Federation's mission to conserve wild turkey and preserve hunting heritage is still going strong after a half-century. In the above video, NWTF's Jason Burckhalter talks about the group's accomplishments and future plans with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. Among the accomplishments includes the recently concluded Save the Habitat, Save the Hunt initiative, which in 10 years conserved or enhanced 5.3 million acres of critical wildlife habitat, recruited 1.5 million new or lapsed hunters, and opened new access to 750,000 acres for hunting and recreation. The NWTF is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Spot and range targets without wasting valuable seconds switching between gear with Luepold's new rangefinder binocular, the BX-4 Range HD. In the video above, Leopold's Shawn Skipper highlights the features of the exciting new optics with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

Browning Ammunition has two big-game hunting loads new for 2023 that are effective on a wide range of species: the Max Point and Silver Series. Nathan Simmons of Browning and Game & Fish's John Taranto take a closer look at both cartridges at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

The 360 Buckhammer cartridge is designed for lever-action rifles and will be available in two Remington Core-Lokt loads. Key features include muzzle velocities of 2,215-2,400 fps. Available in 180- and 200-grain sizes. Learn more in the video above, with Remington's Joel Hodgdon and Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

Browning's Rafę Nielsen shares details on the new X-Bolt Pro LR McMillan hunting rifle with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

Ken Vitale with Buck Knives chats with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller about two new hunting knives for 2023—the purpose-built Alpha and PakLite series. At SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

The new 7mm Precision Rifle Cartridge from Hornady is available in three loads (160 gr. CX Outfitter, 180 gr. ELD Match, and 175 gr. ELD-X Precision Hunter). Hornady's Seth Swerczek goes in depth about the new cartridge with Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

The new Frontier, available in 8x42 and 10x42, has all the range-finding capabilities a hunter needs. Game & Fish Editorial Director Adam Heggenstaller gets more info from Hawke's Paige Shipe at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas.

LaRue's Ethan Alexander talks about the Siete's features with Game & Fish's Adam Heggenstaller at SHOT Show 2023 in Las Vegas. The rifle has five caliber offerings, two barrel choices and three different riser stocks. Features quick-change barrel system.

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