At one time my Bride and I canned about anything I'd drag in. We have done ducks, suckers, steelhead, salmon, deer, bear, elk, squirrel, and, if memory serves me, goose. Canning chunks of smallgame is fine, it is a pain pre-pressure cooking it and picking the meat off the bones to can. Just pick it off the bones when you open the jar...... and pop it in your mouth instead. It never bothered me much, but the rest of the family didn't dig it at all. I ordered one of those huge All American 941 canners a few weeks back. I hope to receive it in time to can a couple deer. The darn thing holds 30+ pints at a whack.

You’ll like that canner when you get it. I’m the same way with bones. Depending on the canned meat at the time a bowl for bones is on the table at dinner time. I’ve done both ways, I personally think the bones add to the flavor of the meat.

I’m not “safe” when I can anything. I go by the book exactly. I have three books I use and a couple website, all the same, but between the three everything I can is covered. Most everything canned is already over cooked anyway to limit liability of the authors and the FDA for recommendations they’ve printed over the years. I don’t add time or pressure. Already don’t have enough time as it is. Adding pressure needlessly adds to the risk of jar failure, it’s an atmospheric thing to reach the needed internal temperatures. If it makes people feel warm and fuzzy inside though, do’er, to’er. Just understand it’s not needed at all.



Owl

If at anytime during the canning process your pressure would drop below 10 pounds you have to start the whole process over. I can at 15 pounds so I don’t have to keep such a close eye on the canner. If for some reason the canner should fall below 15 pounds, even all the way down to 10 pounds, which has never happened, I don’t have to start over. I find it easier to can at the higher pressure and not have the concern of dropping below 10 pounds.

yes you can , can small game, i do it all the time , i cook it with a mushroom gravy ,an then put it in jar's and pour gravy over the top , 15 pounds for 90 min.

we can a lot deer fish rabbit and (geese it turns them from tough to tender)

No! it melts in your mouth LOL

Thanks for all the input . I love canned venison with gravy and mashed potatoes , I might try several different critters this fall - winter. Maybe a few beaver if I can get up north for awhile . might be a good way to make goose still haven't found a good recipe for them !