At Kodiak Island Smokehouse, we’ve processed thousands of pounds of wild game over the years — from Sitka blacktail deer and mountain goats taken right here on Kodiak, to Roosevelt elk harvested on nearby Raspberry and Afognak Islands, and moose flown in from the Alaskan mainland. This calculator is built from real data gathered in our shop and refined to reflect the conditions hunters see in Alaska’s coastal climate — high humidity, variable weather, and the unique handling needs of wild game.

Hunters ask us these questions all the time at the shop: How much meat does a deer yield? How much finished meat can I expect from a caribou, elk, moose, or mountain goat? How much does shot damage or trim loss change the final amount? And once an animal is already quartered or boned out, what might it have weighed live? Sometimes it’s practical. Sometimes it’s curiosity. And sometimes, it’s just a little friendly bragging rights.

That’s what this calculator is built to help estimate. Enter just a few details, choose where you are in the process, and it will give you a quick finished-meat estimate while working backward through the likely weights at each stage — from boneless trim to quarters, carcass, field-dressed weight, and live weight.

These numbers are estimates. Real yields vary with species, age, season, shot placement, field care, and trim preferences. Clean, well-cared-for game often finishes a bit higher.

Game Yield Estimator
Game Yield Estimator

Quick, conservative estimates for boneless finished meat based on where you are in the process.

Stages: Live → Field-dressed → Skinned & Headed (carcass) → Quarters (bone-in) → Boneless trim.
Guide: 0–2% pristine field care; 5–10% typical lung/heart shot with minimal field contamination (little to no dirt, hair, or fluid contact); 10–20% one shoulder or rib damage and/or moderate field contamination (some dirt/hair, light gut or fluid contact); 20–35% both shoulders, multiple hits, heavy bone fragmentation, or extensive field contamination (gut/bile contact, widespread debris, prolonged warm hold).
10%

Results

Disclaimer: These are estimates. Actual yields vary by species, size/age, sex, time of year, bullet/arrow placement, field care, trim preferences , and how much natural fat the animal carried.