field dressing a deer

[PmDavis300]

so ive never field dressed a deer... but i have a general idea how to do it, and ive watched some videos on you tube. Do you think ill be able to dress the deer successfully? also, has anyone else ever been in this situation?

[machohorn]

Just remember, do not cut too deep, the smell will get you if you hit the stomach. You will be just fine, also trim very carefull around the back end of the animal. cut around anus, split the tail bone and pull very gently.

[picksbigwagon]

You will be fine, it will seem overwhelming at first, and you might feel a bit squeamish as well if you aren't used to the "smell" as my buddy says. If you have ever changed a kids messy diapers, the smell won't get to ya.

Take your time, watch you knife and the diaphragm is a tough muscle to pull away.......It will not be a clean job, so take off your coat, roll up you sleeves, and carry a pair or 3 of latex gloves in your pants pockets. if the gloves get cold they rip....

[BobT]

I don't usually split the pelvic bone but instead just cut around the anus and pull it through. There's a tool that you can get that simplifies this process nicely but I can't recall what it's called.

Another tip. If you do happen to cut the stomach or gut shoot one, rinse out the cavity as soon as possible. If there's snow on the ground use it to clean the cavity as best you can. The contents from the stomach will taint the meat faster than urine.

[snapcrackpop]

Careful cutting up through the sternum (if you choose to take out the windpipe) that you don't stab yourself. Wedge open the chest with a stick to make reaching easier. One or two bystanders can help a lot(holding the legs).

Use the pointing finger and middle finger to make a V and slide your knife between them as you cut up to the chest. Angle the point towards the head. This will minimize the amount of hair you cut.

But most importantly take lots of pictures BEFORE you gut it!

[buckx37x]

just go slow and be careful around the bladder. really not to hard,have a very sharp knife makes the job easier.

[reelguy]

I too am a newbie to this, but not quite as green. I watched a few deer being dressed before I did my own and certainly learned a lot. I got into deer hunting in my 20's and have only shot a few deer so I am no expert by any means. I like to cut open the chest and pelvic bone to see better. The only part I struggle with is the anus. I keep meaning to buy one of those "butt outs" or whatever it is called as mentioned above. You just don't want to cut too deep there too. My best advice is to take your time even though its cold out. Thats why the extra pair of rubber gloves come in handy if you need to take a break and warm your hands. If you can, have someone that has done it before by your side helping you (as long as they are patient!)

[Bucksnort101]

If you've ever cleaned a duck the smell of a deer will not bother you;)

Like others said roll up your sleeves and take your time. One tool I like to use to split the pelvis and chest cavity is a little Gerber E-Z Saw.

[JacobMHD]

The best advice I can give is take your time and remember that everything is connected. It is a lot easier to pull it all out at once than it is to take it out in pieces. Once the cavity is opened and the diaphragm is cut out, reach up into the neck and cut the esophagus and pull straight back towards the back legs. In my experience, everything should come out with a tug or two.

[hunter991]

As far as the windpipe goes, if you aren't mounting the head, just pick the neck on the outside and feel for the windpipe. Cut it from the outside then you don't have to reach all the way up inside the deer. Its much faster and cleaner.

[PmDavis300]

Thanks for all the tips, ill try and keep them in mind... hoping i get one this year

[mrklean]

Just dont cut the turd sack or urine sack or its gonna be a tough day for you

[BobT]

Quote:

As far as the windpipe goes, if you aren't mounting the head, just pick the neck on the outside and feel for the windpipe. Cut it from the outside then you don't have to reach all the way up inside the deer. Its much faster and cleaner.

I'll have to try that. Never considered it before. Nice idea.

Another tip. I always have a bag of latex gloves along. Keeps you a lot cleaner.

As far as getting cold hands. You've got one nice heater laying on the ground at your feet. Use it to warm your hands. For me, I'm usually too excited to get cold hands most of the time.

[muskyhunter57]

I am sure you will be hunting with some one that has done this before and they will guide you through it. Be careful where you set your knife. In all of your excitement you might lose track of it(Happened) inside the body cavity and have an unfortunate situation in which all the blood on your clothes does not belong the deer.

[crappieflop30]

i started deer hunting last year so i have gutted one myself and watched thoe other. the sharp knife makes life a lot easier. i got one of those swingblades and the skinning knife makes it a lot easier to cut up to the chest without hitting the stomach. coming from a rookie, my best advise is to just take your time. it isn't nearly as difficult as i thought it would be. like mentioned earlier, it really helps to have someone there to hold the legs (and help you drag the deer out) good luck!

[fivebucks]

I like to use those shoulder length gutting gloves but I make sure to use latex surgical type gloves over the store bought things. Try to keep your knife hand as free of blood as you can so the knife is less likely to slip.

[PmDavis300]

I like to use those shoulder length gutting gloves but I make sure to use latex surgical type gloves over the store bought things. Try to keep your knife hand as free of blood as you can so the knife is less likely to slip.

ya i have some of those long gloves

[skolfoppa]

Sharp knives are key. It isn't a pleasant experience to begin with so having the correct tools to do the job as quickly as possible will expedite the process. Bring a plastic garbage bag or some disposable clothes to change into so your nice hunting clothes stay nice. Just keep thinking about how tasty those loins and backstaps will cook up. Good luck. Skol.

[paul pachowicz]

If you really insist on using gloves go to a vet shoppe and get a few pairs of OB gloves. They are rather large and will fit over your outter garments pretty easy. They use them for preg testing cattle. You can secure them around your shoulder area with the larger type alligator clips. I've used these gloves to cover bandages when I had an operation on my hand and had to work in wet wells in our pump houses.

[SM1]

Lots of good advise here. You will become better with experience but there's only one way to gain that!

I actually like to gut deer, but I was a little timid of it right when I started deer hunting. So now between my party and myself, I end up dressing out several each year. This is just a guess but I would say ive dressed out 50+ in my 16 years of hunting deer.

Through that experience, here is a tip:

My knife blade only cuts soft tissue (hide, muscle, etc.) and all bone (rib cage, pelvis) gets cut with a sagen saw.

For one, this really save's on your knife as to not dull it. I have seen too many people get cut bad by trying to use the knife blade to break the pelvis and slash through the ribs/sternum...so safety is a factor here.

Many ways to skin a cat, I mean gut a deer, but this is what I like to do.

[paul pachowicz]

Using one knive for soft tissue is what I do as well. However, now laugh it ya want, I have an old Buck that I use for the ribs and aitch bone (it's NOT a "H" bone). I carry a small tap hammer to get thru the aitch bone by using the tip of the blade on each side of the ridge then press hard on both side of the rounds After I got the supportive tissues cut I just drag the whole deal out and it slips thru the gap, anal canal and all. I'll see a few carcasses brought in with the anal canal still in it. It costs 10 bucks for me to remove, 20, if I gag and 50 if I puke.

[GottaGo]

Lots of good advice hear, I field dressed my first deer alone without ever seeing anybody do it before. I had pictures how to do it right next to me as I was doing it to help guide me along and overall it went pretty well. My main tip is there are many ways to do it. Your main goal is to get the guts out so it can cool down, you don't have to follow a text book to do it. Find what works for you and go with it.

[USDA3]

One of the greatest things to have in my opinion, and was mentioned earlier, is the gerber EZ saw, about $10 and worth way more than that for safety and speed. Also won't break the tip of your knife on the pelvic bone especially on larger deer that have a larger bone.

Cuts through sternum and pelvis quickly and easily. I have used the B out tool and doesn't seem to me to give you that much of an advantage in cleanly removing the anus without puncture. I rather take the time to fully cut around it before i cut the pelvis.

if the opportunity is there another person helps to keep the deer flat on its back, but also i prefer a little bit of an incline so that everything runs down as you pull toward the rear end.

Also someone mentioned he diaphram being hard to tear out. i would reccomend as you pull down/out with the organs/stomach use your knife to cut the diaphram as it is exposed, once it is free from the cage, the rest will slowly and cleanly tear out and if you have cut the pelvic bone, you may have to cut a little around the anus as you pull it all downhill.

take your time!

[KidWalleye]

When I first started hunting I went to Gander to watch Bill Hesselgrave Process a deer. I bought his DVD. It shows in my opinion the best way to field dress and process a deer. I've seen alot of the videos on youtubealso. I don't like to get into the bone structure. I cut around the anus until it pulls out about 6 inches then tie a string around it. Then when I pull the gut sack out it pulls through easy. This way the meat isn't exposed. And it stay perfectly clean. I don't get itno the sternum either. Just reach up and find the wind pipe and cut (carefully!!!). I would recommend Bills DVD to anyone and I've already watched it this year. And will watch it at least one more time before next weekend. Good Luck.

Kid

[BRULEDRIFTER]

+1 on the Hesselgrave video! He's completely changed my style of gutting and processing.

Buy this video, FOR SURE! (best $10 ever spent)Especially if you're completely new to it.... You might as well learn how to do it the 'right' way!

Good luck!