Field dressing

[kyoutdoorsman]

What's you go to knife , and skinning and deboneing

 

[keith meador]

Can you field dress one with out getting sick, lol I have seen grown men puke trying to do it. Like me.

What part of the process bothers you? Smell, or the sight of the blood and guts?
Have you tried hanging the deer to field dress it? I have found it to be much easier than wrestling one around on the ground.

 

[keith meador]

What's you go to knife , and skinning and deboneing

Sharp! Brand doesn't matter. I use Gerber, Buck, Kershaw, and Case. Whatever I have in my pack at the time. To debone, I use 6" fillet knives. When I remove the skin, I use a rope and a golf ball. Peel the skin back on the neck, wrap the flap around a golf ball, tie it off, then pull the skin off. You can use an ATV/UTV, vehicle, or even a riding mower. No hair, and it's quick and easy.

 

[davers]

I could eat a bologna sandwich or a can of Vienna's while field dressing one

The only bad thing about field dressing a Deer is doing it in a cold drizzling rain, in the evening. The hauling it back to your truck.

 

[bstickin1]

If I have a drag ahead I don't cut pelvis or sternum. I just remove what I can pull out through the belly cut.

That's what I always do too. I only pack a small pocket knife and can get the whole job from field dressing to skinning to deboning done with it. I have been known to cut a few fingers reaching in to cut their windpipe/esophagus. I figure a little deer blood mixed in your system helps you think more like a deer lol.

 

[bstickin1]

I use a Buck drop point blade that has a gut hook on the back side. No worries for me. In fact, i have 3 of them.

Deer guts dont even approach the odor of a rabbit. Those things are the worst i have dealt with.

You don't milk your rabbits as soon as you kill them? Just start squeezing at the ribs and work your way to their back legs. The guts will pop right out their butt. Makes them a little lighter packing too plus helps keep them fresh on warm days if you're going to be out for a while.

 

[Bubbles]

Nope. I have seen it done one time and thought it was a weird thing to do. Yesterday one that i shot had a tiny piece of guts hanging out so instead of making a mess in my new vest i just reached in, pulled them all out and hung them in a tree. And yes....the stomach was punctured. Ugh

 

[Chimpy]

LOL breath through your mouth and not your nose.

you have the ability to do that without holding your nose.

wear rubber gloves (I never have, but I figure it'll make you feel better)

The biggest thing is tread very lightly around the guts of the deer. Open the deer up from butt to sternum and let the guts go where they want to go and take your knife and slice the membrane that separates the "guts" from the lungs/heart(lower cavity/upper cavity. Once you got that membrane severed (all the way around the rib cage) then reach waaaaayyyyyyy up in there above the heart with one hand and then with the other hand go just a bit further with your knife (depending on how far you opened the deer up....you could be elbow deep at this point) and slice the windpipe and anything else holding the heart, lungs, liver in place. After that...just pull the heart, lungs and liver out and you can basically turn the deer over and it'll all fall out. Whalla...done. Then walk to closest creek and rinse off blood and such from your arms and knife. Yeah, water is pretty cold right now but cold water gets blood out good.

Also, The heart and liver (if not shot up) make great table fare as some others on here would probably attest to. Pickled deer heart is great. Fried Liver is really good.

Pretty much how I do it. I always start by cutting out the butthole, then work my way up. Don't use my knife very much .I believe the membrane you're referring to is the diaphragm, but I could be wrong. Once I make the tracheal and esophageal cut at the top the rest just peels right out. Takes 5 minutes and is clean as can be. I'm sure everyone has a different way that works well.

 

[Mt Pokt]

I use the golf-ball for skinning. Quick and painless.

If you don't want to reach up in the cavity to cut the esophagus and wind pipe; go to the base of the neck/sternum, stick your knife in and sweep across. I use a Buck 110 or 118 and either has plenty of blade to do this. It'll usually cut everything free and no blood on your elbows.

 

[hollandhunter]

I dont remember the last deer i actually field dressed to be honest. Growing up i always did as soon as i kilked a deer no matter the temp or situation. But i found out later in life you dont have to in alot of cases. Only thing you cant get it the inside tenderlions. An to be frank most people dont even eat them anyway. An there usually small compared to the outside back straps. I can get both hams,both shoulders,both tenderlions,and neck meat for jerky if i want it in about 15minutes or less if i dont field dress it. Just gotta peel the hide back and go to cutting. Hams are a little tricky getting the ball cord cut but other then that its far easier. An you just do one side at a time. I dont even hang a deer unless i want to cape it. Only way i would field dress one today is if it was hot out and i didnt have time to cut it up right then or something. But even early season if i kill a deer on my places i can usually have it in a cooler on ice quartered in less then a hr and that includes the ride to the house. Then i just dispose of the carcuss with the guts still in it. I have deer on my wall that i killed and never field dressed and the meat was just fine as well.
As far as the smell it doesnt bother me regardless. I grew up killing deer and it just never phased me. I can clean one and go right inside and eat it for dinner. You guys that are timid of the smell of the guts holler at me if you have any questions. I could teach you how to cut one up without exposing the guts.

 

[OLE RASPY]

I don’t field dress anymore. I get the inner loins out to. Just have to push the guts down a little to get them.

 

[ky.longbeard]

Not the most pleasant thing in the world.....but it has never made me sick !

 

[carnivore]

I dont remember the last deer i actually field dressed to be honest. Growing up i always did as soon as i kilked a deer no matter the temp or situation. But i found out later in life you dont have to in alot of cases. Only thing you cant get it the inside tenderlions. An to be frank most people dont even eat them anyway. An there usually small compared to the outside back straps. I can get both hams,both shoulders,both tenderlions,and neck meat for jerky if i want it in about 15minutes or less if i dont field dress it. Just gotta peel the hide back and go to cutting. Hams are a little tricky getting the ball cord cut but other then that its far easier. An you just do one side at a time. I dont even hang a deer unless i want to cape it. Only way i would field dress one today is if it was hot out and i didnt have time to cut it up right then or something. But even early season if i kill a deer on my places i can usually have it in a cooler on ice quartered in less then a hr and that includes the ride to the house. Then i just dispose of the carcuss with the guts still in it. I have deer on my wall that i killed and never field dressed and the meat was just fine as well.
As far as the smell it doesnt bother me regardless. I grew up killing deer and it just never phased me. I can clean one and go right inside and eat it for dinner. You guys that are timid of the smell of the guts holler at me if you have any questions. I could teach you how to cut one up without exposing the guts.

You leave the inner tenders and the heart?
Fine eating right there mister. That is usually our celebratory kill meal.
I have had the piss bag bust, soak the inner tenderloins, ruining them. Sucks!

 

[carnivore]

Can you field dress one with out getting sick, lol I have seen grown men puke trying to do it. Like me.

I got to laughing watching my buddy making weird gag noises gutting a gut-shot deer. Was pretty funny. A few days later he killed another clean heart shot but ended up nicking the stomach with his pocket knife. The stomach contents erupted right at his face. He got to puking and i was crying from laughing so hard. SOB moved to cleveland. I need another hunting buddy with a weak stomach. Good times lol.

 

[reivertom]

Never had a problem. I have to admit there can be some strong aromas in certain instances....