Field Dressing a Deer

[remrug]

Sounds like you have enough advice about field dressing.I have advice for getting your deer out of the woods.I bought one of those plastic boats designed for towing behind a kayak holding decoys.It was $60 at Dicks.It makes it much easier dragging,easier getting deer in and out of your vehicle and the blood stays contained in the sled.

 

[kalister1]

Any knife from an X-Acto on up will get it done. Any bigger than 4" and you might just loose a finger.
My buddy showed me a good job last year.
Hang the deer up by the hind legs, put a 5 gallon bucket under it and everything drops right into the bucket.
Plus one for the Butt out, cheap looking little orange plastic thing. Push it all the way in, give it a couple turns until it bites, then pull out slow.

 

[tsmith1499]

they make me have every shooter on my paperwork and i MUST tag and call in every deer and then report them in blocks of 30 deer ( a page worth) and they send me new pages and then i must report yearly. maybe others do it different but i dont want to mess mine up and loose it.

I understand and will double and triple check the process before hunting. I was just going by what the owner had told me. Thanks though for that info.

 

[44man]

I understand and will double and triple check the process before hunting. I was just going by what the owner had told me. Thanks though for that info.

just didnt want anyone to make a mistake and loose their permit, its cool to be able to shoot them cockroaches all year long. you cant get em all but give it a shot and the farmer will be happy as a hog in slop. deer and ground hogs cost me many thousands of dollars every year despite shooting them by the truck load.

 

[Oldcarjunkie]

That's the exact knife I have. The orange is a life saver in brown woods

As cheap as they are, I'm going to pick up a few more to have around.

Yes Sir. I let my buddy use mine on the last deer, he loved it so i bought him one and gave it to his wife to give to him last Christmas. If you guys want other colors they have a few more, green and blue and i think one or two more .

 

[Franklin]

Any knife from an X-Acto on up will get it done. Any bigger than 4" and you might just loose a finger.
My buddy showed me a good job last year.
Hang the deer up by the hind legs, put a 5 gallon bucket under it and everything drops right into the bucket.
Plus one for the Butt out, cheap looking little orange plastic thing. Push it all the way in, give it a couple turns until it bites, then pull out slow.

I have always used buck 119's and still have all my fingers and can cut out a deers ass faster than you can get the but out tool out of your bag. they are great if you dont mind digging for crap you don't need all the time.

A tin wash tub or one of those colored buckets with rope handle works alot better. you can keep the head and neck inside those without struggling with it and having blood clots all over the place.

 

[Franklin]

Yes Sir. I let my buddy use mine on the last deer, he loved it so i bought him one and gave it to his wife to give to him last Christmas. If you guys want other colors they have a few more, green and blue and i think one or two more .

the dexter sani safes are really nice too.

 

[kalister1]

I have always used buck 119's and still have all my fingers and can cut out a deers ass faster than you can get the but out tool out of your bag. they are great if you dont mind digging for crap you don't need all the time.

A tin wash tub or one of those colored buckets with rope handle works alot better. you can keep the head and neck inside those without struggling with it and having blood clots all over the place.

While I know what you are saying, you did NOT just ask what knife to use. I take it you have done more than just one or two?
Did you learn how to drive in a NASCAR CUP car?

 

[Franklin]

While I know what you are saying, you did NOT just ask what knife to use. I take it you have done more than just one or two?
Did you learn how to drive in a NASCAR CUP car?

Nascar is for sissies, that is why all the good dirt car drivers go to nascar to get a peice of the easy life!
however, i learned to skin deer with a buck 119 and a shrade walden fixed blade and the only knives i have ever cut myself with skinning/gutting were small ones.

 

[Gunny1]

A sharp knife and gloves all I need.

That's all I have used for 40 years.

 

[byf43]

A very good friend of mine made a knife for me, that looks an awful lot like this (only nicer looking).



He called it a "Pecos Blade".
He also put Rosewood scales on it.

This blade is about as long as my index finger (about 4") and is PERFECT for field dressing and skinning a deer.
Razor sharp.


For gloves, I buy a box of the blue 'mechanics gloves' at PepBoys and keep several pairs in my backpack, along with a sharpener.

I only need to 'touch up' the blade after I'm done.

 

[Bountied]

All I use is my 3.5" buck knife with the reversed blade and drop point combo. Then a hack saw for the pelvic bone and spine. Other than that I just cut a hole, split it open, rip all the crap out, and try not to barf all over my deer. Once it's gutted hang it up skin it remove inside tender loins, back straps. I then take the four quartes to get turned into sausage and burger unless I'm making jerky.

 

[remrug]

I have noticed that most people who gag when gutting deer say its the smell that gets to them.Learn how to breath thru your mouth only.Completely shot off your nostrills and you wont smell a thing.

 

[Franklin]

All I use is my 3.5" buck knife with the reversed blade and drop point combo. Then a hack saw for the pelvic bone and spine. Other than that I just cut a hole, split it open, rip all the crap out, and try not to barf all over my deer. Once it's gutted hang it up skin it remove inside tender loins, back straps. I then take the four quartes to get turned into sausage and burger unless I'm making jerky.

what makes you want to barf about it? the warm blood on your hands?

 

[cpc1027]

I have noticed that most people who gag when gutting deer say its the smell that gets to them.Learn how to breath thru your mouth only.Completely shot off your nostrills and you wont smell a thing.

Excellent advice

 

[IndispensableDestiny]

I use a shank a buddy made while doing time in the big house.

 

[wilcam47]

what makes you want to barf about it? the warm blood on your hands?

Ive never gotten sick from gutting a deer....while it stinks if you cut the stomach you just move back and get some fresh air. but picking up cat puke or crap makes me gag

 

[fscwi]

I once had to use the broadhead on my arrow after losing my knife. I removed 2 of the broadhead blades to make it a single cutting edge and it was like having a real short knife blade. It worked well enough to get the majority of the innerds out and make the drag out of the woods lighter.

 

[MeatGrinder]

I have a Swiss Army knife, specifically the Camper model. It's in my pocket seven days a week. I have dressed untold numbers of deer with it and even an elk. The built in saw is handy for the pelvic bone.

I got tired of carrying in specialty gear to the woods. It was too much weight and not necessary.

To the OP, like you are hearing, there are multiple ways. Don't over complicate it and know that the first few will go slow. The real bottom line is that the guts are on the inside and need to be removed. Don't over think it.

 

[Dantheman]

Best method Ive found is to not split the ribs or pelvic bone. Just reach up into the throat and cut the wind pipe. My processor told me he can get more meat off the carcass and it keeps dirt and debris out while dragging.

I find not splitting the pelvic bone better also as its the number one place to collect dirt during the drag out. Instead cut the anus out with a break-off blade utility knife. Most knives are no where near sharp enough the cleanly cut around the anus. And beside, you can use the blade and pop a fresh one on for the next deer.