elgallo114

Howdy all, been quite a while for me. I'm trying to find a video or DVD that deals specifically with field dressing hogs. I've found several big game videos, but none that specified pigs. I need to brush up and my son who will begin hunting this year wants to do all his own field dressing. Since it's been about 8 years since I've done this, I figured I'd better do some more learnin before I go out. Thanks for any help.

elgallo114

Let me revise my post above. It's actually been about 12 years since I've done this (when did I get old?). I've dressed about a dozen pigs, but as you can imagine, the first several were done with a lot of help from the buddy who got me into the sport, and that was a long time ago. I don't want to go into the field unprepared to teach my son. I've seen some articles on dressing pigs and they seem different in some respects to dressing a deer. Is this true, or were they just different methods? Can I expect to use the same technique as on a deer without running the risk of ruining some meat?

Georgetownboys

Maybe I don't do things right, but I hang Pigs and Deer the same way. Back legs high and spread apart. I do them both the same, Start as the anus and start to peal the skin down to the head. Sharp knife. Once the skin is off get into the belly, be careful not to poke any thing. Cut around the anus etc. and remove the intestine, bladder etc. along with the rest of the guts.

I do hose the pigs down real well before I start. Takes some of the stink and fleas away.

Not sure what else to say. . .

Enjoy. . .

elgallo114

Thanks. I'm sure it'll all come back to me. Just want to make sure.

Rebel Hog

Rebel Hog

LATEX GLOVES

Skinning of Wild Hog Leads To Disease
BACKGROUND: A 27 year old forester field-dressed and quartered several whitetail deer and feral hogs after a successful hunt at his deer camp one winter day in the South.
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS: Adept with a skinning knife, this young hunter was considered very skilled among his friends in cleaning and dressing game.
UNSAFE ACT OR CONDITION: In spite of his experience, he was unaware that a wild hog he was cleaning was infected with a bacteria that causes Brucellosis, and that he could contract this and other diseases simply by touching the contaminated meat. Since he was not wearing latex gloves, a nick or briar scratch on his hands or arms would provide enough of a cut for infection to result.
Brucellosis, commonly known as "Undulant Fever" in humans, can be transmitted from animals to man by handling infected animals or by drinking contaminated, unpasteurized milk. In the 1930s, the disease reached epidemic proportions among cattle in the U.S.
USDA workers traveled from farm to farm across the country slaughtering infected livestock. As a result, Brucellosis is now rare among farm animals, although livestock veterinarians continue to wear gloves and take precautions.
The incubation period for Brucellosis varies but averages 2 weeks in man. Early signs are chills, fever, headache, malaise, neck and back pain, diarrhea, and muscle aches. These symptoms, particularly fever, will fluctuate for weeks. The victim will seem to get well only to have the symptoms recur, in many cases, frequently. Brucellosis is rarely fatal in humans, but serious complications can lead to meningitis, encephalitis, liver disease, and spinal cord damage.
ACCIDENT/INJURY: At first, the afficted forester complained of back pain and his physician, believing that he had pulled a muscle, prescribed pain killers. When this medication was ineffective, the hunter was admitted to the hospital for tests. Because bovine brucellosis has been nearly eradicated in the U.S. and its symptoms often mimic common diseases, the real cause of his ailment was not initially detected. The numbness and tingling in his legs and back became more and more pronounced. After several days of tests, the parient was walking across his hospital room when he collapsed to the floor. An MRI revealed a mass the size of a grapefruit growing from his spinal column and pressing into his lungs. After hours of surgery, doctors were able to remove the mass. Cultures taken from it finally identified the cause of his disease. Fortunately, the forester recovered fully and was able to return to work.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTION: Always wear latex gloves while cleaning and dressing wild game. When finished, scrub your hands and arms carefully with antibacterial soap to kill any lingering bacteria. Thoroughly cook all meat -- from wild game and domestic livestock -- before eating. -- Courtest American Pulpwood Assn. as printed in SAFETY FOCUS.

burniegoeasily

Do it just like a deer, or anyother animal. Id suggest to wear gloves, hogs carry hook worms. Better safe than sorry.

Dengle

I've seen several write-ups talking of tying off the anus with rope and then skinning them. Is this common? Or do you just cut the skin around it and then skin them like a deer?

elgallo114

Thanks! I knew I could count on you guys to help me out.

cayugad

very interesting post everyone... I've never had the pleasure to hunt hogs although I have always dreamed of doing so. I never even thought about the possibility of getting a disease from the wild hog when cleaning them. I have skinned, and butcherd more domestic hogs then I care to remember maybe that is the reason for my stupidity. Thanks for the wake up call. I just figured you would gut them like you would a whitetail deer, and then after you got them home, hang them, skin them (I vowed I'd never boil and scrape another one), and then let them age until you're ready to butcher.....