These are excellent posts! Thanks guys. This will really help me tremendously. Why? I'm a total newbie.

* Never field dressed a deer.
* Never even <u>shot</u> a deer, for that matter (bow or gun).
* Totally clueless on what to do.

You might remember the post I submitted where I had a nice 8 pointer staring me down at 30 yards. It was like he *knew* I was there, hiding out in the fallen down oak tree, and he kept his body perfectly straight ahead to me (what was I to do? Take a chest shot with my bow?) before he took off after a doe.

<u>Let's recall this event and do some scenarios</u>.

Let's say the 8 point buck DID turn broadsides to me.
Let's say I DID zing a 125gr Thunderhead at him and got a perfect double-lung clean hit.
Let's say he scampers across that dove field and collapses near the woods on the other side.

1) How much time do I have to field dress him?
2) How soon before I can put him in the back of my truck to the check station and then onto a processing/butcher shop?

Thanks. Hey Taz, when I do get my first buck, I'm gonna call you with a million questions! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>

Butch