I have never field dressed a deer. In my situation, I just don't see the point. It's only a couple of miles to get them where we dress them out. We cut the legs off at the knees and get the skinning started on the tail gate of the pickup and then hang them upside down, finish skinning and then gut them. It just seems easier that way to me. Now, if I had a long way to go, or it was going to be a couple of hours til I got them dressed, it might be a different story.