To answer your question, NO! I don't think it should be mandatory. I always field dress my deer, except the last one I got - last year. A friend was with me who always brags about how fast and good he is at dressing out a deer, so I watched. Honestly, he did it exactly how I do it, so nothing learned there. J

If I’m hunting with you and you get one and are timid about field dressing, stand back. I’ll gut it for you. It’s really not that big a deal. I’ve only skinned one. Most time I take it to a butcher hide on.

I would never even drag the thing in until after field dress. I have heard of guys doing this, but to me, the sooner you get those guts out and the meat cooling, the better.