RE: Gutting techniques
I FD my game. First get the animal on its back, then place legs outside mine, by bending and flexing out my knees I can spread them apart for more room. I start low - on female at the milk bag cut away to the the ham and remove, male I loosen the sex organs (don't remove though), then expose the ham. I pull the belly fat out and away from the guts take my knife upside down and angled back and run up to the brisket. If mounting I will stop here, if not I then skin out the brisket area & saw for more room(in this method I expose the trach and cut as high as possible). I then split the pelvis with a sagen saw and gently push the legs outward to spread the pelvic opening. I will then release the diaphragm. I simply grab the trach and pull straight down and out the pelvic opening, everthing will usually come out in one heap, if not I help it along in the stomach, bladder, etc. Once outside I release the anus by cuting down to tail and drain the cavity. Here we must suffix a meat, hide and in either sex/male tag a additonal antler seal to the harvested animal. I knotch my tags date/month, attach the hide seal to the brisket flap and antler seal. I place the meat seal in the tarsal or scent gland region, using a seperate knife or if done hunting I will use the same knife I remove scent glands and attach my meat seal. If available I will place snow in the cavity for the drag and prior to loading in the truck dump this from the inner cavity. If hunting more and early I will remove the flaps to help with cooling in the stomach area and prop the brisket open with a stick or similar. I will also keep the inner hams seperated some as well for travel, but not open to protect from dirt, etc.
Once home I hang with hock up, skin with a clean knife and wipe down the carcass to remove hairs from the skinning process. If bladder, popper or guts where affected in anyway I wash with clean water ASAP to ensure no taint to the exposed meat. I always wash down the inside with cool water and let drain, due to the snow method, dragging, etc. I like my carcass to be spic and span clean when finished.