I have never killed one....covered that in another post....have helped some friends track down their kills, and have helped more than a few out of the woods.(at 6'2 210 lbs. I seem to get that call more often than invitations to hunt.) have gutted some on the spot, and have waited to gut them till we had dragged them out. My question is do you suggest gutting them on the spot ( and does the gut pile hurt future hunting efforts?) or gutting them elsewhere. Also, since bowhunting can be rather warm weather in my area, how long do you wait before butchering in different temperatures?

Thanks,
David

Get the guts out of them as quickly as is practical...I've heard stories of people leaving the gut's in you hunting area only to have deer walk right by but "comon sense" would sugest you should try to avoid that senerio if posible....Welcome to the forum...Fletch

KEEP THE WIND IN YOUR FACE.... FLETCH

This is a pretty good topic and I am sure you will receive alot of different answers. It has been my experience to at least drag them a few yards away from where you hunt before you start to gut, however alot of my friends gut where they lie and said that the deer would walk right over the guts and not stop. The only way I think that it might could hurt would be the fact that gut piles bring in the coyotes or other small critters and that tends to make deer really nervous. Also I am not sure where you are hunting but here in Texas during bow season it is sometimes really hot, it is best to gut as soon as you can. Good luck hunting

i have always dragged out to a certain spot to gut . i have gutted in the woods and they typically dont walk right pasted. they smell it form a ways away and avoid the area. also, idont know what to tell you about butchering. i shoot at night, cut up the next day.
HUNT SAFE

Hi Texas hunter, I'm a Texan as well, where's your lease and how bout those "Houston Texans".....Fletch

KEEP THE WIND IN YOUR FACE.... FLETCH

i gut em where they fall...i think the PA law says it has to be gutted and tagged before movingi am not at home so i cant check in hte book....i know for sure it has to be tagged before moving...butr i do both right there...ive kicked deer out bedded feet from a gut pile so they cant be that botherd!

I gut as soon as posible on the edge of the field. We have to take our harvest into town to check them in and I'll stop by a quick shop and fill the chest cavity down with ice to help cool down. I've used a guy with a walk in freezer in the past and he would quarter it and hang in the freezer before I would leave. Then butcher first, second, etc, etc.

That gives me an idea. still havn't figured when I'm gonna gut em. Don't want to spook any other deer, and also don't want to leave a stink pile on my neighbors land (15 acres right behind my house that I have been allowed to hunt this year.) But I just had a refrigerator in the garage repaired...I could quarter it after checking it, stick it in the fridge and do the rest of the butchering that night before sticking it in the freezer. Guess I could always gut it closer to the house, and sack the guts up and take em to the dump.....

Seanshooter, at night!!!.....seems a little unethical to me..
Mauser, I think all states probably require tagging on the spot but most just tag it before they bring it out of the woods. I know your strick interpetation would hold up in court but for purpose of field dressing I don't think a game warden would hold you to that...Well, maybe some are that chicken Sht...Fletch

KEEP THE WIND IN YOUR FACE.... FLETCH

I dress them out as soon as possible, sometimes dragging them to the edge of a field first if I plan to keep hunting the area. When the weather is warm (usually), I skin and butcher them as soon as I get them home.