What gets me thinking about it too Jeff is how some people describe the anatomy of a whitetail. I know immediately they've either never processed one or simply didn't pay attention whent they did. Especially when it comes to the front shoulder etc...

I heard from Rob you were a deep thinker......Socrates deepman we will have fun in Wyoming[8D]

Brings up a good point, Rob. I usually don't......but I think the next doe I take...I might slice her all the way up (I usually stop at the sternum when field dressing and pull the vitals out)and see the vitals in a more natural state (albeit DEAD). I've never done that.....and the positioning of said vitals would be easier to see if I did.

I do the whole process. Field dress, skin, and quarter. Then the wife gets involved and we cut it up depending on our mood at the time. I love making sausage, though. We make a lot of minute steaks, too. Just easier to make meals with our schedule.

here's another question, maybe worthy of a poll...

do you gut where it drops?
take it to a barn/garage and hoist it?
if you hoist in the barn do you do it head up or head down??

personally, i'm more of the gut it where it drops camp... unless the barn is nearby...

Yeah but if you "deep" thinkers are sitting around the evening fireand the obligatory, relaxing, adult beverage, becomes3 or 4..please leave the laptops at home..Those of usminding the board in your absence,beg you!

Don't let GMMAT drink and post!

I grew up a city boy, and although my dad deer hunted we never skinned or processed our own deer. Of course, we gut them on the spot where they died.

We've always paid the deer processor to skin, process, and package our meat. I don't have the right facilities, tools, or equipment to process my own deer. I drop off my deer whole (gutted) and pick it up the next day packaged and labeled like something you'd see in a grocery store. Costs $60. It's SO convenient and money well spent IMO.

If I killed more than 2 or 3 a year I'd probably process my own for the sake of my wallet....

I do my own, but if I used a processor I would at least field dress it.

GMMAT, when you do this you will have a whole new appreciation for how tough these whitetails are.

I think everyone should butcher their own deer. It is just an enjoyable thing to do, and it costs about as much as 3 trips to the butcher to get everything you need to do it right.