gutting deer
 

When you are gutting a deer, do you have to break/crack the pelvis? What is the point of it, to be able to cut out the anis? How do you do it? Can you just put the point of the knife on it and give it a beatin'? Is it that easy to crack?

So in order, you would:

slit the hide, cut around inside of cavity freeing up intestines, cut throat, break pelvis, cut around anis, dump inerds?

Thanks.

**do you know of any websites that show the pelvis move and the cuttin' of the poop shoot?

RE: gutting deer
 

Rookel,

I do not cut the pelvis. I do the following....

I cut a slit below the ribs and insert my guthook. Then I slit from the pelvis up to the ribs. Then (if not to be mounted) go ahead and cut the breast plate all the way to the base of the throat. Pull the tail up and cut all the way around the anus. Lay the deer on it's side and let everything roll down hill. Reach in and trim anything attached from the ribcage allowing the insides to fall even further out. Reach up as far as posiible inside neck and cut windpipe. Pull all out and then reach under the pelvis wnd trim out anything still attached being careful not to bust the bladder in the process. If I do, I wash the inside immediately, if I do not bust it, I wash it immediately anyway.

Hope this helps,

Jim

Visit me on the Web...

Hunting in Georgia and Beyond
http://www.huntinginga.com


Edited by - huntinginga on 02/11/2003 17:06:30

RE: gutting deer
 

What he said is close enough. I rheem first. If I'm not mounting it I cut the windpipe about half way up the neck and work it loose. Then I do the belly, no gut hook... just a steady hand with two fingers under guiding the blade. I go right on up through and split open the chest. Flop the deer and the insides will start to fall out. REach in and work loose the diaphragm a little on both sides. REach up in the front of the split chest cavity. Grab the windpipe. If you worked it loose it'll pull right out of the neck. Just keep pulling. The windpipe is a great handle. Everything will flop right out with a little trimming along the spine. IF you rheemed the butt good it'll flop right out to. Usually the bladder comes but if it doesn't just reach in pinch the tube and pull gently. It'll pop right out. I never split the pelvis. IF I owned my own place to hunt on I'd probably never gut the things.

RE: gutting deer
 

Im with david mill allways cut around the anus first as far down as posable . Its important that you do a good job on this first it makes the rest easyer .

We all have different oppinions , if we did'nt the world would be a BORING place

RE: gutting deer
 

Sorry for the rookie questions fellas..and thanks for the replies.

When you say, "cut the breast plate all the way to the base of the throat", do you mean cutting through the bone itself...basically splitting the chest like davidmill described? Can you split the chest with your hands by simply pulling them apart? Is that just to have easier access to the throat area to cut the pipe?

I've only gutted one deer, and screwed up the rear end something fierce. Is the anas itself enclosed by bone or the like? I had a heck of a time cutting around it, and ended up butchering the thing. If done properly, would it be like cutting the core out of an apple?

Thanks again fellas.

RE: gutting deer
 

I do about the same as above but I use the saw on my Swiss camping knife to cut along the line down the middle of the plevis. It takes all of about 30 seconds to do this. Then I hook my finger around the last bit of the poop tube, tug up on it and cut the anus from the inside to the out. I've been doing this for about 40 years and it works well. You will not get any animal waste on the meat and it really opens up the deer to cool and handle if you quarter and butcher your own game.



Work hard and be true to yourself.
http://www.hunting-pictures.com/memb...kas/index.html

RE: gutting deer
 

Do yourself a favor go on ted nugents websight and order the feild dressing video . It will help you out a bunch and your next deer will come out good .
http://www.tnugent.com/
I guess you'll have to call um 517-750-9060


We all have different oppinions , if we did'nt the world would be a BORING place

RE: gutting deer
 

I'd rather ask a few questions and save myself some money. Since posting I've actually found several sites that break it down with pretty good pics.

RE: gutting deer
 

Here's a site that gives you a very good idea too how to gut a deer, it really helped me learn. http://www.huntingnut.com/faq/fieldd...ess.html<br />

&quot;Pain is weakness leaving the body&quot;

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RE: gutting deer
 

You can do it both ways, either reem and cut the anus or split the pelvis. I actually split the pelvis and use a Sagen Saw(this is a small t grip saw, with a protective end and available through Cabela's) I cut up to the brisket, around the gentils and release the skin & meat to the pelvis, then use the sagen saw to cut the pelvis. Then I open up and remove the connective tissue and in one swoop remove the guts. If I am not mounting the head, i will cut the esophagus(through the throat) and pull down. If mounting I cut around the esophagus and as high up as possible, I then cut directly through the esophagus as far down as possible and pull down. It always comes out in one pile no mess or contamination. I will then try and retrieve as much of the esophagus as possible, by cutting and pulling. I cut away the skin flaps form the belly to aid in cooling. It is important to get air flow and cooling, the meat will actually rot inside/out. Imperative to get it cool. I always rinse the cavity with cool water and if snow on the ground I will fill the the cavity up with snow and repeat to aid in the process of cooling the meat(it will also clean and pick up the blood). I like to skin my animals as soon as possible, then get them in the cooler or debone and freeze.

I have never opened up the brisket all the way, but it can be done if you choose. (However if mounting I wouldn't suggest it) I really don't see the need on a deer.

RE: gutting deer
 

As evidenced by the varied responses already, there are a number of equally legitimate ways to do this.

Here's the method I use, a description c/w photos I did a few years back. Hopefully it is of some help.

http://www.angelfire.com/bc/canuck2/gutting.html

RE: gutting deer
 

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What he said is close enough. I rheem first.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>

Thanks for the props David:)

The breast plate is easy enough to cut through with a normal knife on a normal size deer. I don't believe that you could break with hands though.

Jim

Visit me on the Web...

Hunting in Georgia and Beyond
http://www.huntinginga.com

RE: gutting deer
 

WOW, thank you so much fellas, you went above and beyond.

What I have gathered is this. There are a ton of different ways to do it, and as long as you gut it quickly and sanitarily, not accidentally nicking the bladder,etc., all is good.

It seems all of your methods work very well, as none of you mentioned any bad meat due to any prior mistakes.

If I was to nick the p-bag, will washing it out ASAP eliminate any chance for spoilage?

Thanks again.

RE: gutting deer
 

I have cleaned deer both of the ways. Slitting the pelvis and not. I have one butcher who instists on you slitting the pelvis and will charge $5 if you don't and $5 if the anus is not removed. I also have had butchers tell you not to split the pelvis. So I guess it is really an individual preference. I have found it much easier to split the pelvis to remove the anus. However, if I have a long drag, I will not split the pelvis. If I split the pelvis, I use a small folding saw, or a good serrated blade. I have a knife that is serated only at the base, and it seems to work well. With splitting the chest cavity, sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't. It does make it a bit easier reaching inside if you do. You can split the cavity easier than the pelvis with the same tools. You don't have to go very far though.

relkhunter, everthing that is in your last post is correct.

Edited by - BobCo19-65 on 02/12/2003 09:29:06

RE: gutting deer
 

rookelkhunter I am pretty darn luck because I hunt fairly close to home as a result I actually hang/dress my deer(If it is real hot or I am not near home I field dress as others have mentioned).

Hang/dress??? Aha this is the easiest cleanest way to do it. You need a place to hang your deer with a spreader bar and a rope/pulley system. First thing you do is cut a slit between the large tendons on the back of the hind legs, put the hooks from the spreader bar in these slits with the deer on its back and pull up the deer just enough to easily access the genitals, here is where I do it a little differently than others, I free up the penis, then I put my finger in the rectum keeping an outward pull on it as I cut it and the penis free. Once it is free, I tie a shoe string or cord around it snugly. Do not use thin string or fishing line, if you pull that to tight it may cut through.

Once you have the anus and penis freed up and tied off, then pull the deer up high enough to allow you to proceed with the gutting, I do my first cut about half way from the anus/pelvis down about halfway to the ribcage. Then I hoist the deer all the way up to finish.

You will want a large bucket or old cooler in front of the deer to catch the guts and such. Now what I do is simply continue my cut all the way down through the sternum holding the guts in with my other hand. I know this sounds like a battle, but actually all you are really doing is keeping the guts away from the knife, they do not just &quot;fall&quot; out.

Once you have cut all the way down, just let the guts drop into the bucket, if the anus does not drop free you can easily cut it free and let it drop on down, at this point you will be able to easily cut free the diaphragm and drop the lungs and all into the bucket, then all that is left is to grab the windpipe and cut it as far down as you can.

You now ready to skin, your deer is hung, and the guts are in a container ready to dispose of and only one bloody hand! I know this sounds more complex than some of the others, but in reality you can do this all in 4-5 minutes with a little practice.



The Tazman aka Martin Price
Proud father of a Devil Dog

RE: gutting deer
 

Couple questions.

If you do gut in the field, what is the absolute longest it should be in the elements....let' s say it' s rather warm....50 or so. Should you put ice in the body cavity if you are several hours from a butcher?

Taz, if you do not gut it and are fairly close to home...how far is too far in regards to a timeline? 20 minute drive?

Thanks all.

RE: gutting deer
 

i always split the pelvis bone with my leatherman saw and take the cut down around the poop shoot. i do this before i open up the chest cavity, this way the guts don' t slide out and get in your way. open the chest, cut the wind pipe and pull everything straight out, then you make one little trim cut to the poop shoot and your done. never even get blood more than an inch or two past my wrists.

all my buddies ream the pooper but i' ve noticed when doing so they sometimes cut into the meat in the hindquarters leaving big gashes.

RE: gutting deer
 

The first thing I do is cut around the anus, then only cut from the breastplate to the pelvis. I never split the pelvis, nor do I split the breast bone. I found that leaving the ribcage intact makes it easier to get rid of the bones when I' m done butchering. I put the leg bones inside the rib " basket" for a neat package ready for disgarding. And I found that it' s a lot easier getting the animal out of the woods with the pelvis intact, ' cause the hindquarters aren' t flailing around as much. Just my personal preference!

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RE: gutting deer
 

rookelkhunter it all depends upon the weather as to what the timeline is, if it is warm, like over 50 and I can get it home, hung and gutted in 20 minutes I will, now if it was in the 60' s or 70' s I would field dress it on the spot. If it is 40 or below I will let them go as long as 45 minutes.

I have been lucky and never gutshot a deer, but if I did, it would be field dressed ASAP no matter what the temp.

RE: gutting deer
 

never had to split the pelvis or the breastbone. just reach up as far as you can and cut the windpipe. keep the opening small keeps out dirt and flies till you get home. then rinse well hang for a few days and enjoy.

RE: gutting deer
 

I start at the ribs, slice downwards with the gut hook. Ream out the A/H, pull out and tie off with twine. If it' s a buck, I split the hams to free up the urethra. Back up to the ribs, slice through the sternum up to the throat, (if not mounting). Pull everything out, cutting where nessesary. Prop open the rib cage with a stick, wash out ASAFP. Eat.
Trebark