sse

Gents - I am interested in learning the various methods of field dresing grouse and pheasant. Any expert opinions out there??

Thanks!! sse

Big Lead

It depends on how you want to cook them. If you just want to fry the legs, thighs, and breast meat. Grap a patch of feathers off there chest, stick your finger wher the V notch where the neck comes in, grab the head and pull in seperate directions. This leaves you holding the breast, with the wings attached. Simply lop them off with a set of bird shears, then pull feathers off the rump of the bird, peel the hide backto expose the legs and hide. Cut along the thigh and back with game shears, and lop of the feet. I can clean about 1 bird a minute this way if its a pheasant. I can do a grouse in about 45 seconds. Go in and rinse off the feathers, and cook them up. if you want to keep the bird whole, lay it on its back and, peel the feather back from its belly. Then make a little hole where the breast and back connect down near the rear end. Reach up in there and pull the nasties out. Peel the rest of the hide off, lop of the head, and you got a baking bird.

drgildy

If you are talking about dressing in the field which I assume you are, then this is the way I do it. When you take the bird from the dog just ram your index finger up the anus hook and rip the guts out and use the dogs saliva to wash the gore off your fingers. If you would rather not stick your fingers in this way make a hook out of some #9 wire with about a 3/8 gap in the hook end and a loop on the other for your finger. When you retrieve the bird run the hook up the anus, twist it a few times and and pull out the guts. This will work very well on pheasants, grouse and also on waterfowl. doves and quail you would need a smaller hook.

sse

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. I' ll have to print this out for reference when the opportunity arises, since I don' t expect to have the chance to do his in great numbers, such as is your experience.

Regards, sse

Split-Hoof

The technique I use is very quick and easy. Place the bird on the ground breast-up, step on the wings near the body, and pull the legs until the bird comes apart. The breast should be partially exposed at this point. Slide your thumb up towards the crop, peeling the skin/feathers back as you go. Now you can grab the neck and pull - if you did it right all the insides will come out in one piece. You can either leave the wings on the breast until later, or cut them off right away if you wish. When you get good at it, the process takes only a few seconds.

young_gun

hey split-hoof, dont the guts and all that good stuff come out when you step on the wings and pull on the feet so you dont have to get your hands in there and do it?atleast that' s what ussually happends for me when i do it that way. just wondering

skyking

Hey guys, related questions: How long after you retreive the bird do you field dress it? How long would be too long? What are the advantages/disadvantages of field dressing in the field? I' ve been waiting until I get home (sometimes more than four hours) Thanks

Split-Hoof

young gun - that' s correct, with the method I mentioned you don' t have to stick your hand in the guts. With practice it can be done without even getting blood on your hands.

skyking - It' s not necessary to clean them in the field, but you will find it much easier to do right after the bird is killed. When the bird is still warm everything comes apart much easier than it does after it stiffens up.

Hope this helps, good luck to everyone!

XTP

Any animal taken whether it is a grouse or a moose should be field dressed and cooled down as soon as possible.This is important to the quality of the meat.Also,bacteria in the stomach will cause bloating after about an hour or so,and any meat will spoil quickly if not cooled down.
In most provinces and I assume states,some form of ID must be left on the bird until you get home,this is usually one wing attached.
Finally,while I have not had this happen to me,I have been told that in some areas,discarding the rear end of a bird(even though there is very little meat there) is considered wasting game and a violation of most laws.

young_gun

another good way to do it is when you get home, take and peel the feathers back away from the breasts and then take a knife and cut if the bone just like you would a fish, and then theres no gutting nesisary,