USAFBOUND

This will be my first hunting season ever for me for deer. Are there any tips or pointers or little tricks that you people have learned over time that would give me a heads up on field dressing. I have a pretty good idea on how to do it but am open to anything that would give me more room for error, cause most likely god knows I am gonna need it! Thanks!







Good Luck and Good Hunting

bandgod

I try to get one of the deers rear legs tied to a tree to keep it out of the way while I work on it if I'm in the woods. Also I like to put the head down hill while get started to make sure I don't hit the gut when I make my first incision. After I get it cut open good I'll turn it around to let everything drain out good. Some people take out the esophogus some don't. I prefer to do so because if it's left in it tends to give the meat a funny flavor around the neck area unless it's cold outside. The trick is to have a good sharp knife. If it's dull at all it really is a pain to gut.

nate68123

I just field dressed my first deer (a muley doe) on Sunday. I did the "dirty work," while an experienced hunter stood right there and told me what to look for. I had been well-read on the subject before all this, but it was still different. A sharp knife helps, and if you're going to use a method that involves breaking bones, a hammer and a sharp hatchet aren't bad ideas either.

It helped me to leave the white "sack" of connective tissue around most of the internal organs until I absolutely had to cut it. With the white "sack" enclosing the organs, it's tougher to cut into a stomach or an intestine. If you do cut into a gut organ, you'll know it because it smells like someone took a s$%# right there on the spot.

It also should be emphasized over and over that once the skin of the animal has been punctured initially, that skin should only be cut from the inside out, as this avoids getting hair all over the insides and the meat.

Nate

skeeter 7MM

Another tip is remove the skin flap from the stomach area( this is the large piece of nice white hide, that serve no meat purpose). By removing these flaps you'll have more room and allow quicker cooling of the meat. Always two nice things when field dressing.

A great tool is the Pelvic Saw, small T shaped saw that has a piece of plastic on the tip to prevent puncturing. This little tool is great to open up the anus area and allow clean removal of "THE POOPER" Zone.

Removal of the esophagus is required if you are not going to be able to skin it and wash it quickly. Like mentioned the acids in the deer esophagus can cause some meat disflavour. Simply cut the throat in the white patch of the neck through the juglar and esophagus, when you remove lungs and heart most times the whole shooting match will come when free and clear. (If mounting then don't do this, you'll have to get up there and release from the inside...be careful of that sharp knife)

Important thing to meat flavour is feild dressing (removal of all organs, if you should get waste or stomach contents on the back hams, wash thoruoghly and remove any suspected tainted meat), cooling of the meat and removal of excess hair and fat upon skinning. I always rinse the inside cavity out with clean cool water and wipe down the carcass with face clothes and cool water (to remove as many of those little hairs from skinning).

Good luck and have fun!

USAFBOUND

Thank you guys for all your pointers and help. I just hope I will be given the opprotunity to take a deer let alone field dress it! But thank you again, this is MUCH appreaciated!








Good Luck and Good Hunting

Caliper

Ive never field dressed a deer myself always have had a friend there doing it for me. This year that friend may not be there ill need to do the task myself. So here goes cutting out the A** hole no problem , cutting from the rear to the front no problem now the membrane holding everything in place is there a trick to this other then having a hind leg up and cutting, once this is done I know i need to cut the the throat and this is no prblem but getting the heart and lungs out will they be visible tpo me or will i need to search for them. Help Please<img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

mrfishy34

the saw that skeeter 7MM is talking about is called the sagen saw. i have one it works good. just guted my first deer this yr to but did pretty good since i have seen it done a million times by my uncle. it takes him like 3 minutes to do it and he does a good job. all that matters is the pelvic bone needs to be cracked and that u get the guts out. and make sure you wash everything down good and thats the most important part washing the cavity.
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skeeter 7MM

Caliper, the deer's guts have 2 compartments. One the stomach,etc and the second being the vitals...there is a membrane to keep these 2 parts seperate...the diaphram. You'll have to cut the top of this to get to the vitals. Then the heart and lungs will be visible, but with the brisket you'll have to get the elbow wet....unless you plan on sawing the brisket, which i don't do. Once you have the anus released and the esophagus(throat cut). You may be able in one swoop take it all out. However what I usually do is get the lower compartment out first since this is the yuk and you want to remove cleanily ( I cut the diaphram and then pull rear word when the pelvis is split, if you don't split the pelvis you need to pull the anus out front ward and then plop the guts out)...then I take out the vitals and if the esophagus is still remaining I will remove it and the juglar last. Like mentioned rinse it will cool clean water asap.

Don't be affraid take your time and go slow...never a race. Make sure you get it all out and if your a heart or liver eater then save those parts if not hammered and throw them back in the cavity.

Mrfishy, thank yeap the Sagan Saw...IMO is the best tool a guy can have for field dressing when starting out on his own....much easier than anus removal with a knife!

Bob S

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote<font size=1 face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I know i need to cut the the throat
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face='Verdana, Arial, Helvetica' size=2 id=quote>Why? I have never cut the throat of a deer I have gutted.

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Be a steward of the resouce, not just a deer killer.

tschaef

I did my 1st alone 2 weeks ago, but have done others with help. I find the only tricky parts are the ends, its pretty easy to roll everything out of the deer, but the connected parts are in the neck and arse. I cut the throat, sever the windpipe and grab the base of it through the chest cavity and pull down, the vitals will come with it. The rear end is a little harder to explain, but its important to tie off the poop-shoot, and be careful with the tip of your knife!


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