Gutting Deer
 

Do you guys prefer to gut a deer on the ground or hanging? I built something to hang the deer from for skinning, just curious if you prefer to gut from the ground or hanging. I've always done it from the ground, just because I've never had anywhere to hang. Thanks.

From the ground with the chest higher than the rear. I start my incision just below the ribcage. I field dress the deer in the field and get the chest cavity open so the meat can start cooling.

I'd take the ground and often cut up to the neck

Ground. I'm not interested in carrying something extra to hang the deer with. :)

Personally, I always gut on the ground, before I begin transportation. That way I have much less weight to drag (I hunt alone mostly), and the animal can begin cooling sooner. This is especially important on the warmer days that we have been experiencing in the last few years during deer season.
Keep in mind that I hunt in Northern MN and WI, so heat here is relative to southern states during the same time frame (the month of November).

We don't even gut our deer, just pull the hide down to the neck, and cut all meat off the bone. done, just like that

I don't gut a deer anymore personally.
Any "temperature" the guts have in them, won't influence the ham and shoulders much if at all, as they are on the outside of the ribcage.

I know many will start screaming at that, but I have retrieved so many deer the next morning for people over the years, without any "flavor" issues, that I started doing it this way, and now do all my deer.

I lay it on it's side, and cut the legs off at the knees.
I then cape out both legs and body from tail to head from the belly up, and fold the hide up over the back.
I then remove whole shoulder, and whole ham, followed by 1/2 backstrap showing, neckmeat, and whatever flank meat, misc. meat you can pick off.
Then, I fllp the carcass over, and do the same to the other side.

When done correctly, all that is left is a head, spine, and ribcage with organs intact.

Very little mess, except from wound(s).

I bought a used stainless restraunt table for $60, with a sink well built into it. Works great.

I have used a tailgate as well.

Just posting in case someone wants to do a deer this way.

Aren't ya missing alot of the backstrap that way?

He's also missing the tenderloins by not gutting it. As well as the heart, now that is a fine piece of meat, when fried with taters and onions.

That's what i'm thinkin! :( my favorite part.