I've got a scene in a story I'm writing where the characters are dressing a deer. I have the basic idea--you have to be careful not to perforate it's digestive tract, and you generally start by cutting from the sternum to the genitals, but other than that I'm not really sure. The main thing is, is it really very bloody if it's not been drained? I've heard corpses don't bleed as much but there's got to be a reason for draining it. The guy might get accused of murder because someone saw a lot of blood on him near the murder scene, so I want to know if this is realistic. It's a medieval sort of fantasy world, so there's no dna testing to exonerate him

Any advice would be appreciated!

A lot depends on where the shot placement is on a Deer,the best shot would be about middle ways up the body and just behind the front legs (broadside) for a lung shot....a little lower and it will probably be a heart shot!Too far back and down It would have more than likely been a messy/smelly gut shot?

As You stated its best to start from the sternum and cut lightly thru the hair/skin and open up the body cavity all the way down and around the penis/scrotum or milk sack if a Doe.You open the cavity up and it not very bloody from that starting point....Yet.Then I carefully cut along the inside of the ribs where there is a layer of skin holding the liver, lungs,intestines etc.This is when You accumulate a lot of blood and it gets messy from there on as You pull out the internal organs,reach up into the chest area and cut the wind pipe off as far up as possible.

Then I lean the body to one side piling out all the organs and cutting what is still connected off while being careful to not to cut the bladder/urine or lower intestine where it is close to the rectum,I usually split the pelvis and cut around the rectum to pull it thru without any Deer droppings falling into the inside body cavity.

I forgot to mention.....Usually there is a lot of blood pooling inside the body and It has to be drained out after removing the main organs.

Pretty much what gto said .
Here watch this video and you will see first hand

http://www.rihunts.com/hunting/field.dress.1.htm

gut it .

Gutting is ugly. No matter where you hit the deer.

Roll up your sleeves, slit open the belly and get the job done. You've got the general idea down.

Don't bother trying to romanticize the job. There's nothing great about gutting an animal aside from the fact you got your game. Literally and figuratively.

Okay. As a professional writer for over 50-years, I believe I know what you are looking for. Yes, he is quite likely to have blood on him and it would be readily noticeable. Unless he has carefully washed his hands or worn exam gloves during the process, he is going to have bloody hands and forearms because the body cavity is like full of blood. I can't think of a single instance, no matter where a deer is shot (I have killed over 400), that was completely devoid of blood regardless of the equipment used. The gutting process alone produces considerable blood. many of us wear disposable exam and or AI-shoulder length gloves. You can field dress a deer and be bloo stain free. However, it is dang hard to do.

Most likely areas for blood stains would be: hands and forearms, pants legs, shirt sleeves, especially the cuffs and boots. If he attempts to removed said stains, consider this. A man has bloody hands. A fly or mosquito lands on his cheek. he swipes at it, thus depositing a blood smear on his cheek of which he is unaware.

As for the field dressing or gutting process, the body cavity iis opened from sternum through pelvic bone. Care is take not to cut the innards but it is bloody anyway. Basically, eveything inside is removed. That's it.

PS I hate that medeival fantasy crap. Make him a proverty stricken outdorr writer instead.