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Field dressing

Old 04-19-2019, 12:48 PM
  #41  
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I've field dressed dozens of deer and other critters but last year during one of our hunter trapper ed classes the class had the unique opportunity of getting a crash course in field dressing by the game warden who responded to a call about a deer being hit by a car. He brought the animal to the class which had a wooded area behind it and he dressed it out. All he used was my Buck pocket knife with a 3" blade. He first cut around the butt hole then up the center line of the belly, cut through the ribs and up the neck to just below the jaw line. (You can do this if you don't intend to mount it.) He then cut around the diaphram on both sides as far around as he could. Reached in the neck and cut the esophagus and pulled it down through the ribs. A little more trimming of the diaphram where it met the spine and then pulled everything out. All he wore was a pair of blue surgical gloves and they weren't even that bloody.
Next time I'm going to dress my deer that way unless it is a wall hanger.
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Old 04-21-2019, 06:11 AM
  #42  
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I don't like splitting them all the way open. Where I hunt in mostly thick stuff, that results in the chest cavity being filled with junk.

Anymore I often don't even remove the lungs or heart if I'm dragging them out and skinning right away. I cut the diaphragm and pull the guts out all the way to the butt hole. And leave the heart and lungs in there.

Works for me as I like to save the heart . Just one less thing to worry about in the woods.

-Jake
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Old 04-21-2019, 04:48 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Bocajnala
I don't like splitting them all the way open. Where I hunt in mostly thick stuff, that results in the chest cavity being filled with junk.

Anymore I often don't even remove the lungs or heart if I'm dragging them out and skinning right away. I cut the diaphragm and pull the guts out all the way to the butt hole. And leave the heart and lungs in there.

Works for me as I like to save the heart . Just one less thing to worry about in the woods.

-Jake
I will definitely be saving the heart this year if I get lucky. I got a good recipe for pickled deer heart that I want to try.
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Old 04-28-2019, 01:30 PM
  #44  
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I use to have a vhs tape of field dressing that was great.

I say just plan for the on the ground technique.

In almost all of my hunting situations I have a buddy around to hold a leg, etc...but still can manage a solo operation.

2 things to watch out for IMO are;
broken bones, bullet shrapnel. broadheads stuck in the animal... can cut you very badly, be careful!

also 2 hands up a cavity, a razor sharp knife in 1 hand, you can very easily cut your other hand and not even realize it!
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Old 04-29-2019, 09:34 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by 8612472
Which is the best field dressing knife for the big game?
On my last trip to Mozambique a few years ago, we had just brought my Sable back to camp and the skinners were beginning to work on it. I brought out my 1 1/2 " blade Buck pocket knife and asked them if I could help. They all got a good laugh out of that. Back home I have used that knife to dress both deer and pronghorn antelope.

A couple of years ago I got an Outdoor Edge SwingBlaze knife for Christmas. Both blades are a little less than 4", and I really like the concave gutting blade that slips under the skin and cuts out through the hair. This is much easier than the way I used to do it by centering the blade between two fingers and running them under the skin to cut out from the body. You definitely DON'T want to cut down into the stomach or intestines.

For the last couple of years I have also carried an Outdoor Edge RazorLite knife with its 3 1/2" replaceable razor blade edges. It redefines always having a sharp blade.

And for many years I've also carried a Sandvik folding saw with it's super sharp 7" blade. It makes cutting through the animal's sternum and pelvis very easy, even on larger animals like elk and moose.
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Old 04-30-2019, 09:07 AM
  #46  
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you can make the process as complex or simple as you like.....ive always just carried a small gut kit with some bags, gloves, buttout tool, rope, montana knife and a sharp regular knife. Ive processed my own and taken it to a processor....nowadays I like to just gut the deer to cool it down and then get the deer to the processor so its not much to it. Ive been thinking of trying the gutless method next time though
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Old 05-01-2019, 10:59 AM
  #47  
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Ive found these three blades fill all my needs
either one of the smaller blades and a kukri will provide you with all the blade related jobs being well done.
sure you can spend a great deal more, on knives, but I doubt youll get the deer or elk into your back-pack much faster or easier

the combo may not suite everyone but its worked rather well for over 3-4 plus decades in my case,
and I long ago lost count of the animals dressed and packed out!
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/86...nife-sharpener
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/36...ine-and-coarse
the sharade woodsman
http://www.knifeoutlet.com/shop/10Expan ... e=SCH165OT

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1...tainless-steel-blade-sawcut-slab-handle-black


https://www.midwayusa.com/product/98...n-handle-black

Last edited by hardcastonly; 05-01-2019 at 11:11 AM.
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Old 05-03-2019, 12:43 PM
  #48  
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Hey Hardcast, what do you use that third knife for? It looks like something that an Isis terrorist would carry.
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Old 05-04-2019, 04:40 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by YTCLT
I’ll add a couple quick points. Dragging head first does work better because of the way the fur lies. When that was my only way of getting deer out I’d tie the front legs to the neck of a doe and/or put them between the antlers on a buck and drag head first. It makes the deer sleeker and it gets hung up less. However, if you shoot something you want to mount you have to be careful dragging because you can mess the cape up pretty badly. Finally, the game carts are great...when I got one I’d gut my deer, then walk all my gear out, remove heavy clothes and maybe even change out of hunting gear althougher if I could and go back and get the deer.
Good points but just remember if you go back to your vehicle to drop off your gear and change clothes you must still follow the game laws to pick up your animal. That means having your hunting license with you (displayed if required) and wearing the correct amount of fluorescent orange if required. Another idea for safety using a cart. Swap out the black straps with orange ones or tie some orange surveyors tape around the animal.
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Old 05-04-2019, 06:02 AM
  #50  
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"Hey Hardcast, what do you use that third knife for? It looks like something that an Isis terrorist would carry."


if you drop an elk, youll generally find hes inevitably not dropped under an ideal over hanging tree branch suitable for hoisting his very heavy carcass up,
for easy field dressing, this results in you having two choices, process his butt, on the ground or fabricate a tripod for your block and tackle,
some para cord


a GOOD QUALITY kukri ,
plus block and tackle
plus...some para cord, a couple dozen 2 gallon zip loc bags and a decent back-pack,
typical elk lodge pole country. rapidly allows any experienced elk hunter access too a tri pod to easily lift any elk, for cleaner meat processing.
I may be older and slower at 70, but , Ive learned how to make life a bit easier and get the meat out of some canyon in great condition over the decades




http://crosscreektrading.com/shop/hoists/

while $85 for an elk hoist, seems high priced ,
its a damn bargain and youll understand why ,
once its used a few times



Cross Creek Trading Co.
225 Bowes Road
Chinook, MT 59523


1-800-488-5075
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Last edited by hardcastonly; 05-04-2019 at 06:42 AM.
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