How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

I was wondering how long I have before I feild dress my deer?I don't yet know how to feild dress a deer and I heard you can ruin the meat if not done properly so I have someone to take it too thats going to teach me but i'd like to know what time I have.I'd like to swing by the house(5min outta the way 15min to the place to have it feild dressed) to show my family and get some pics but if I don't have enough time I can skip that.Where i'm hunting I can get my truck to and my cousin is hunting with me if I need help loading it so the extra weight is no prob.
Thanks fellas,
JE

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

your cousin doesn't know how to gut a deer either? you should take it to whoever to gut it first. You should watch and learn or better yet--you do it while the other guy instructs--the pictures will be just as good of a gutted deer---no matter what--this should be a one time only thing--afterwards you should always take care of your own animal--that is part of it-- unless you are allergic or something (I know one guy that is). good luck
hb

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Believe me,i'd much rather just do it right their in the woods but I have know idea how.The guy i'm taking it to does deer processing and he said he'd dress it for me for $10 extra dollars.I'm going to see if he will instruct me and let me do it but I don't know this guy so I don't know.I've seen the pics and they do nothing for me.I've worked very hard for the deer I plan on taking and I don't want to risk ruining my meat.Would you guys suggest I try this on my own?
Me and my cousin are both new so he does'nt know either.I have a guy willing to show me but theirs rarely a weekend he's not in the woods himself so it would be hard to catch him.
Thanks
JE

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

I am sure that this guy will let you do it while he helps. If he isn't there when you go by don't wait too long--find any other hunters and ask them to advise while you perform the procedure and I'm sure they'll be helpful and glad to do it. I sure hope that you get this critter that we're havin all this discussion about. good luck
hb

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RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

You have to learn sometime,Just take a stab at it.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

One question before I take a stab at it.I've heard different things from different people.Some told me that if I get the urine or crap on the meat it will ruin the meat.Another guy said it won't hurt a thing,just wash it out real good with water.If the second one is true i'll try it first by myself if not i'd rather not take a chance of ruining my first deer.
Thanks
JE

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

I learned by just doing it and I did get some crap on the meat along with urine but I washed it out as soon as the guts were out, wash it thoroughly and then dry as water causes bacteria to grow. You should be fine my deere was great tasting and wasnt ruined. Make sure to print or make a copy of the post from Edward A. Owens and youll be fine. Just jump in and do it thats the best way to learn. Good luck!!

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

It's very important to field dress as soon as possible. The reason is the heat. You've got to get it out! The heat is what ruins the meat.

As for learning the procedure, I was lucky enough to watch a video a few times before even going hunting for the first time. Then there was someone to to guide me as well. Buy a video. Best way to learn.

Personally, I didn't go deer hunting until I knew I could gut the deer. It's a part of the experience.

Good luck.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

:eek: Not picking on you here but to me you got the cart before the horse. What do I mean? You needed to learn several very important things before you go hunting and one was how to take care of your deer after you shoot it. Not to do that is a total waste and poor hunting. The information was easy to find for you on the enternet
Here are some links
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/...fielddress.htm
http://www.huntingnut.com/faq/fieldd...ielddress.html
http://www.learn-taxidermy.com/field_dressing_deer.htm

Now is not the time to learn how to do it, that time was before you shot it.

four important things
If you dont know how learn or take someone who knows how to!
Do not cut the bladder
Do not spill the stomach contents
Clean, clean, clean and cool your deer asap

Rick

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

I used to hunt with a freind that got me started and hooked in hunting and unfortantly I never got a deer for him to show me how and the freind is no longer with me.I got hooked on hunting and I don't want to give up hunting just because I don't know how to feild dress.I probably will try it on my own since I now know that I won't just waste my meat.I also had a guy that would do it for me which gave me even more of reason to continue hunting.
Thanks
JE

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

you got one reply on how to gut a deer ,it sounded right but to hard to understand.If its bad hot you need to gut the deer as quick as you can,if you have to drag the deer through a swamp or a lot of mud such as a field wait till you get close to the truck or your atv.When your ready Roll the deer on it back and get straddle of it .Find with your finger where the ribbs end at the belly and stick the knife in a little maybe a half inch (right now if you have a gutting tool use it just stick it in the hole and open it up all the way down)if not and your using a knife,get your finger up under the skin and cut the skin and the muscle open but be very carefull or you will ripp the guts open then you got a real mess to deal with, cut all the way down to the pecker if its a buck and stop.Then go back up to the ribbs and cut them open ,if you are going to get the deer mounted do not rip the ribbs open all the way to the end but stop about 6 inches from the end of the rib cage if you are not going to mount rip it open all the way to the neck.When you get the deer open you will see on each side the muscle that seperates the guts from the lungs and heart,take you knife and cut this muscle on both sides all the way around down towards the backbone then go up to the windpipe and cut this into,let the deer lay on its side and drain some of the blood out ,then grab the windpipe and pull the whole package out,you will need to cut it as you go down by the kidney's and then just cut lower intestine where it goes into the hips,a few turds will come out but they an't going to hurt nothing.I always leave the piss sack alone if it's full that a plus it's free deer lure it an't going to bust so don't worry about that. When you get the deer skined out cut around the but and up on the inside around the piss sack and pull the whole department out in one piece and drain the urine into a old cup or bottle.ALWAYS WEAR PLASTIC GLOVES IF YOU CAN AND IF YOU HAVE A CUT ON YOUR HAND OR LOWER ARM YOU NEED TO WEAR GLOVES AND WATCH OUT FOR THE RIBS THEY WILL CUT YOU. I KNOW THIS PROCESS SOUNDS LONG BUT AFTER YOU DO IT FOR YOURSELF A FEW TIMES YOU WILL BE A PRO,IF NOT RUN IT BY MY HOUSE I WILL DO IT FOR $10. EACH ALL DAY LONG

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

I gut my First Deer myself back in 1989... Just took me Hand's on experience. I knew I could do it... and of course I've got better as the year's have gone by. But I was able to Gut my first Deer myself... not real hard.

I just make it a point to Gut the Deer right away, and keep from cutting into the Paunch, and Bladder... and watch the Poop too. That Spike I got this year was so fiull... it was really tricky getting them out, without getting on the Meat. Some Deer is easier if they've peed and pooped recently. :D

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Good Luck there Wantabuck.
Check out the sites already mentioned for some help on field dressing. Print out a guide for you and your cousin and keep in your pocket in case you need it.

The sooner the animal is field dressed the quicker the meat will cool. This is key for quality meat.

At our farm we weigh all the deer before field dressing. We do this to keep accurate records of the animals harvested. This isn't a big effort since we can get 4-wheelers to almost any downed animal. After weighing we field dress and hang the meat.

Don't be afraid to tackle the field dressing of a deer. Get-R-Done. Learn the anatomy of a deer and not only will it help you understand field dressing but also the shot zone.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

In foreign countrys they hang their meat out all dang day with flys and other insects all over it. A little poo poo or pee pee won,t hurt the meat. Reasearch on the internet about feild dressing a deer. There are tons of information out there. Maybe someone knows a good site to steer you towards. You can do it!

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Why ? do so many people rip the deer wide open ??? I was always told by a butcher that the smallest opening is the best because any meat that is exposed to the air is basically wasted meat ! I start at the bottom and just make a cut up to the breast bone, no further. I NEVER cut thru the pelvic bone...I just cut the poop chute out from the rear of the deer, that way all that meat on the hind quarter is protected by the skin yet. It takes a time or two and a little practice, but once it's done properly, it gets easier.
My brother only makes a cut in the belly about 12" long and he gets everything out of there and very little wasted meat.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Thanks for all the support fellas.I'll probably try it.The only part that i'm a little unsure about is the area around the anus.From there up I think I got it.Now I just need the deer huh?
Thanks again,
JE

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Edward,

Can you tell me more about the gland on the hind leg? I assume only the bucks have it. Where exactly is it and what does it look like? Thanks

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

WantBuck, I applaud your enthusiasm and your desire to learn how to do this. What's great about sites like this is that there are many experienced people who are willing to help out a bit. I don't know where you are, but if you're in a relatively cool climate, rapid field dressing isn't as critical as if you were in place where the weather is warm. Still, you shouldn't dilly dally.

Check the links that were provided on the previous page; they have some good information. Maybe you will also find my page, as follows, to be of some help too. But if you can get someone to guide you through the process first hand once you shoot a deer, so much the better. Good luck.

http://www.angelfire.com/bc/canuck2/gutting.html

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Wantbuck,
Everyone that has given you instructions is correct. You'll find that some people have their own way to doing things...not wrong just different. (Now for my 2 cents worth) As far as the anus is concerned, cut the pelvis bone (slowly and carefully) and you'll have exposed the anus. Grab a hold of the anus and cut it free. Once it's free, get all of the gut out of the deer and wash it out as soon as you can. Try to keep leaves, mud, and the likes out of the cavity.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

1) Stomach, bladder, and bowel contents all have the potential to ruin the meat, but if you do a quick, good job of cleaning the meat, you shouldn't worry about it. However, you should definitely try your darnedest to keep from puncturing ANYTHING while you're gutting. The best single piece of advice I have is to get yourself a really good gut hook - the ones on the backs of knives are good, but I've got a separate one (a razor blade hook with a plastic guard), and it works even better. That will help you NOT puncture the stomach, which is the easiest way to screw up.

2) Bertos - the gland he's talking about is the tarsal gland. It's a really dark, smelly patch of hair on the insides of the rear legs. It gets that way by the buck peeing directly onto it, and it holds his 'musk' for quite a while. A lot of people like to get them 'fresh' rather than buy the tarsal scent or glands from the store. Look just to one side of the 'knee' joint on both rear legs for a patch of hair that's far darker than the surrounding hair.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Dont worry about not knowing how to gut a deer. You most likely do not have others around you to show you how, which I feel some of the replies are taking for granted. Having someone there to guide you is a big difference maker than simply an article.

You should be commended for your eagerness to hunt despite not having others around you who do. I know how you feel, I grew up this way and at times it can be trying.

I had to go next door and ask a neighbor who happened to be a hunter as well. I did not know him well at all, but asked for his assistance. He was more than eager to help out, and it worked out well for me in the long run. I bought him a pizza for the family since he already had meat.
Try to find someone to guide you through it, nothing can help like someone there to explain the procedure and offer a helping hand.

You do not see medical students diving into cadivers for the first time with just an article or video....they have doctors there guiding them. Just keep at it, and one day you will look back on it and smile.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Hopefully you've already succeeded with your quest. If not here is my 2 cents. I prefer doing this at the edge of a river or creek. Position the head, hopefully with antlers, facing uphill with the rear legs facing downhill. With the animal on his back I start at the bottom, Have your cousin hold one rear leg to spread the animal. From here use whatever info you have on the gutting. Gravity will help remove the guts. Catfish will eat them.I usually strip down from the waste up before I start and wash my hands and arms upstream before putting my shirt and coat back on. Most people can't even tell I've cleaned a deer. Send me a PM if you have any other questions.
BTW no one showed me the first time either. I was covered from head to toe in Blood but I've slowly figured out how to do it.
Gut him as quickly as you can and I think your supposed to have a taste of that blood on your first one...kinda salty if I remember.

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

Man I forgot about that!

I just automatically drink it now. I have one of those collapsable cups just for that reason!
[:'(][:'(][:'(]

Yagermeister is a good substitute though!

Good luck!

RE: How Long(Feild Dress)???
 

LOL! Taste for the blood.....is that kinda of like kissing a fish so you'll catch another?Hopefully i'll be able to enjoy the taste for myself soon enough.I appreciate your support fellas.I think you guys have built my confidence enough to where i'm definatly going to try it myself.
Yesterday while hunting it just kept running through my head on the pics and text articles i've read thinking any minute now a deer will walk through and I will finally get to try for my first time.I'll defiantly update whenever I get too.
Thanks again,
JE