| Submitted By |
Tip |
Pat Lefemine |
Wear rubber gloves over plastic sleeve protectors
I always bring a disposable field dressing kit made by HS which I keep in my backpack. It includes rubber gloves and sleeve protectors so I can stay clean. I put the sleeve protector on first and then put the rubber gloves over them. They are cheap, effective, and when I am done I stuff the plastic into the body cavity when I drag out the deer. |
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Nicholas Muche |
Removing Bladder, Anus and/or Vagina
A lot of people that I watch gut a deer make the mistake of not properly taking out the bladder (instead it pops, NO GOOD) as well as properly removing the anus/vagina. What I have found that works really well is after the guts/vitals are taken out; lift the hind legs up in the air so that you can see both the anus/vagina. Then use a sharp knife to cut a very large hole around the both of them. Be sure that it is all separated very nicely from the body and all you have to do is pull it out. |
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Mike Philip |
Dont gut...qaurter instead
Don't gut the deer...instead quickly skin and qaurter, remove backstrap and neck meat and finally make small inscision to remove tenderlions on site and then there is less mess and the remains are left in the field.
Benefits include:
-less blood, cleaner
-do not need to get rid of carcass
-no chance of cutting pee sac and contaminate meat
-do not spread disease such as CWD by getting rid of carcass at another location later
-dont need a truck to haul deer out |
|
Joe Frater |
Use gravity to your advantage when possible
If possible try to position the animal where his head is higher or on the uphill slope so it allows for the majority of the guts and blood to drain out of the chest cavity making your job a little easier. Especially with bigger animals where moving them is an issue. |
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Scott McDowell |
Where to start...
When Gutting a deer, Flip it onto its back with the belly facing the sky. It works well to begin just below the "V" at the bottom of the deers chest. This works good because you do not have to worry about puncturing the stomach. Once you have punctured through the skin, pull the skin up from the organs using your first finger and middle finger. Work your way down the belly pulling the skin away from the organs while cutting the belly open. |
|
Scott Fritz |
Get out the Trachea
Make sure that you cut the trachea (windpipe) off as high up the inside of the deer's neck as possible. This is very important as the trachea will "spoil" extremely fast and can ruin meat. When going to cut the trachea, follow it up with your non-knife hand as far as possible. This can be difficult when gutting a trophy that will be mounted as the ribs or not split down the sternum. You can cut through the ribs with a knife as they are made of cartilage next to the sternum. |
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Rick Harper |
Start at the rear!
I start and cut all the way around the anus up in the pelvic area as your blade will reach. As you start the cut you will have hide to hold onto as you free this area. Then make your cut from the pelvic up through the chest cavity and reach in and cut the wind pipe and down both sides of the lung cavity to the spine. Then grab the wind pipe and pull everything out in one shot. By using this method it is very quick (2-3 minutes) and much cleaner as a one shot (no extra hair from handling) |
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Jon Johnson |
Reverse Gravity
When possible, I like to actually have the hind end uphill and frontend downhill when gutting. While cutting, you don't have near the mess with blood and guts coming out and making a mess while you're working. Instead, they remain in the chest cavity until you have done the majority of your cutting. When almost finished, pull the hind end downhill and the blood and guts come out much more easily, with little mess! |
|
Blane Baker |
Leave the Bowie knife at home
You do not need a large bladed knife for gutting a deer. Using a large blade is dangerous to your hands and there is a greater chance of puncturing gut or urine sac.
A blade of 3 to 4 inches is about perfect, but can still be overlong at times (especially if reaching up into the chest cavity when the breast bone is left intact). A pocket knife with about a 2 inch blade length, with a thicker drop point style blade is a great gutting tool in my opinion |
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Kent Garvin |
plastic sleeve protectors
I'm with Pat on this one, however I'm way too frugal to purchase the $3.00 HS Field dressing kit. I broke down and purchased a box of 100 artificial insemination gloves and another box of medical exam gloves. Total is less than $20 for enough to field dress 50 deer, and I can get the alcohol prep pads or hand wipes at a multitude of places. I put everything in one small zip-loc bag & squeeze the air out of it. It weighs next to nothing and takes up no space in my pack or quiver pocket. |
|
Bob Barnette |
Cutting the chest cavity open
When its time to cut open the chest cavity, don't cut through the center of the sternum - instead, move to one side of the sternum (doesn't matter which side) and make your cut where the ribs join into the sternum. This area along the side of the sternum is much easier to cut through, and is therefore a safer process, as you don't have to brute-force your knife through that tough sternum. |
|
Tim Rigg |
Pelvic bone saw
For deer, this little saw is worth it's weight in gold. After cutting the skin around the sex organs, use the saw to easily cut the pelvic bone. Now, the anus, intestine, and other parts can be easily removed.
No more cut bladders or ruptured colons... |
|
Craig Schrader |
Slow Down...Don't Hack at It
Take your time and do it correctly the first time...slow down and make cuts logically instead of just cutting eveything you can until the organs come out. See where the organs are attached and go to the source. This will keep alot of hair, uring, and fecal matter out of the cavity. |
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jim iwtt |
Dont cut the pelvic bone
Simply tie a knot around both ends of the rectum with a string or use a zip tie. This seals any fecal matter inside. |
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jim witt |
tie up legs to keep them out of your way
I keep a 6 foot piece of rope in my pack. I position the deer with its back to a small tree, tie the rope around the rear ankle, loop it behind the tree and then around the front ankle. It's a great way to position the deer when you don't have someone else there to lend a hand. |
|
Phil Blunt |
Gripping the Trachea
Once you have the deer completely opened up you want to try and get the guts out in one complete package. This can be difficult to do if you cannot get a good grip on the trachea to begin pulling the innards away from the chest cavity. By cutting a slit in the trachea and placing your thumb or finger through the opening you can achieve a solid hold and pull without the worry of slipping. This makes the whole process quicker, cleaner and safer. |
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Eric Olson |
Keep it SHARP!!!!
Everyone seems to have their own style but all I can say is whatever your style, keep your knife SHARP. A sharp knife slides through flesh without hacking or sawing so you are much less likely to cut yourself up. |
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DAN LEIS |
Butt Out and tie the head up
Long guttin gloves with surgical ones underneith first.You can use a small orange tool called the Butt out. you stick it in the anus, twist and pull. THis allows a much better cut. Cut around and remove the milk bag or male organans. Tie the head to a tree so after you cut up to the chest and go up inside and cut the trachia you can pull everything right out. DONE! This takes about 3 minutes total. |
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Paul Bohn |
Pass the BUCK
Best tip I have is to bring a friend along who loves to gut deer. No gloves, no mess, no fuss!.....Thanks Brad Millard! |
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Tony Nienas |
Udders First
Before you open up the stomach cavity of a doe, left up the hide just above the udders and make a slit. Turn your knife around & use the gut-hook feature to cut all the way around the milk sack and remove. Milk spoils fast & can ruin your meat, particularily if the temps are above freezing. Continue down to the vagina and anus to cut around and loosn. At that point, you can cut into the abdominal but start closer to the Pelvic. Any higher and you will accidentialy puncture the stomach wall. |
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A.J. N Connor |
Hang deer before you start
When you start, hang the deer by its back legs so all the blood flows out or at least all flows into the chest cavity...this way when you start to gut the deer and you break the chest bone all the blood and guts pretty much fall out. You then need to just grab the guts and one big pull then your done. |
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Norman Parks |
rectum and bladder
I use a fish fillet knife to cut out the rectum/vagina area.
the length and narrow diameter of the blade makes removal along with the bladder simpler. |
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Greg Snowden |
if possible, don't gut first
for deer/hog: hang head-down, then skin completely, remove head, remove front shoulders (and neck meat), cut out backstraps, THEN gut, remove tenderloins, ribs(if you want, or skip), seperate rear quarters |
|
Gary Berz |
Two Tips to Make Live Easier
1. Start with the anus, by making a deep clean circle around it - you can even use the pelvic bone as a guide. Pull out about six inches, tying off with a string is optional. Doing this will allow the entire tact to slide out easily when the rest of the entrails are removed.
2. Use your enviornment, especially when you're alone. Heavy dead fall can be used to keep hind legs splayed, thus making it easier to work on. |
|
Brian Ward |
Think Small
Use a smaller knife. One doesn’t need a machete to gut a deer. I just use a small 2-3/4 inch fixed blade knife. Using a smaller knife allows for better control, and there is less of a chance to cut the free hand. |
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Adam Casagrande |
Guttless Method
Its easy don't gut at all. Not so much for deer unless you are in the back country but for elk it is the only way to go. |
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Tim Labbe |
Additional Tool
For cutting through pelvic bone and sternum I have found that a good sharp pair of hand held pruners work best. You have more control than trying to "punch" through with a blade and the non-blade side of the shears acts as a guard between the blade and the bladder. |
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Tom McCaffery |
Free sleeves
I use the plastic bags that the newspaper is delivered in to protect my sleeves and after cutting around and tying off the anus push into cavity with a stick to assist in removal |
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Alan Tomko |
1) Right equipment, 2) Effective process
Box of gloves, pack of baby wipes from grocery store.
Hang deer - easier on your back than squatting/leaning over it.
Skin & quarter - gutting not necessary.
Be near hose to keep meat clean.
Get help, to pull back on hide as you cut, & hold carcass steady as needed. Both parties: be wary of blade at all times & cut AWAY from self & others.
A couple blades might be useful; bigger is NOT better.
Sharpen blade as needed throughout process.
Take your time, be neat! No punctures of organs! |
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Tate Larson |
Pelvic Bone Removal
I cut on both sides of the pelvic bone removing the hole 2" wide piece of bone. Therefore when I pull down from the windpipe nothing gets hung up around the pelvic area. |
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James Horner |
Enjoy the process
forget the gloves and sleeve protectors and just enjoy the process. Who cares about getting some blood on you? I just find it another way to connect to the hunt. |
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kelly harris |
staying a little less bloddy
I would only recomend doing this to a doe or a buck I WAS NOT going to mount.
Instead of reaching way up in a deers neck to cut the esoughagus simply take your knife out and cut the deers throat under the deers jaw bone.
This way the esoughagus is cut and when you pull the guts out a slight tug and the entire esougagus comes out as well.
Now you will no longer have blood up to your elbows!!! |
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Mace Odneal |
Get a Wyoming Knife
I use only a Wyoming knife to make all my cuts while gutting a deer. The small exposed blade is only an inch or so long and it's pretty tough to puncture the guts while opening the abdomine. The gut hook work great for opening the belly plus removing the udders and milk sac on a doe.
I also use the butt out for the rear end work. I never cut the sternum or pelvic bone. |
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Roger Norris |
Use the right knife!!
I use a medium "Trapper" style folding knife. The sharp tipped blade is great for the initial "opening" cut and for cutting out the anus. The blunt skinner blade works great for the slicing open the belly without puncturing the stomach. To clean your folding knife (always a pain to get the tallow out of the nook and crannies of a folder) put it, 1/2 opened, into a coffee can full of hot soapy water. Shake. Shake it again. Soak a few minutes, and pull out a clean knife. Works great!! |
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Dale Garrard |
Don'ts and Do's
First,don't do this-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMa44W5jNDA
Second, don't tell your wife if you leave your wedding ring on while you do this.
Third, do spray vinegar and dust pepper on exposed meat, even under a game bag- on bad fly years they will lay eggs right through the mesh of cheese-cloth game bags
Fourth,get some quality game bags, or even pillow cases for quarters rather than use the cheese cloth ones. you can re-use them so they're cheaper in the long run.
|
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Albert Bottari |
Patience
Take it slow and steady. No need to rush and have a bad gutting job, with hair, stomach contents, urine, fecal matter, etc... tainting the meat. you worked hard to attain this deer, take a bit more time to produce fine table fare. A slow steady hand, a short sharp blade, short deliberate cuts, will ensure that the meat will be fine, and you will not injure yourself. |
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Mark C |
Have a Youngster Do It
Take a kid hunting with you and have them gut it out; chances are hey will jump at the opportunity to take part in the kill. Obviously you need to talk them through the process using many of the already mentioned tips and be sure they can handle using a knife. |
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Brian Westfall |
Keeping fingers away from the knife edge.
When reaching into the deers cavity, keep your index finger along the top of the blade to the point. This way you always know were the blade is in reference to your non-knife hand when blindly reaching into the cavity to gut the wind pipe. |
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Brian Westfall |
Post gut clean-up
I carry several packets of individual "Hand Wipes" in my pack for easy clean-up of hands and knife after the field dressing is complete. |
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Brian Westfall |
Packing heart/liver out.
I like to keep the heart of the deer I harvest. I always have the should length field dress gloves in my pack. After the gutting job is done put the heart inside one glove and tie a knot. I then drop that into the other glove and knot it to help seal any leakage that may occur. |
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Dennis Santulli |
Kevlar Glove
Protecting yourself from getting cut and/or disease should be your number one priority. I wear a kevlar cutting glove on my left hand followed by gloves on both hands when I bone, quarter or gut an animal. |
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Paul Merioles |
My tips to make the job enjoyable.
My gutting tools one havalon Piranta knife ,one fillet knife,and one sagan saw. If I don't plan on mounting animal or a long drag I will cut the chest cavity up to the neck with my sagan saw. Next, I'll use the piranta knife and open up the body cavity, cutting the windpipe and removing entrails down to the rear of animal. Then take fillet knife and "core" out the butt, pull anus out and tie off. Pull anus out with bladder. If mounting I stop at bottom of chest,reach in & cut windpipe out. EASY |
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CV Cotsoradis |
ACT - Assess, Caution and Time
A - Assess whether or not you plan to mount your animal. If you plan to mount then do not cut too high up on the chest. Start your incision well below the sternum.
C - Caution when placing hands into the cavity. Sometimes a broadhead may be in there from a past shot that wasn't fatal or even a splintered rib can cause injury to your hand.
T - Take your time and explore the anatomy of the animal up close and examine the effects of your shot. Essentially, autospy the animal. |
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Matt |
Less foreign material inside animal
I like to cut around the anus and pull it out, leaving the Pelvic Bone intact. I also don't cut through the chest cavity because when you have a long drag, yes I said drag, it doesn't allow as many leaves, sticks, dirt, etc.. inside the animal. |
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Gary Berz |
Have you ever lost anything...?
Have you ever lost one of your favorite knives...? Ever forget your rangefinder in the woods...? Most of our lost gear has happened during and after field dressing - that's because we have to remove things, take things off, or keep things clean. After you take your photos (gotta look good) simply take the items and place them in your hat - after the field dressing is over, put your hat back on. You'll never lose your favorite gear again. |
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Justin Broughton |
Gloves, tags, and other goodies
I have a little tip that can save you some cash. Go to your local farm store and pick up some nitrile gloves and some arm length breeding gloves for cattle. They come in big boxes that are pretty cheap. Take a pair of each and roll them up and place them in a ziploc bag along with a couple paper towels, a wet wipe, and your tag. You get your animal and everything you need is handy in this self enclosed package and the waste goes back in the bag. Saves a bunch over store bought gloves. |
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Mike Wizeman |
Cut with the blade tip out of the deer
When making the first cut start at the "V" in the ribs lay your knife flat on the deer and pull the hide away from the deer. start cutting down towards the guts pulling the hide as you go. this will open the deer up a little more and keep you from cutting into the guts as you get down that far. Remember your knife tip should not be inside the deer at all. |
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David Lane |
Zip Ties instead of cord
Zip ties are great for attaching your site tag. They also work great for tieing off the anus before pulling it back through the body cavity. |
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BJ |
Knife direction
Biggest tip i like to give people just learning how to field dress a deer is to think of your own safety first. Always beware of the direction of the blade of your knife, try to cut away from your body so you do not accidently slip and pull the knife back toward yourself where you can seriously get injured. |
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Chad Malwitz |
Don't Rinse out with water
People forget that blood is sterile. As long as you haven't gut shot your deer, why spread the bacteria around the gut cavity and hind quarters if it is just bloody? Take your time to gut the animal and don't split the pelvis till the task is almost complete, and then only for cooling reasons.
Same goes for "washing the meat" when butchering. You're much better off letting the meat age, forming a crust (so to speak) protecting the inside meat from further bacteria. |
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Brad Luttrull |
Wind Direction
If you have a weak stomach. Always make sure the wind is at your back. It blows the smell away from you making it alot more of a plesant experiance. |
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Brad Luttrull |
Gut on a slope
It always helps to gut any animal on a hill. make sure the hind end is on the down side of the hill. why work harder when you have gravity to help. just cut and let gravity do alot of the work. |
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TradTech |
String 'em Out
Quit fighting the rear legs with a deer on its back. Carry braided string on a spool. Runs about 3.00 for 50 ft. Tie off each rear leg and you'll never hassle with gutting again. Both hands are free to do everything from the first cut to pulling the entrails out. Tie off the front legs as well to open up the chest cavity. You time spent will be 5 minutes max from the first cut to removing the string. |
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Jeff Ervin |
Guthooks are awesome, get one and use it!
Having a sharp knife is crucial, but anyone who has ever nicked the paunch while gutting will definitely appreciate a guthook! I have used them on both deer and elk, and allow you to slide effortlessly from rectum to brisket without disrupting the gut contents! |
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coldsteel |
Gut less method
Guttless method is by n far the best method to go..!!! does not matter if near camp or back in the high country... If not just bring along your brother, like I do. He always loves to operate. His quote is "the operation was a success but, the patient didn't make it" LOL love that quote... |
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Patrick Acosta (aka Sage Buffalo) |
Use Your Car to Skin
A lot of people don't realize that the longest part of cleaning an animal is skinning it. Over the years I have perfected using my car to skin a deer. It's simple! I have a video somewhere but you cut around the neck and around the legs. You use a rope tied to your car and cinched around the neck skin using a golf ball or rock to keep the rope cinched. Slowly back up and the skin will peel off in less than 30 seconds keeping hair/dirt off. Better yet, not dulling your blade! |
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grizz adams |
gloves......
Since most things have been covered I can only add to the use of shoulder gloves with surgical gloves over them. I bring two good elastic bands to keep the shoulder gloves from sliding down to your elbows. |
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Scott Parson |
Back leg hanging
Hang your deer by a back leg on a limb before gutting. Just insert your knife blade between the tendon and bone on the back leg. Gravity will now make gutting easier and cleaner. |
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Brian |
Read before u cut
Read your game laws before gutting, especially when hunting a new area. Some states, provinces require that you leave proof of sex attached to the carcass. |
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Rob Messner Page Lake Archery |
Use ropes if alone.
If you're by yourself you can use ropes to hold legs apart, and in the right possition. I loop the ropes around a sapling or tree branch in a mannor that I can loosen and tighten the slack to achieve my "third and fourth hands". When your done, the ropes double as game ties for your pack, or as a drag rope. |
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Justin Davis |
Go gutless or go home
One word....Gutless! In all honesty the gutless method is cleaner and faster. Gutting is a useless step in my opinion |
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Kyle B. |
Trophy Pictures First
Don't forget to take plenty of Trophy photos with the animal in a natural setting and good background. Make sure to do this BEFORE gutting for a couple of reasons. It keeps the animals body the proper proportion rather than the anorexia look even if you crop at the chest, and also minimizes blood appearance in the photos! |
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Rogge |
Use your deer cart
Tie your deer rack, head, or shoulders up as high as you can at the cart handle. Pull to the nearest tree. Stop the base / bottom of the cart approx. 3 ft. from the base of the tree. Raise the handle / head end up and over center till it rests against the tree. Your deer will be hanging vertical. |
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Jeff A |
Hit the vitals!
Make a good shot! The worst gutting jobs are when someone hits a deer too far back. If you hit hear/lungs, the job is much easier than if you hit the stomach. A lot less mess. |
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Dusty N. |
Use the rack to your advantage
When gutting a buck I always "hook" the front legs behind the bucks rack. Once you've finished gutting it is then easier to roll the deer over to empty its cavity. Then, when it is time to drag 'em out you have two less obstacles snagging objects in the woods. |
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Jason B. |
Leave nothing behind
Bring along a zip-lock bag for your garbage, nothing worse than finding someones used rubber gloves and whatever they used to clean up with left behind.If you bring it in,take it out. |
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Bryce Lambley |
Be educational
While many save the heart to eat, I do not. However, I do save the hearts of all the deer my family shoots and we give them to a local biology teacher who uses them in her classroom. It's good public relations for bowhunting. |
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Mike Neilson |
Great Grip with Garden Gloves
Bring a pair of garden gloves in your pack for field dressing chores and other needs. Get the kind with a rough surface. These gloves work great when you are removing intestines, and other organs. They also help when you are pulling the hide off of the deer and it gets slippery. Finally, the gloves help you keep a tight grip when you are dragging a out of the woods, or hefting it up into a truckbed. Good luck. |
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Dale B |
folding tree saw
Start cutting the sex organs,fold toward the back. Using a folding saw, cut through the pelvic area to open up the channel for the anis to pass through. Use the knife between 2 fingers to open up the under side of the belly all the way through the ribs. for full cape may need to cut only to the rear rib. Using a knife cut the windpipe as far up in the neck as possible. Holding the windpipe, pull and all should pull free except for around the diaphram, cut this with the knife. |
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4finger |
Take the time to teach...
I used to think that with my sons just watching me "gut it" that they would pick up on what/how I was doing it..wrong..Gutless and "traditional" field dressing are both better learned "hands on"..takes the "mystery" out of the job. Slow down, talk/show/have them help you thru the process. Teach them how to sharpen a knive and use a sharpening steel and have them carry one or show them how to use the newer replaceable blade knives..a SHARP knife makes any method easier. Be safe also :)...4finger |
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dg |
field dress tips
if you are reading these posts then you are probably a first timer or looking to pick up a few slick tricks from other hunters. I've learnt in the NE that you can spend hours, days and weeks in the stand waiting for an opportunity to harvest an animal. You may not have a hunting buddy with you when your hard work pays off. I always make it a point to have at least three people on speed dial that would be willing to give a hand and for the evening hunter i would suggest an LED lantern. |
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Curtis W |
Play Dumb (or just act nautural)
Go get a buddy to help you track the deer & then act confused when he asked why you needed help tracking a deer that fell in sight of your stand. Tell him it's been a while since you gutted one, because you don't get to kill near as many deer as him. Spread the front legs & start to make a cut in the brisket. Look up at your buddy with doubt & confusion. Suggest that the 2 of you just drag it out as is. At this point he'll just do it for you, if not you’ll need all of these other great tips! |
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Steve |
inside out
Always cut hide from the inside out. Turn the blade so the cutting egde faces UP. Use the tip of the blade to puncture the hide, THEN cut, always with the blade cutting from INSIDE the hide. You will minimize hair on the meat, as well as prolong the sharp edge on your blade. |
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Hans Walthert |
Swamped? ...gut later once out
If your animal goes down in a swamp the last thing you want is mud and swamp water contaminating your carcass. You may think gutting will make the drag easier but for the sake of cleanliness, save the gutting for later. Use a kids sled, tie the head and front legs to the front of the sled. Using a tow strap or rope pull the animal out by its front legs or head...whichever preferred if intending to mount. Bottom line; dont gut! Animal stays clean, no contaminants inside, and recovery is a cinch! |
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Rob S. |
Start Small
Start the whole process off with a small cut in the belly. Dont make the mistake of ramming the knife in clean up to the handle (you will only do that once if you ever do lol). |
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Rob S. |
No gut hook No problem..
If you don’t have a gut hook you can use your index and middle finger in a V shape while lifting up as a guide for the knife. This will prevent you from poking holes in the guts and give you a better feel of what’s going on below the surface. |
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Andrew Arsenault |
Cut with the hair & torch it
You butcher and the floor of the garage will fair out alot better if when you are gutting/skinning your game you make all of your cuts from the inside of the hide following the direction that the hair grows. Once the animal is skinned, run QUICKLY over the entire animal with a small propane torch. You will never find a hair in your burger again! |
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Larv |
Gutless mehtod preferred
I've been using the gutless method as described in a few of the above posts. For gloves I use a pair of kitchen gloves that your wife(or you)would use for washing dishes. They wash up well after using them on the critter. I also wash the animal with a vinegar/water solution and then an final washing with a damp rag.
Larv |
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Mario P. |
Half-serrated, small blade
A small (3 inches) drop point knife with half of the blade being serrated will allow good cutting through the skin AND (here comes the serrated part) easier cutting through the ribs. |
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Jeremy Douin |
Butt Out Tool
Instead of using a fillet knife to "core" out the anal canal, it is much easier and quicker with the Butt-Out tool from Hunter's Specialties. Insert into the anal cavity, give it a twist and pull out 8-10 inches of the intestine and either zip-tie it, or cut it off. It is less messy and much quicker. |
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Kevin Massaro |
Run like hell
Open up the animal, cut the windpipe, and saw open the pelvic area. Grab the windpipe and run backwards as fast as you can. There is video of one of the guides at a local ranch gutting a bull elk this way in a total time of three minutes, 45 seconds. Good luck. |
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Nick Papa |
Bungee cords help
If you carry a couple of small Bungee cords, you can use one
to hold the front legs together behind the head, even if its
a doe. Can also use it, or another to keep the front upright
while you start the gutting process. I use a longer one to
bring the rear legs up close to the body, after the gutting,
to make it a smaller package to drag out. |
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Pedro Ampuero |
Practice makes perfect
Since everything is said, here is a video showing the way I do it. Gravity, hygiene, process.. Hope it is interesting.
http://www.vimeo.com/14242306
The most important thing in this topic is practice. That is the best way to learn things. |
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Kevin Massaro |
Correction to run like hell
At the top, cut the trachea, and otherwise, cut everything at the very top of the lungs. Grab ahold, and then start running. |
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Chris |
It’s not rocket science
It's six to one and half a dozen to another. Everyone has very good tips and ideas the best advice I can give is to get help, take your time, have a sharp knife, watch how to gut a deer video on youtub, and help your friends the more you do the more you learn. |
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Ed Purvis |
Don't lose your knife in the dark
I put some blaze orange duct tape on the knife handle, knife sheath, and handle of game shears which I use for field dressing to prevent losing them in the leaves especially when, as usual, this job is done after dark. And of course a headlight is standard. |
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clint nemechek |
after the kill
One thing is to slow down and take your time.After all the excitement of the kill and gutting DONT FORGET TO TAG YOUR DEER BEFORE TRANSPORTING. |
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Shaun McNally |
Pelvis splitting without a saw
If you are one who likes to split the pelvis you don't need a saw if you have a sturdy knife (fixed blade is best). Just spread the hind legs apart, and cut through the meat until you get to the "ridge" in the center of the pelvic bone. Place knife tip on the ridge and hit it with your hand. If your knife is correctly placed, it should split the pelvis. |
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Mark |
Be Prepaired
I keep a small emergency and field dressing kit that is all contained in a large zip lock baggie. Depending on time of year I may just have a small fanny pack, a larger day pack or just my coat for a short evening hunt. It will fit in any of the above and I always know that I have everything that I need. The emergency kit should have items to clean a wound and stop bleeding. Also, something for heart issues, baby aspirin is better than nothing but you may also have access to some kind of RX. |
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Matt Carroll |
Carry Water
I always carry 5 gallon water cooler in my pickup during deer season. Once I shoot a deer and go through the gutting process I have clean water to clean up my hands and also the body cavity. Sometimes if I have a tree that I can back my pickup up to, I will hoist the deer up with a rope to a tree branch, rinse out the deer and then back right up to the deer loading it with very little lifting. |
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SJ |
miscellaneous
smaller knife is better. I start ventral cut at xyphoid so you can stick knife right in w/o hitting gut. lay knife virtually flat and split hide all the way to crotch then come back and poke through abd. wall. keep knife flat w/ blade up and split abd. wall. 2 fingers along knife edge helpful to lift muscle. I think anything involving hanging/saws/rope is unnecessary |
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Randy Doyle |
insides outside
As a firearms safety instructor for 40 years I've heard many "tips" for gutting but the best one yet comes from another instructor that teaches with me. He tells the kids "get the insides outside" |
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tucker acocella |
knife size
Nne important tip about gutting a deer is that you do not need a large knife or a 4 to 5 inch blade..The best knife to gut a deer is a knife with a blade of approx 2 inches; you really do not need to cut any deeper than 2 inches if the deer is positioned properly . |
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Tom Orsell |
Gutting Tips
I always carry two knives. One is on my belt and one in my pack, you never know. I also use the rubber gloves. There are two types of gloves. Only use the pack where it includes shoulder length plastic gloves and rubber type surgical gloves. The one with just the shoulder length glove doesn't work well at all. I keep a pair in my pack and in my cargo pants pocket. You may find yourself tracking a little further than you first thought before you find your deer. |
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Brian Z |
Extra Gloves/Towel
When it is bitter cold, make sure you have an extra pair of gloves. When gutting and your gloves are wet, one of lifes small pleasures is to dry off your hands and slip on a pair of dry gloves. |
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Tucker A |
find the broadhead
Since Bowsite is really an archery forum, this tip is for archery kills only. If the arrow wasn't a clean pass thru, many times the broad head is somwhere inside the carcass..Before you stick your hand in the carcass. position the deer so you can look inside the cavity and inspect the vitals, ribs, and surronding areas. If you see the braodhead, carefully trim the tissue around the broadhead until it is safe to remove. Then go ahead and pull everything out that needs to be removed |
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David Cederberg |
keep it clean
Start with reaming the rear end, then cut from chest cavity down (with the hair), do not split pelvis. If you want to save heart and liver put them back in cavity after gutting and zip tie cavity shut for dragging out.Keeps all clean. |
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Nick Daedlow |
Get Out the Sweet Loins!
Keep a gallon ziploc in your pack and trim out the tenderloins immediately after gutting. Plop them in the ziploc along with any organs you may want and wash them off as soon as you get home. This will give you the best quality tenderloins and keep contamination from drying on them. Nothing better than sweet loins and eggs for breakfast the next morning! |
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Gary Brunberg |
Bread sacks for arms
Like Pat and Tom I like to use sleeves. Mine are free as well. I save bread sacks after we are done with the loaf of bread. Just pull them on, poke your fingers through, put on your heavy duty surgical gloves and go to it. Easy to peel off and put inside the deer when done. |
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David M Mathis |
use a sharpe knife
No matter how you gut and skin an animal make sure your knife or knives are sharpe. The sharper the easier the task. Mike |
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Mike Tanner |
Dont lose it
Keep from losing gear by laying out a game bag and keep all knives sharpeners etc on it. If you have a week stomach try not to puncture the stomach or you might "Lose it" literally. |
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Henry Holt |
Take Your Kids
Explain to them how to do it properly and let them hold a leg and watch. After they've seen it a few times they'll larn how to do it right. And don't forget to go through the gutpile with them, kids are curious by nature. Point out the different organs and their function, and don't forget to check to see what the animal was feeding on. There are lessons to be had. |
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Henry Holt |
Collect Blood
Don't forget to collect blood to train you canine blood tracking friend. I use quart ziplock bags, a little blood goes a long way when you're training, and couple of bags should last a year. |
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Mike M. |
Bloody Hands
You forgot to replace your rubber gloves in the backpack after your last kill. A quick tip: once you are complete with field dressing the blood is usually dry on your hands. Instead of looking like an axe murderer. Take your boot and kick off the top layer of ground cover until you find moist dirt. Gather a handfull and use it like soap and water, cover your hands thuroughly. In a short time the "Mud Mask" will dry and begin to flake off taking the blood with it. |
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Tim Schroeck |
Keep the orange on (if applicable)
Please make sure to keep your orange on when gutting an animal during concurrent seasons. That will prevent you from becoming a casualty. |
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Roger Yenn |
String 'em Out
Failed to enter name....Quit fighting the rear legs with a deer on its back. Carry braided string on a spool. Runs about 3.00 for 50 ft. Tie off each rear leg and you'll never hassle with gutting again. Both hands are free to do everything from the first cut to pulling the entrails out. Tie off the front legs as well to open up the chest cavity. You time spent will be 5 minutes max from the first cut to removing the string. |
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Todd |
Friend in Debt
Bring along a friend that owes you money. Make him gut your animal as payment. Note- freind should not have weak stomach, Intestinal matter can be strong at times. Make sure he has strong legs and a good back to pack out the animal as well. This way you stay clean and rested just in case you get home in enough time to watch monday night football. |
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Barry Estes |
Manual Hedge Clippers and then some
I hang all my deer/hogs on a single tree. Then tie a small rope from one leg to a pole so that the animal doesn't spin around while you are skinning. The hedge clippers are great for cutting off the legs, head, ribs, and pelvic bone. Forget saws. I cut threw the meat to the center of the pelvic bone, then cut down the bone on each side about an inch. Use the clippers to cut threw the pelvic bone on both sides. You will remove a section about 2 inches wide. Once removed, the rest is easy. |
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Smitty |
gutting gloves
i have discovered the gutting gloves too! they are great!
no rolling up sleeves, no need to cut up to the throat to keep from getting too bloody. and, if you keep the heart and liver but still want to complete the dressing in the field, use the gloves as a carry bag! example: grab the heart with a glove still on and roll the glove down and over it. now tie a knot in the arm length of the glove and put it in your pack. no muss, no fuss! do the same to the gloves themselves. please don't litter! |
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Gary Alford |
K.I.S.S. a.k.a.Keep it simple stupid
"Be prepared" all that I have for the field dressing process with me is a good sharp knife (mines a Buck ranger), string (to tie the vent off), plastic gauntlet gloves, latex gloves to wear over the gauntlet gloves. If it's a bow kill make sure all of your broadhead is out of the animal also watch for arrow splinters if any. I got stuck by one a few years back, not a pleasant feeling. Hppy Hunting |
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Matt Sipe |
Get Organized First!
Before I start, I try to get everything organized that I might need during the messy part of the job. First, I lay out my outer layer/hunting coat on the ground to create a "table cloth" to lay out my tools, tags, knife, saw, zip tie, etc. As I gut the deer, I exchange knife with saw etc keeping everything on the "table cloth" to keep dirt to a minimum and more importantly, it keeps my gutting tools from getting lost in leaves and debris. I use the outer layer to wipe off tools as I pack up. |
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RSM |
Beyond the Guts
Not really part of the gut pulling, but ultimately part of the process. When my 12 year old son shot his first pronhorn this past fall, he carefully separated the buck's heart from the gut pile and buried on the wind swept prairie. He said he wanted the part of the buck to always be in that basin. |
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JR Minich |
Don't Split the Pelvis/Sternum
Splitting the pelvis or opening the body cavity at the ribs only introduces leaves, dirt, and other debris that increase bacteria growth and thus spoilage. In the field, remove only the digestive and sex organs, which spoil the fastest. This leaves the diaphragm intact and keeps debris out of the cavity. When you get to your truck, or camp, remove the rest of the organs and open the deer up to cool. This method is ideal in all but the most extreme warm weather. |
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Andrew W. Manukas |
Practice Practice Practice
Honestly! Shoot a lot of deer and get good at it. I can gut the largest deer in under 5 minutes and not get blood past my wrists. It amazes my hunting partners. Remember you are a surgeon, not a mass muderer when you are gutting. |
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Dave B |
Bring rags
I always have a ziplock bags with acouple wet rags with me when I field dress a deer. After you're done, it makes it easy to clean up your hands and arms. After you finish with the rags, use the ziplock bag to put all your used gloves, sleeve protectors, etc into. I also place the ziplock bag close to me when I am gutting. When I need to put the knife down, I always place it right on the bag so I don't lose it. I lost my favorite knife years ago when I just laid it down in the leaves. |
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David Cardwell |
Kids make the difference
Certainly 101 different ways to approach and do gutting. The best tip is: Get kids involved!
Why do kids end up saying "OOOOHHH" when they see blood or other "gross stuff"? Because they have not been exposed to it from an early age. My daughter went hunting with me and held the legs out of the way since she was old enough to walk and talk. Since then, I have taken many kids hunting and it always makes the gutting process go faster when you have someone excited to explain everything to. |
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David Cardwell |
Keep the meat clean!
I used to always gut in the field, but invariably when hauling the deer in you get dirt/leaves, etc in the body cavity. Dirt means bacteria. When at all possible if you have enough manpower, take the deer to your hanging area to gut. Once hung, place a washtub under it for the guts to fall into as you do the procedure. Then carry the gutpile back off in the woods. The carcass stays much cleaner that way and you are less likely to get bacteria started on the meat. |
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Rob Nye |
Learn from a pro
If you want to learn first-hand, contact a local outfitter to see if they will teach you quick and easy methods. Guides at our camp gut about 35-40 deer per season and clients claim we make it look easy. (We don't tell them that it is.) Also, get yourself an original Sagen Saw, a cheap, wonderful tool that can split pelvic bones, ribs, etc. in seconds even on moose or elk-sized critters. |
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Horacio Perdomo |
always prepared
I always carry essential equipment in my backpack and one of them is my field dressing kit sold by HS Never gets me bloody or clothes, knive is a most and small branch cutting saw for sternum and pelvis area cuttin, a knive with a hook works great for openning thru skin without fear of cutting thru guts, if not mountin cut as hight as the jaw for a good grab of wind pipe, once sternum cut and pelvis bone cut just pull down without fear of anything rupturing as long you open as wide as you can. |
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Brian Westfall |
keep gear in one spot
Before the gutting begins; I place everything in one location. My coat, bow/gun and pack are in one location, usually piled on top of each other. My knife will have a designated place that I will place it if need be. That way when the job is done everything is in its place waiting to be gathered for the pack out. |
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Rudy Hernandez |
Cut Resistant Gloves
I carry a pair of cut resistant gloves that fit easily beneath rubber or latex gloves. They are lighter than the kevlar gloves and can be washed and re-used. I also carry a couple of safety scalpels to help with skinning and caping animals |
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Randy Smith |
Wash it out
I typically hunt close to home so I rarely field dress. I prefer to gut my animal at home where my butchering tools are kept and where water can be used to wash out the carcass. I prefer this method to help with the cool down process and to wash out any contamination that typically occurs in the field. The back legs are spread open and the work is done while standing up, much cleaner process and easier on the back. |
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Doc |
Front end loader
Drive your front end loader to the deer pick up by head, cut around anus split pelvis then start the gutting process easy & clean |
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Mike Stanton |
nothing wrong with sewing
If you are fortunate enough to be able to drag your deer hole to your camp/truck, use some spare cord or shoe laces to stich up the stomach of the deer. Use your knife to put a series of holes along your insision on each side, put your heart and liver in the empty body cavity and sew it up. it helps keep dirt out while draging and will hold the heart and liver so your hands will be free. |
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Joe Z |
Ziplock bag gut kit..
Get a Qt size ziplock bag and add the following..
1. Fold 4 papertowels into 1/4's.
2. Add a pair of surgical gloves.
3. Add a pack of travel size wet wipes or a 1/2 doz of the individual packs.
4. Pen
5. A few 6 inch zip ties...
Seal up the contents and throw this into one of the secret compartments within your pack and you'll always be ready to tag and clean up after gutting.. |
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todd ouellette |
watch the glands
make sure on youre buck you dont wipe the knife on the tarsal glands it can leave that smell on the meat, just take youre time,the first one is always the hardest |
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ForkWest |
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP!
Believe me, this comes from experience! I know many will nod their head and agree…look before you leap! In other words, make sure you have EVERYTHING you need laid out and prepared BEFORE you make that first cut. When you are bloody up to your elbows, this is NOT the time to realize you forgot something in your coat pocket or buried in your pack. Lay out your knives, replaceable blades, sharpeners, plastic bags, game bags or anything else you’ll need for the whole processes. Don’t forget water! |
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J. Wenzel |
Varmints Beware!
If hunting big game in the mountains or deer in remote areas and a late evening kill is made, you may only have time to field dress and thus leave overnight in order to butcher or drag out the next day. Keep all critters away and from eating on the kill by laying some of your hunting apparel over the carcass. Varmints will smell the fresh human scent and stay away. Works when losing hunting dogs too. Leave a jacket where you last saw the dog and it will be curled up in it by morning. |
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Shane Nelson |
My Dad's Rules:
1-Never cut toward your thumb, always cut towards your chum.
2-Do a great job because this is a very crucial step in turning your deer into good or bad meat.
3-Torch your deer after skinning. Works AWESOME and no more picking hair from the carcass or your burger. |
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Jamey Knaub |
Skin belly area
Its really nice to skin out and open belly skin area up to brisket. It helps keep hair away and gives you nice access to gut area and helps you see what you are doing to avoid any unnecessary paunch cuts.
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Ian Frasier |
Shingle Blade as a gut hook
If your favorite knife doesn't have a gut hook or you have trouble resharpening it, use a shingle blade in a box cutter knife instead. Extremely sharp, disposable blades, and box cutters now come in folding versions to save space. |
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Nathan Yazel |
Watches and rings
Don't forget to take your watch and any rings off. Blood makes a mess of jewelry, especially leather watch bands. |
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John L. Sloan |
cheap gloves
You can buy shoulder length artificial insemination very cheaply at most agricultural stores such as Tractor Supply. I paya little over a dollar for a box that lasts two years. Over these, I wear wrist high exam gloves. A lifetime supply is less than 20 dollars.
When you remove the gloves, do so turning them nside out (too cheap to worry about washing them and using again). Remove on glove then hold the other glove by the fingertips as you remove it. You can now place the inside out gloves in |
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Paul DeHues |
Remove The Glands
Don't forget to remove the tarsal glands from your deer. Put them into zip lock baggies and save them in the freezer for your next hunt. They make excellent drag rags or hang on a tree near your stand for a cover sent or attractant. |
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Todd G |
Broadheads are sharp!!
If you did not find your arrow after the shot it may be inside the body cavity. Be very carefull as a sharp broadhead can mess you up! |
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George Siegman |
Gutting deer
If you prepare in advance and have everything you need i a one gallon ziplock bag you can do a good job and have a place to put you spent rubber gloves and not mess up your day pack.My kit contains diposable gloves,.string and baby wipes along with my leatherman tool. You cant have too many baby wipes they also clean up your deers muzzle for the hero shot. good luck |
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k. meyer |
split pelvic bone
If it's warm weather, and it could be awhile before you get your animal to where ever. You must split the pelvic bone so your animal will cool. I've done deer processing for over thirty years and besides not gutting, not splitting the pelvic bone will make an animal go bad in several hours. |
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Don Cicero |
Gutting to Bag a Buck
Take a large syringe with you and use it to extract the fresh urine from the bladder. Then put the urine into a sterile glass jar and add the tarsal gland to it. Overnight the gland will turn the urine as black as coffee but will smell like a rutting buck. Use this homemade scent to lure in your next buck! |
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Bill Beresford |
forget gutting.
I have been a big fan of not gutting at all. Start by skinning the animal on its side, run the knife just under the hide fron the rear leg at the joint and down the topp of the back bone down to the front let ending at the joint. Proceed to skin the animal to the bottom of the belly. Lay the hide over like a tarp with the fur laying on the ground, now you have some ware to lay your quarters. Next proceed to remove the hind quarter and then the front quarter. Now repete on the oppisite side. |
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Scott McGann |
Don't rush and Panic.
Don't rush the job. Take your time. Don't panic at Gut Material or a bladder pop. Just have a bottle of water and wash it out. When you get home wash it out with warm water and hang in a cooler room at less than 45 degrees. You will be fine. Gutting is a simple process if done correctly and you prefer to hang meat on the bone for butchering. |
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eric lechleitner |
saving your blade
Start splitting the hid from the sturnum to the anus. cutting with the grain of the hair means less hair in the meat and it will not dull your knife as fast. if you are caping the animal start at the head and go to the shoulders or down the legs instead of up. Eric |
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James H |
Do it for the kids
Shoot a deer at 8:30 am then bring it to the school you teach at and gut and dissect the deer with the kids from your grade 11 biology class. The kids will love it and you will be the coolest teacher at school. Seriously I just did this today with my students |
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ryanw |
hang the deer
hang the deer or get the head of the animal up.. like someone said use gravity to your advantage... cut around the anus first |
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Corey Kreutz |
stay behind the shoulders
If you think there is any chance you may want to have the animal mounted, keep your incision up the chest at least 2" behind the front shoulders. This will allow enough hide for your taxidermist to mount up a shoulder mount or a pedestal mount. Try to keep the blood off the hair as much as possible by wipping with a wet towel. |
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Gary |
before you get started....
Fill out your tag first, take all hero pictures next, use a sharp knife, beware of broad heads that didn't pass though. |
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marc mcleskey |
Skinning tips
Follow color lines down the legs, cut with knife blade under skin, less hair on meat. Also if you are going to have the deer mounted, as you cut down the color line on the front legs, angle the cuts toward the rear of the deer forming a V and no more cuts to the front. |
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Scott Morrow |
Get the Wind Pipe Completely OUT!
After cutting the windpipe off as far up as possible inside the cavity, turn the deer on its back and make an incision just above the white throat patch as close to the head of the deer. This incision will run along the windpipe (not across it). Cut away until the windpipe is exposed so you can grab it. Pull on the windpipe and the whole thing will come out from inside the neck. Cut off as close to the head as possible and discard. Now you have a drain while hanging from the back legs. |
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A.J. |
Backhoe if possible
After we kill a deer we always hang the deer from a backhoe ...By hanging the animal all of the internal organs fall down into the chest cavity and makes the gutting process much easier and when you go to skin simply make two small incisions in the hide by the deers butt and put two fingers in each hole and pull straight down the deers skin will peel right off like a banana..i did a doe the other day where i only used one arm and pulled the skin completely off her!!! |
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Anthony Ippolito |
easy and less mess
start at sturnum cut to anus use saw or hatchet to split pelvic bone. then cut diophram down along both sides of rib cage then simply pull on diophram and all will come out with little or no mess realy works great. happy hunting ! |
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Gary Brunberg |
Clean cavity, clean hands
Once I've gutted the deer and have it back to the truck I use a tablespoon of White Vinegar in a milk jug full of water. I splash this solution a little at a time into the body cavity of the deer and "slosh" it around by lifting the hing legs. I lift the front of the deer and drain it. I do this a few times and the cavity is free of bloood. I have some of this solutioin in a small spray bottle, spray my hands and wipe them on a towel. This cleans blood very effectively. |
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Rocky Lau |
no-mess gutting job!
First, I drag the deer head-first onto my cart. Then spread and tie all four legs to the cart. I then tip the head down and cut around the anus. For a Gut hook, I use a Seat Belt cutter I bought from a police supply catalog. The gut hook has a inch and a half curl, and folds up like a knife. Cut through the ribs, and put a rib spreader between them . Split the pelvis with a hatchet and hammer. I then tip the cart (head end) up and cut the wind pipe, and pull everything out. |
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Matt Sipe |
Keep it Sharp!
I carry a small sharpening stone to keep my knife razor sharp for gutting. Sometimes cutting through thick winter belly hair seems to take a bit of the edge off of a cheaper knife. A nice, small stone helps keep a sharp edge during the process. |
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Matt Sipe |
Tent Stakes...really?
I carry a simple tent stake with a short loop of thin rope tied around its head. When I have a deer down, I can slide that loop around one leg of the deer and then "stake it down" in soft ground. This allows me to only have to deal with one loose leg and serves as a sort of extra hand. |
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Dale Wade |
Stay on Bowsite!
Read everything you possibly can on Bowsite.com. This will help you find game. Make a good ethical quick kill shot on game. You will also learn the very best methods for getting your game back home. You can then research the best butchering techniques and recipes for the table. Lastly, you may make friends to help with all of this.
God Bless. |
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Mike |
Gravity is your friend
Gut on an incline. Let the gravity do the work for ya. Use the knife sparingly. Don't cut yourself while severing the windpipe. |
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Mike Hinkel |
Let there be light
Along with a gloves, sleeves, sharp knife, saw, butt out tool, etc., etc.,etc. is a good headlamp and spare batteries. These are a must for those who find themselves gutting deer after dark. You really need to see what you are doing and the headlamp is the best option out there. |
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Dave Lieffort |
Gut out kit
Having a gut out kit with you is most important thing. It should contain the following. Shoulder length vet gloves and a pair of rubber gloves over the top. Sharp knife of the proper blade style for your method of gutting. Length of cord for positioning deer. Two wire ties for attaching tag and tying off anus. Four paper towels to clean up after gutting or the deer for picture taking. Gallon zip loc for the heart/liver and a quart zip loc for the contents of the kit before use and refuse after, |
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Barry VerMeer |
Gloves & Follow up
I use the very same method that Pat outlines in the first entry but I put the surgical gloves and the sleeve gloves in a small zip lock bag. Once you know you are done with the process, simply peel both sets of gloves back inside out, leaving any residue on the inside. Then just tuck everything in the zip lock bag and thow it in the back of the truck or wherever it won't matter as everything is neatly in the bag. I make up a number of the bags before season, and always keep a couple with me. |
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John Pearce |
Do not try to cut the trachea from the inside
Instead of trying to cut the trachea/windpipe from the inside cut it from the outside. feel on the underside of the neck just above the chest area and locate the trachea, make a small 3" slit in the neck reach in with one finger and pull the trachea towards the hole and cut the pipe, then proceed with gutting process. |
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Chuck Rathbone |
Use the deers hind legs
When removing the anus stand between the deers hind legs facing backwards and hook the hocks of the deers legs behind your knees. This spreads and lifts the rear end giving easy access for this part of the job.Once the anus is cut free grab ahold of it and pull it out to break it free. This makes it easier to remove the guts in the end. |
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chad masterson |
Cheap tricks
If you kill a doe, roll her on her back & tuck her head under her neck, that keeps her belly facing upward which makes her easier to field dress. Also I always keep the "Wet Naps" the ones you get at BBQ places, they are great for a quick cleanup in the field! |
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mike obryan |
guide the blade
take your non-cutting hand and guide the blade to open up the deer. This will keep from puncturing the stomach. |
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Dave |
Save the urine when gutting
When gutting a deer, save the urine in the sack by tying it off at the top with string or a small zip-tie. When the gutting job is finished, remove the urine sack and place it in a zip lock bag. If your hunting is finished for the year, freeze the urine (sack and all) to be used next year. It does not matter if it is from a male or female, pouring this urine in a scrape works wonders. |
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Mike Place |
No dirt / No leaves
No mess , no dirt , no leaves. Using plastic gloves, Start gutting but make sure you leave the skin on the inter thighs. Just make a long enough cut to get the guts out. Finish the rest when you get back to the house or camp. If you do this you will never get all that good leg meat dirty. This will easy for a beginner to do also. |
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Dennis Santulli |
PROTECT YOURSELF FIRST
Regardless of who wins this contest we should all make sure we are protected before thinking about gutting an animal! So, I'm posting this again! After gutting, boning out and butchering hundreds of animals, I found a simple Kevlar glove (less than $15.00) invaluable. This very lightweight, easy to clean glove along with rubber/vinyl gloves can save you from possible cuts and/or serious disease. Please consider this a mandatory piece on equipment for you and your family. |
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Marc Tadych |
Don't cut the pelvic bone until you get home
If there is ANY dragging involved, leaving the pelvic bone alone and working around it will keep the legs together and not allow debris to enter the cavity keeping it clean. Break it back at home or camp if you feel necessary. |
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Greg Stucky |
Keep the good stuff inside
Bring a ziplock and put the liver and heart in it and put it back inside the deer for transport. Even better is poke a hole in the top of the bag and slide an arrow shaft through then wedge inside a rib. The bag won't fall out during transport. |
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Greg Stucky |
Baby clean
I carry a travel pack of baby wipes. It is a super fast way to quick clean the knife before putting it back in the sheath, pocket or pack. Doesn't elimiate the need to clean it proper, but definately keeps the mess and down. |
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Steve Beckett |
Take your time
Take your time, start at the rear and cut up the center of the body cavity until you have reached the ribcage. Once the cavity is open, do not just stick your blade in and start cutting, cut around the edges of the cavity because everything is connected one way or another. Once the edges are cut, reach up into the cavity and cut the esophagus and flip the animal over, everything should drain out. |
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