[Agent-J]

Ok, I'm a suburbanite by nature. I love guns, but it mostly doesn't go beyond cans and paper. My father-in-law and his cousin go hunting alot and they asked me to come with them, but I've never hunted. I don't have a problem pulling the trigger on bambi, but slicing it ass to neck with a buck knife makes me queasy.

I know its not the manly thing to say, but what can I do to beat this?

[mbt2001]

Get some good rubber gloves that go up to the forarms, some vicks vapor rub (to put under nose) and if you want a surgical mask... Might want an appron too.

No one likes field dressing, the tolerate it because the hunt, the event, the food makes the few minutes of field dressing worth it.

Then, just do it. Like everything else in life, it SEEMS a bigger deal than it is.

There are some video's out there that go into butchering if you don't have a butcher. I would recommend taking it to one if you can.

[Albatross]

It isn't as bad as you imagine it to be. I bet you've changed a diaper or cleaned up dog poop once or twice and both are more filthy chores than gutting a deer.

[TxState101]

Diaper duty is way worse than dressing an animal.

Latex gloves also work great, and they're plenty cheap for a whole mess of them. That's usually the extent of materials used.

[Agent-J]

Do you have to worry about blood-borne diseases or anything?

[TxState101]

You might get an animal that has some ticks, so check the animal beforehand and yourself afterwards when you're in the shower.

Other than that, I can't say I know of anything that would affect you. Just don't cut yourself and wash your hands with warm water and soap. I've cut a finger before while skinning a hog and I couldn't even begin to tell you what the cause was, but after that trip I got sick for a couple of weeks with what I'm positive was dysentery. I'm not sure whether to blame the hog or a bad batch of food/beer.

[skinewmexico]

It is gross. But it's part of the package. Long gloves, and tough it out. Someone does it for almost everything we eat.

[wankerjake]

No one likes field dressing, the tolerate it because the hunt, the event, the food makes the few minutes of field dressing worth it.

I love gutting an animal. Once you get the guts out, and the head and hide off it is just a big slab of meat. It is my personal opinion that everyone who eats meat should do this at least once in their life. This is where meat comes from, whether you do it yourself or the butcher does it for you before you buy meat from the store. If you're gonna pull the trigger on "bambi" then you should embrace taking the necessary steps involved to make sure the animal doesn't go to waste. It sounds like you will be going out with experienced hunters, so I'm sure they will assist you in field dressing the aminal. It really isn't bad, and you generally aren't expected to do it all by yourself the first time out. I'm sure they will be more than happy to help you out with most of the dirty work.
I would recommend rubber gloves to protect your hands from getting bloody, you might even look at the ones that go up your arms. Do your best not to rupture the stomach with the shot or your knife. My guess would be that you will be so excited you will be less easily grossed out with that adrenaline pumping. Like I said, I'm on top of the world when I get that animal dressed and back to the truck, and I think you will be too. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask for help.

[Husker1911]

Remove your overcoat or coveralls beforehand. There are disposable gloves available that cover your entire arms. I pack a canteen and wash cloth and some foil-sealed wet/dry napkins. Lots of paper towels, too.

It's important to reach up in the chest as far as you're able and cut out the trachea. Careful doing this so as not to cut yourself.

As others have mentioned, it's merely a necessary chore and not as bad as you probably think. Good luck!

[Idano]

I concur with those that said changing a diaper was worse. Field dressing an animal is no ways near as bad as changing a stinky kid. I can honestly say I have never gagged at field dressing an animal but I have at diapers. The cheap Harbor Freight latex or my favorite neoprene glove help cut down on the mess factor. Regarding the tick issues, just let the animal sit for a about 30 minutes before cleaning, you can watch the ticks leave in hordes as the body cools.

[buck460XVR]

Odds are, if you've never done it before and there's no one there to help you, you'll slit the stomach and puncture the piss sack. Don't worry, we've all done it. Only way you learn.....it all washes off.

I always get good well fitting rubber gloves....the ones made for handling chemicals work great and can be used for years. I've seem too many disposable ones laying in the woods next to gut piles to recommend them. Adult deer can harbor Lymes in their blood.....another good reason to wear the rubber gloves and not to cut yourself.

[DRYHUMOR]

I figured out a good many years ago how to remove meat and use the body cavity as a gut sack (which it kind of is anyway).

Set the deer on it's belly, split the hide from the back of the head down the spine to the tail. Start feathering the hide out and down. Split the hide down the front shoulder, and work the entire front shoulder out, while removing the hide. Cut the bone to remove the leg. This gives you two complete front shoulders clean of hide.

Next feather out the entire backstrap from neck to tail.

Then, tuck the rear legs forward while bending the knees. This moves the hip joint in a position to carefully cut around the ball. Continue to feather the hide out to the point of completely separating the entire rear quarter. Again, cut the leg bone, you now have two complete rear quarters.

Remove any left over meat and pack it for soup or stew.

This way leaves the entire body cavity intact, and provides bait for coyote hunting, if so desired.

[PotatoJudge]

How do I overcome the gross factor of field dressing?

Just do it a lot, there's really no better way. If you go with other hunters, gut their deer for them as well as your own. Soon it will just be work to you. Still smelly, but that's part of the job.

[Agent-J]

Oh, so assume I manage to gut the deer, not cut myself, the stomach, or the piss sack... how do I transport it without a pickup truck? I have a yuppie CRV with leather so I can't put it inside!

[PotatoJudge]

Wrap it in plastic, a tarp, or a carcass bag. I've hauled deer in the trunk of my Buick, you can do it in a CRV.

[wankerjake]

I've wrapped them in a tarp before and put them in a SUV, but I admit it was not leather. You could probably get your father in law to transport it for you. If you are camping you can skin it, quarter it, clean it off and let it hang and dry out over night (assuming it is cold enough) and then wrap it in a tarp or blanket in pieces and take it to the butcher in the morning. I would say talk to your father in law, I bet he has some ideas.

[DRYHUMOR]

You can pick up watertight gear bags with shoulder straps at most decent sporting goods & camping stores.

You can pack with ice, place the whole bag on/in a catchment/container.

Providing you have quartered the deer to get it in the bag in the first place.

Worth looking into.

[jfrey]

The more you do it, the easier it gets. We've all made mistakes and I have seen some gut and skin jobs that came out more like ground meat than anything else. We shoot most deer in the head or neck on our ranch, so it cuts down on the mess considerably. Unless it is gutshot, I can clean one and not get anything but my hands dirty. We normally clean one and throw a hose in it to wash it out and prop the rib cage open to let it cool. Wash up and you are through. Not much to it. The whole process doesn't take more than 10 minutes.

[plumberroy]

It is my personal opinion that everyone who eats meat should do this at least once in their life.
I agree 1000% with that statement, If you eat meat you should at least once Take it from on hoof to table
Roy

[qwert65]

Just when you do it just think about the procedure(read about it beforehand) don't think oh guts gross think well lets get the intestines out of the way

[Geno]

People get sick when they see me gut my deer, rams or boars. It literally takes me about 3 minutes at max. It only takes that long because I am not able to hang the critters like we did in the slaughterhouse. Well, that and I'm careful to not poke or slice my fingers. Gut-hook a teardrop cut in the stomach. Cut around the ****. Reach inside from sternum to throat, cut the connections (heart/lungs/stomach), and pull the whole mass out in one grotesque contortion. Heck, if you're gonna do it, do it, right?

In all seriousness, I prefer my method. I say the grotesque part is in lingering. Just get it done and over. Oh, and no, I don’t use gloves. Gloves diminish feeling…you’re already cutting blindly inside. Just take a package of baby wipes for cleaning up. If you do not gut-shoot them, the job is much less malodorous. If you hit it in the guts, gag-time. If you do gut-shoot one, and can't stand the odor, breathe through your mouth, not your nose.

[MutinousDoug]

I don't know if this option is available to you, but could you go rabbit or bird hunting first? Field dressing small game is basically the same except for the scale of the project. Have you ever cleaned a fish?
My brother and I took up bow-hunting mainly to extend our backpacking season into the time the woods were filled with orange vested hordes of hunters. Preparing trout, rabbits and grouse to eat set us up for the first time we scored an elk. Blood and slime is part of the initiation.
Enjoy.

[f4t9r]

Remove your overcoat or coveralls beforehand. There are disposable gloves available that cover your entire arms. I pack a canteen and wash cloth and some foil-sealed wet/dry napkins. Lots of paper towels, too.

Always keep your orange vest or jacket on during gun season.

[qajaq59]

Always keep your orange vest or jacket on during gun season. Yeah, and it isn't too bad an idea to hang a bright orange 3x3 foot sheet of plastic above you when you're kneeling down working on it. Especially if you're in a high use area.

[Marlin 45 carbine]

first thing you do with your kill is stick your index finger up it's butthole then pop it into your mouth - it's a piece of cake after that!:rolleyes:

[Bearhands]

first thing you do with your kill is stick your index finger up it's butthole then pop it into your mouth - it's a piece of cake after that!

ROFLMAO..... thats funny as hell!

btw.... i gag too, so I made a deal w/ 2 nephews to gut my deer IF I should get one.

[nathan]

LAtex gloves and N 95 facemask at the local medical supply.

[K3]

No one likes field dressing, the tolerate it because the hunt, the event, the food makes the few minutes of field dressing worth it.

I like field dressing deer. For me the game is to see how fast I can do it while at the same time making a minimum of mess. No matter how cold, I just strip down my upper half to my t-shirt and field dress barehanded. I just wash up afterwards. I like to come back and watch the gutpile later in the day to see if I can kill a fox or a bobcat.

I don't like skinning deer much, but I know how to do it without damaging meat. I just haven't figured out how to do it without wearing out my hands and forearms. Skinning bobcats, yotes, and foxes is much easier, even when being supercareful around the face.

Quartering is something I don't mind at all. I get a lot of satisfaction out of being able to get the entire backstrap out with a minimum of meat loss. I use a flatblade screwdriver when it's time to deal with the hindquarters. Very handy for popping loose the ball and socket joints.

[ArmedBear]

How do you get over the gross factor?

Hunt with grizzled old guys who have been doing it since 1950, and who would point and laugh if you admitted to being squeamish.

Works for me.

[22-rimfire]

Just part of hunting. You could hire a guide and have him/her do the job. I don't find it particularily gross unless you gut shot the deer.

Just dig in and it really isn't so bad as far as I'm concerned. Starting is always the hardest part. Go slow. It helps to have some water nearby that you can wash your hands and in my case arms after you are finished. I usually do it wearing a tea shirt and my blaze orange cap. If it is cold, it tends to motivate you to move along and get the job done. Cleanup and put your regular hunting clothes back on.

[K3]

Just part of hunting. You could hire a guide and have him/her do the job. I don't find it particularily gross unless you gut shot the deer.

Even that doesn't bother me too much, especially if I stay upwind on the deer. Of course, I have a 2 year old, and I've been changing diapers and pullups for a while now. Tends to dull the senses a bit.

[rino451]

I was in the same boat last year. 38 year old city boy who discovered the joy of hunting. Pigs, axis, sika, etc. Frankly, if possible, just lend a hand or two to those who are dressing something already. Two or three times, and you're probably ready to skin and cut off the lower leg portions. Next time or two, it'll be time to gut. I'd recommend a small pig - 40 lbs or so as a first. They smell on the outside, but in my experience, they small better on the inside than a large axis. It's also a very manageable size. Don't have to worry about guts going everywhere and they're easy to manhandle.

Good luck, keep at it (we're Men afterall), and enjoy it for what it is.

ETA Also, what for cuts and just be sensible with regard to sanitation. You can catch a bug but you're not going to die or anything, usually. You'd be amazed the number of cases of Giardia are misdiagnosed as food poisoning.

[countertop]

It is my personal opinion that everyone who eats meat should do this at least once in their life. This is where meat comes from, whether you do it yourself or the butcher does it for you before you buy meat from the store

+1 wankerjake!

[41magsnub]

The only thing I can't do is use that new fangled Butt Out tool one of my buddies bought. Intellectually I know that is not violating the animal any worse than I am about to by gutting it the old fashioned way, but it just seems so wrong.

I gutted 5 deer this weekend, no big deal. Just suck it up and do it. It ceases to be gross after doing a few.

[K3]

The only thing I can't do is use that new fangled Butt Out tool one of my buddies bought. Intellectually I know that is not violating the animal any worse than I am about to by gutting it the old fashioned way, but it just seems so wrong.

That just sounds wrong. On many levels.

Now I have to google it and find out what it is.

[CSA 357]

This is part of hunting, if you dont kill one then you dont get field dress it! it has never been a proublum for me , no its not the best smell , but it is success! hunting is not all about the kill, if that was all it was i wouldnt still be going after all these years, and like one of the other posters said! you realy dont have to field dress it, but that is where you get the tenderloins, from the inside, not alot of meat but mighty tender! good luck and dont worry you will do fine im sure, csa

[RangerHAAF]

You don't have to immediately field dress your kill based upon the prevailing temperature, if it's warm field dressing should be done quickly but if it's 40 degrees or below you can sometimes wait to get it to the processor. I've seen the processor who does my meat field dress and skin carcasses for an extra fee. So why don't you call whomever your meat processor is and ask him what the charge will be to do it?

[misANTHrope]

Oh, so assume I manage to gut the deer, not cut myself, the stomach, or the piss sack... how do I transport it without a pickup truck? I have a yuppie CRV with leather so I can't put it inside!

If you have a trailer hitch receiver, pick up a Hitch-Haul. I have a Bronco II for my hunting vehicle, and even if I wanted to put the carcass in the back, there's not a lot of room once I've tossed in the gun/bow case and climbing tree stand. So I just wrap the kill in a tarp, heave it up onto the Hitch-Haul platform, and head to the check station.

http://j.b5z.net/i/u/2151670/i/Hitch_Haul.JPG

[Deer Hunter]

I've never field dressed a deer in my life.

Then again, I use a .700 NE, so that kind of does it for me.

All joking aside, I live a mile and a half from where I hunt. Field dressing is superfluous.

[mgregg85]

I think its important for everyone who wants to hunt to clean their own game. That being said, I don't enjoy cleaning my deer at all. I take my time when I do it and I always wear gloves. Its a lot more fun when there is snow on the ground because you can use it to frequently clean your hands so they don't get too slippery.

[mgregg85]

Oh, so assume I manage to gut the deer, not cut myself, the stomach, or the piss sack... how do I transport it without a pickup truck? I have a yuppie CRV with leather so I can't put it inside!

Get a luggage rack and strap it to the roof. Or if your CRV has a tire on the back like a jeep does you can just toss your deer onto that back tire and strap it down.

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/2913/p1010277ak0.jpg

Its not perfect but it works.

[Funderb]

you don't generally get blood borne pathogens from animals,
the inside of a deer is sterile, its the outside getting in that is bad.

get a handkercheif with your favourite febreeze scent and wear it like a bandito, then use some latex for the hands. just remember the right latex.



Quote:
The only thing I can't do is use that new fangled Butt Out tool one of my buddies bought. Intellectually I know that is not violating the animal any worse than I am about to by gutting it the old fashioned way, but it just seems so wrong.


That just sounds wrong. On many levels.

Now I have to google it and find out what it is.


ohh jeeze, i am tearing up, hahahaha.

[dougwx12]

My first time was just a few weeks ago, and I had the same worries as you. Just accept that it's gross and do it. I yakked three times, then I was done with being squeamish. If friends get deer, ask to gut them for them. No one will turn that down. And yes, I cut the bladder, the colon, and the milk thingie. But not the stomach, thankfully. Expect to smell phantom deer guts for three days. Then move on with life...

If you wrap it in a tarp, put a tarp UNDER it, not around it. Wrapping in plastic holds in heat, which you do not want. They also sell custom molded bed liners for SUVs for about $60 that work well and hose out easily.

[oklahoma caveman]

iv lost coun of the many deer i have cleaned and quartered over the years. gutted to. i enjoy the whole experience. maybe im weird but i dnt mind pushing my hands into a gut shot deer at all. in fact thats about the only time i field dress 1 anymore is if it was gut shot or if i am a long way from my truck. but in all the stuff iv read on cleaning a deer it seems that everybody thinks you hafta gut the deer. i dnt. here is my cleaning procedure.

1. hang from achiles tendon in back legs from a single tree also known as a gambrel(piece of metal roughly ft and half long with an s hook on each end) and hoist it up.
2. skin around the legs and down to the neck.
3. cut off the front shoulders.
4. cut off the backstraps.
5. make a incision near where the stomach tissue joins the body directly in front of the hindquarters. this creates an opening in the body cavity which enables you to reach in and cut the tenderloins out.
6. cut through the ball and socket joint on the hindquarters.

i also get the neck meat off of largerr deer which is no problem. i dnt get the ribs. not enough meat to warrant it. ymmv. but the only reason i see to actually gut the deer during the skinning process is if you want the ribs.
otherwise field dress it if u must drag a long ways, you cnt begin skinning for a while, or it was gut shot.

[BoilerUP]

I get extremely queasy from the human organs medical shows like Grey's Anatomy and House portray...hell I can't even get a flu shot without feeling light-headed.

All that, and dressing a deer doesn't phase me in the least.

I just make sure to have long thick plastic gloves for the dressing part, and once I get it split from stem to stern just begin at the front of the chest cavity and cut/scoop everything out. Plus it gives me a nice pile to coyote hunt over for the next couple days...

Get the dressed deer back to camp, hang it up by the legs, and go about skinning & quartering it up. I'm not real fast at that part, but once you get the skin off its not any different than any animal you see hanging in a chophouse or freezer.

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

No one likes field dressing

I do. I love all aspects of the harvest. Getting up to my elbows in blood is a very large part of my connection to primitive man, which is a big reason I hunt. Absolutely, learn to love it. But don't gut shoot the animal and it will make it much easier smell-wise.

[Deer Hunter]

I do. I love all aspects of the harvest. Getting up to my elbows in blood is a very large part of my connection to primitive man

That pretty much covers it.

Hunting, skinning, then consuming the spoils of the hunt is just plain Manly.

[interlock]

gralloching a deer is not a messy process, if you do it right you will not get to much blood on you and should get no green stomach content on you. your first step is to make a nice job of shooting your deer then follow this guide.

http://www.dcs.gov.uk/BestPractice/Default.aspx

it is a great link to a great site i will post it independantly as well.

interlock

[waffentomas]

You're thinking about this field dressing bit all wrong. Putting an animal down begins a wondrous science experiment. I love to track the wound channel and marvel at the damage my little .308 does; blown up hearts, jellied lungs, shredded livers, holes in the rib cage, splintered bones, bloodshot meat, scrambled brains. Analyzing the shot you just made and looking at what it just did to this magnificent beast is my favorite part. I don't even really think about the blood and mess, only about getting the guts out so I can see if there was any other damage I missed.

And, the greatest prize is finding your variously expanded bullet in the hide or an off shoulder. I've recovered bullets the last two years while gutting, one from an elk, one from a bear, it's kind of like Christmas.

Think of it as your personal ballistics lab as you do it. Picking through the guts and finding wounds and the occassional bullet fragment will take your mind off of the worst of it.

Tom

[OFT]

Take a bottle of hydrogen peroxide along. It will clean the blood off your hands and clothes much better than water and will sterilize any little cuts on your hands. It also comes in handy if you need to track a blood trail.

[K3]

Take a bottle of hydrogen peroxide along. It will clean the blood off your hands and clothes much better than water and will sterilize any little cuts on your hands. It also comes in handy if you need to track a blood trail.

How?

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

Heck, I even enjoy (for the *most* part), huffing and puffing, hauling a deer a quarter mile up and down hills - it's good exercise! Only time I don't enjoy that is early season, when it's hot.

[OFT]

K3, where I hunt at in West Texas you will see a lot of small red dot or spots on the ground. If you aren't sure if a small red spot on the ground is blood or something else you can put a drop of peroxide on it. If it is blood then the peroxide will boil. If it's not blood nothing will happen. It will just confirm if what you are looking at is blood or not.

[testar77]

I scanned the first page or two so if this is a repeat I apologize, but if you are at all concerned about the potential queaziness of gutting a deer...........then what ever you do............... don't............. ever................ever.......................... ever....................................GUT SHOOT ONE!!!!! :neener: In all seriousness gutting a deer is not that bad at all (unless you DO gut shoot it then it gets a bit smelly). If you do happen to gut shoot it, just get it gutted and cleaned out as soon as possible.

Happy Hunting!

Toby

[K3]

K3, where I hunt at in West Texas you will see a lot of small red dot or spots on the ground. If you aren't sure if a small red spot on the ground is blood or something else you can put a drop of peroxide on it. If it is blood then the peroxide will boil. If it's not blood nothing will happen. It will just confirm if what you are looking at is blood or not.

I hunt in West Texas too, and I know all about those pesky red dots & spots while trying to follow a blood trail. I believe I'll keep a small bottle of peroxide handy. Thanks. :)

[nathan]

Best part is quartering the carcass and putting them in the chest and cover it in ice. After 4 days of ice regimen, the meat is so tender and making stew is so good . THe wife and kids love it. THe ribs get barbecued then in the grill some other days.

[IndianaBoy]

Having yanked the guts out of countless squirrels,, a deer is just bigger in size.

I don't wear gloves,,, I prefer to be able to feel everything.

The trick is to just do it. Get your hands in and realize it isn't going to hurt you. I have a gut pile in my front yard right now that I need to get rid of.

[moooose102]

1)rubber gloves, 2)and most importantly, MAKE CERTAIN YOU ARE ON THE UPWIND SIDE!, 3) if you start feeling nausious, stop for a minute, and re-group. you really do not want a gut full of your vomit inside your deer carcass. 4) make certain you DO NOT rupture the stomach or intestines. wet wipes / hand sanitizer / clean towel for when you are done. that way when you eat your lunch after you are done, you are not ingesting a ton of gut bacteria / germs from your prize. the only people i can imagine who really like feild dressing are veteranarians, and surgeons. they get practice, and get to see what is really going on inside of their "cadavers".

[Loyalist Dave]

As the post previous to this points out...., I found that I was not very good at it (making many of the above mistakes) so I made a much bigger mess than was needed. Perhaps you can ask a local hunter who gets alot of deer to show you how he/she does it? I did, and after I was shown what I was doing wrong, it really is less of a problem than changing a kid's diaper! If you don't know anybody else, try your local deer-meat cutter, and see if he can put you in touch with a hunter who would help you.

LD

[MountainWalk]

I never gut an animal. I just quarter it on the spot and forget the guts..

[2FNSLO]

but I haven't really had much of an issue with field dressing. I admit, on the buck I killed last year that I shot down through one lung and it got into the intestines I did just about see how good my digestive system was working on my breakfast that morning. I use the the cheap two pack of field dressing gloves you can find about everywhere for under $2. A long orange pair that comes up to your shoulders and a tight fitting latex pair to go over them on just your hands. Works pretty well for feeling and keeps the blood off my sleeves. Just remember to take your watch off before you put them on.
The other thing I actually like about doing this is like someone else mentioned, it's like a science experiment. Look at the wound channel and it has also helped me with exactly where all the vitals are actually located. Pictures are good, but getting your hands in there is better IMHO.
Best advice I could give, is get a good sharp knife and have an experience hunter give you a hand.
Have fun!

[SwearNoAllegiance]

I've had the same apprehensions. Then I've come to the conclusion that it's all just meat and not any different than mashing up some burger. Perhaps just warmer.

[nickE10mm]

The only thing I can say is you will NEVER mind blood if you've ever seen a gut shot deer. Blood is good and something you will look forward to after harvesting your game. It will drain out during field dressing and you will be left with nothing but meat. :)

[bang_bang]

Breathe through your mouth and pretend it's pudding....:neener:

[MAGNUM44]

you guys gave all of the right tips in field dressing I can't add anything to that, like I always said " Shooting them is the easy part of the Hunt "

[twofifty]

Anyone here have advice on how best to separate the skin from the hind quarters, on either side of the arse hole? That skin is so tight to the muscle, there is no slack at all to grab at and I end up cutting into the meat a bit.

Anyone know if the white conical organ just behind the scrotum, up against the spine, is the buck's prostate?

Gutting is also a great way to learn a thing or two about our own selves, as we are set up pretty well the same way inside.

I marvel at the shapes and colors the organs have, contrasting with the dark meat. There's the sound of air escaping when you cut the diaphragm. All the fibrous support structures for the organs. The heart in its own tough translucent sack - no signs of arterio-sclerosis there ! The size of some of the arteries where they enter an organ is amazing.

Hope this doesn't gross people out...but I feel the animal deserves to be admired in as many ways as possible.

They are a thing of beauty, both inside and out.

[nathan]

Best part is when its all said and done and the meat is in ice. 4 days after it will be in the grill.

http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc127/Dongha_97/DSC_0350.jpg

[bang_bang]

"Anyone here have advice on how best to separate the skin from the hind quarters, on either side of the arse hole? That skin is so tight to the muscle, there is no slack at all to grab at and I end up cutting into the meat a bit."

Here is a crude drawing. Remember I'm no artist.

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/ss_drummer/deerskinning.jpg

This is when the deer is hanging by it's hind legs. The dark red is the inside of it's stomach cavity. Blue lines indicate cuts.

I start at where I gutted the animal and make an incision up to it's knee joint. I cut a ring around the base at the knee. I start pulling the hide down the leg. Do this on both sides, then when you get to its goods, simply pull it down. The tail should slide through too, except the tip. Makes it look like a poodle. :neener:

Be careful when you cut around the tendon, made that mistake once. hard to skin a deer when you're wrestling with it on the groud. :banghead:

[nitetrane98]

Please tell me that's one of them real big coolers or I'll have to believe the guy that told me S.Texas whitetails are about like a full grown German Shepherd with antlers!!!
Just kidding, I'm jealous. Been a long time since I've had some good venison.

[jmar254]

Agent-J,
I was wondering about this very thing last week, although I could blast a BG standing at the foot of my bed without a second thought easier than Bambi. I went to YouTube and searched for field dressing and just watched to see what it took. I would like to go hunting someday.

[rudy99]

I pretty much have the same question. There are some videos on youtube you can watch to get an idea of what is going on.
Here is one of many:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKm42ql7NSw

[bad_aim_billy]

Honestly, I would say the biggest thing is taking it slow. Cut for a bit, and if you feel a bit queasy, take a step back for a minute and breath some fresh air. Gutting an animal is not a race, contrary to popular belief...

[Davek1977]

I second the idea about learning some basics on same game and/or birds, as well as the proposition that EVERYONE who eats meat should have to experience field dressing and the butchering process at some point. While not somehting I'd want to do on a daily basis, I don't mind the job. After all, if you're gutting a deer, that means a tag has been filled, and whether its the biggest buck I ever shot, or a doe for the freezer, that always is accompanied by elation, excitement, a feeling of accomplishment, and, at least for me, always a small sense of regret. Maybe its not the "manly" way, but yeah, theres a part of me thats sad after a kill.....and I think if I ever lost that feeling, I'd quit hunting, as for me, its as much a celebration of life as it is of death. Once I lose the respect and compassion I have for a game animal, I've lost what defines me, personally, as a hunter. No, I don't hesitate when I have that big mulie buck centered in my crosshairs. The shooting is instinctual at this point. However, the flood of emotions comes as one is standing over the animal, admiring it for the first time, pondering its life and death. Fielddressing is part of the deal when you hunt. Its not my favorite thing to do, but its a small price to pay considering the many gifts nature offers. Its not my favorite part of the hunt, but it IS part of the hunt, and theres few things I love as much as hunting deer.

[Blakenzy]

Read and learn as much as you can about the animal's anatomy, until you can identify and understand it's individual parts in detail. Concentrate on the detail, and eventually you will begin to "see" the animal as an analogic organic machine, with different parts that blend and fuse into each other. Pretty soon you will not be chopping up a cute Bambi, but carefully disassembling a perfect, beautiful and delicate machine.

I never field dressed an animal, but this is pretty much how I got over the issues of surgery and other medical procedures that would normally bring out a negative gut reaction.

[JWarren]

To answer the Original Poster's question.


I've been hunting whitetail hunting all my life-- pretty much 30 years of hunting (37 now) I've put dozen's on the ground.


And I inherited from my Grandfather--who was also a hunter all his life-- an intense reaction to SMELLS. The wrong smell hits me and I turn green.

When my father and I dress a deer, I pretty much plan on puking at some point. It really depends on if we somehow puncture the guts in some way.

My solution? Get better at shots. I can't handle cleaning a gut-shot deer. Oh, I've done it, but I puke. Dad pretty much understands that I may have to walk off a second in the middle of it.

I personally haven't gut-shot a deer in my entire life because of my distain for cleaning one.


Best thing that I can tell you is to place shots well (should do that anyway.) When cleaning the animal, make sure you are ready to dump the guts in a tube quickly and cleanly and get it out of the way. Once that is done, you will be better.

Lastly, don't feel bad about a weak stomach. Everyone has reactions to things. It used to bother me-- and I've gotten a bit of ribbing over it. Now, people understand that I have that reaction but it is just a thing with me.


No real help here other than saying that you aren't alone. I haven't let it stop me from being an avid hunter, but it ain't exactly my favorite part of the hunt....

Hang in there.

-- John

[grsjax]

Just my.02 worth but you might want to read up on the biology of deer or what ever you are hunting and learn something about the internal plumbing. Makes it more interesting when you know what you are removing and what it does.

[Dksimon]

If the weather is cold be sure that you dont cut yourself. If your fingers are cold from the weather you probalby wont notice a small cut.

I would also recomend long gloves, a jug of water and paper towes, and a ziploc bag if you intend to keep the heart.

Once you are finished gutting the animal wash off with the water and use the remainder to wash out any excess blood from inside the animal. that should help some with the issue of transporting.

[d2wing]

I bring a pair of long plastic diposable gloves, a good sharp knife, wipes, and a hatchet or saw for the pelvis bone. I start at the front of the breast bone and cut to butt. You can do it all with a strudy sharp knife. I then cut around the butt hole as deep as I can. if I can't then pull the **** through, I slice through the muscles between the butt and belly, then split the pelvis bone with the knife or hatchet or saw. Then cut the diagphram loose, windpipe and pull every thing out. turn it over and you're done.
I've done dozens. The best way is have someone show you and just do it.
You eventually get used to it, and treat it as a ritual celebration of the hunt.
The last cuople of years, my nephew has done it for me. He first cuts off the sex organs, cuts around the ****, makes the slit to the neck, then makes the wind pipe cut and diaphram and pulls everything out. It's amazing, I should video it next year. I does it very quickly, makes no mess, doesn't need gloves or get blood on himself. And he really likes to do it. Perfect hunting partner. I usually poke through my gloves, get blood all over and take a long time.
Maybe you shoud start with small game or birds.
I have a Yukon and use a hitchhaul as shown in a previous post. You can also put a rubber mat and a tarp in the back, or tie the deer on top to the luggage rack. The blood washes off. You can also put a tarp under it.
You might find a small trailer handy too.

[deerhunter61]

Would a medium sized Ice chest fit into the back seat? If so get one. Quarter up the deer. Put the quarters into seperate bags...Trash bags will work and then put them into the ice chest and throw some ice on it. If you need to buy two of the Medium size ice chests? Put down plastic heavy duty trash sacks over your seats and that should take care of your concern for your leather seats.

[MCgunner]

I got started early. I really can't remember being "grossed out" by cleaning an animal. Hey, happiness is a warm gutpile. :D I guess it comes from cleaning chickens at an early age. Nothing is quite so nasty as a chicken, yet they are pretty decent fried or BBQed. :D