Essential Tools Field Dressing Big Game
- Thread starter dak0ta
- Start date
- Status
WestKentucky
Member
The actual basics are really simple. Information and something sharp. With those tools a lot can be done. The more practical answer is a sharp knife, a hatchet, and depending upon the game, a small bonesaw may be beneficial. With whitetail I gut behind the ribs first then use the hatchet to open the chest. It's not hard, or messy if you are careful. I have also used the hatchet as a hammer to hit the back of the knife to deliver powerful, precise force. So my answer is a fixed blade that's very strong and only marginally sharp, with a hatchet accompanying it.
flipajig
Member
A good sharp knife and shearling steel and a battery powererd saws all. I've cut up a lot of deer pigs and elk.
Flip
Flip
1911 guy
Member
Required? A piece of sharp flint and a loincloth. Loincloth optional, depending on the weather.
Now what are the minimal tools that make it somewhat manageable? A good knife and a saw. A good knife for skinning and field dressing is one with a thick spine, very sharp edge and a steeper angle on the edge than your average kitchen knife. The saw should be portable, whether a conventional hacksaw or a battery powered saws all.
If you're doing processing closer to home, a variety of knives is good to have. Far from home where packing size and weight is a consideration, take one knife and err on the side of stout blade. Overly long, however, is a detriment. For anything on the north American continent, nothing is esential over a 4" blade. Deer can be done with a 2" pocketknife, but a prefer a fixed blade because sometimes you need to apply more pressure than I like to on a folder.
Now what are the minimal tools that make it somewhat manageable? A good knife and a saw. A good knife for skinning and field dressing is one with a thick spine, very sharp edge and a steeper angle on the edge than your average kitchen knife. The saw should be portable, whether a conventional hacksaw or a battery powered saws all.
If you're doing processing closer to home, a variety of knives is good to have. Far from home where packing size and weight is a consideration, take one knife and err on the side of stout blade. Overly long, however, is a detriment. For anything on the north American continent, nothing is esential over a 4" blade. Deer can be done with a 2" pocketknife, but a prefer a fixed blade because sometimes you need to apply more pressure than I like to on a folder.
MtnCreek
Member
And depending on company!
You'll also need some rope to hang him. Processing on the ground is a pain for me.
Something handy that I use to hang deer at home is a small Cat 1 drawbar. I put a clevis in the middle and slit the hide at his hind legs to slide the pins through (don't get into the glands).
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
- Messages
- 13,341
I completely disassemble including a full quarter job on elk, deer, hogs, caribou, cape buffalo ETC ETC IE any mammalian quadruped short of elephant with nothing more than 3.5 inch folding pocket knife. You just have to know where to cut. A small bone saw makes taking the ribs off spine and brisket much easier but that is the ONLY thing I ever use a saw or small hatchet for. I generally carry a very light weight small saw in the field and keep a good Wyoming saw back in camp.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
- Messages
- 13,341
Here is skeleton of an elk any quadruped on the planet is going to have the same primary skeletal structure.
This is the Skelton of a dog the major bones are all the same. I put this up for reference to proper skeletal parts.
Here is the skeleton with muscles on. Reference this so you can see what the areas I am describing to cut look like.
Meat cuts.
Note you can do this on a gutted field dressed animal or a non gutted animal it works either way.
I lay an animal on its side and skin the animal by making a cut all the way up the hide covering the back bone from the base of the tail all the way up to the head. I then make a cut from where the cut stops at the head down across and down center of the throat. The cut all the way down to the brisket over front leg just about where it meets the brisket line all the way back and over the hind leg around to the rump and back up the middle of the hind quarter until the cut connects to where you started at the base of the tail. I then peel the skin off starting at the cut at the base of the head.
The animal is now skinned on the top half and still has skin on the bottom side that it is lying on. I lay the skin I took off, fur side down white side up and spread it out flat. I use the white, what was on the inside of the animal, side of the skin to place my meat on so they don't get dirty.
The first thing I do is take front leg off. This is simple as there is no bone connect between the shoulder and the rest of the body. Simply lift up on the front leg and remove it with a sharp knife by cutting it away from where the leg meets the rib cage on the bottom side. As you lift on the leg and cut underneath the leg will come right off. Place the leg once removed on you piece of skin being careful to not get any hair form the lower leg on the that skin.
Now I take the back straps off. This is best done by making cut across the back strap meat on the forward side of pelvis then make a deep cut along the back bone all the way up to the neck then simply fillet the back strap off the ribs. Place the back strap on your piece of skin.
Next I disarticulate the hindquarter form the pelvis. This takes some practice but once you get right the hindquarter will come off the pelvis with the sirloin attached. Place the hindquarter on your piece of skin.
Now the only thing you've got left to do is to pull the ribs off the spine. the easiest way to this is to take your bone saw and split the sternum right up the middle. After you split the sternum saw the ribs off right where they meet the backbone. Place your half ribcage on your piece of skin
Reference the skeleton picture below. the blue circles are where we removed a leg the yellow is where we've cut with a saw. The red lines are where we are going to cut through joints to make our animal manageable for packing out.
On the hind leg we cut the lower leg off at the KNEE joint NOT THE HOCK joint. This is the easiest place to separate the hindquarter from the lower leg. Once again most folks won't hit that joint on the first try but once you've done it once or twice and know where to cut a small pocket knife will slice right through that joint with ease.
On the front leg remove the shoulder from the lower leg at the elbow joint. Same as above it takes a time or two to get it and make a clean cut but once you figure out where to cut it is easy to do with a small knife on the largest animals.
Now remove the head at the atlas joint where the skull meats the spine. Or if you are leaving the head in the field don't bother.
Now before you scream at me about wasted meat on the lower legs let's talk about that. First off the lower legs or "shank meat" is usable if you want it but it is mostly tendons and ligaments. if you do want the shank meat simple cit off the bone and take it. Same goes for the neck meat.
(See the diagram below)
Elk with muscle on the bone.
Now you flip the animal over and repeat. After you're done with the other side you are left with spine and a pelvis if the gut is still attached you've probably moved the heart and lungs out of the way after cutting off the first half of the ribs. Simply remove the front loins. If the animal was not yet gutted you can make a cut in the upper flank where it attaches to the back bone and access the rear loins there. If the animal was gutted simply cut them off the bone.
I hope this was descriptive and not too confusing...
This is the Skelton of a dog the major bones are all the same. I put this up for reference to proper skeletal parts.
Here is the skeleton with muscles on. Reference this so you can see what the areas I am describing to cut look like.
Meat cuts.
Note you can do this on a gutted field dressed animal or a non gutted animal it works either way.
I lay an animal on its side and skin the animal by making a cut all the way up the hide covering the back bone from the base of the tail all the way up to the head. I then make a cut from where the cut stops at the head down across and down center of the throat. The cut all the way down to the brisket over front leg just about where it meets the brisket line all the way back and over the hind leg around to the rump and back up the middle of the hind quarter until the cut connects to where you started at the base of the tail. I then peel the skin off starting at the cut at the base of the head.
The animal is now skinned on the top half and still has skin on the bottom side that it is lying on. I lay the skin I took off, fur side down white side up and spread it out flat. I use the white, what was on the inside of the animal, side of the skin to place my meat on so they don't get dirty.
The first thing I do is take front leg off. This is simple as there is no bone connect between the shoulder and the rest of the body. Simply lift up on the front leg and remove it with a sharp knife by cutting it away from where the leg meets the rib cage on the bottom side. As you lift on the leg and cut underneath the leg will come right off. Place the leg once removed on you piece of skin being careful to not get any hair form the lower leg on the that skin.
Now I take the back straps off. This is best done by making cut across the back strap meat on the forward side of pelvis then make a deep cut along the back bone all the way up to the neck then simply fillet the back strap off the ribs. Place the back strap on your piece of skin.
Next I disarticulate the hindquarter form the pelvis. This takes some practice but once you get right the hindquarter will come off the pelvis with the sirloin attached. Place the hindquarter on your piece of skin.
Now the only thing you've got left to do is to pull the ribs off the spine. the easiest way to this is to take your bone saw and split the sternum right up the middle. After you split the sternum saw the ribs off right where they meet the backbone. Place your half ribcage on your piece of skin
Reference the skeleton picture below. the blue circles are where we removed a leg the yellow is where we've cut with a saw. The red lines are where we are going to cut through joints to make our animal manageable for packing out.
On the hind leg we cut the lower leg off at the KNEE joint NOT THE HOCK joint. This is the easiest place to separate the hindquarter from the lower leg. Once again most folks won't hit that joint on the first try but once you've done it once or twice and know where to cut a small pocket knife will slice right through that joint with ease.
On the front leg remove the shoulder from the lower leg at the elbow joint. Same as above it takes a time or two to get it and make a clean cut but once you figure out where to cut it is easy to do with a small knife on the largest animals.
Now remove the head at the atlas joint where the skull meats the spine. Or if you are leaving the head in the field don't bother.
Now before you scream at me about wasted meat on the lower legs let's talk about that. First off the lower legs or "shank meat" is usable if you want it but it is mostly tendons and ligaments. if you do want the shank meat simple cit off the bone and take it. Same goes for the neck meat.
(See the diagram below)
Elk with muscle on the bone.
Now you flip the animal over and repeat. After you're done with the other side you are left with spine and a pelvis if the gut is still attached you've probably moved the heart and lungs out of the way after cutting off the first half of the ribs. Simply remove the front loins. If the animal was not yet gutted you can make a cut in the upper flank where it attaches to the back bone and access the rear loins there. If the animal was gutted simply cut them off the bone.
I hope this was descriptive and not too confusing...
OP
OP
dak0ta
Member
- Joined
- Feb 14, 2008
- Messages
- 2,428
Good information. When you're in the bush, do you just put all your cuts into game bags and pack it all into a backpack and hike it out? Then just drag the hide/antlers etc. back with you?
Could you guys recommend some good game bags as well? I've heard people just use pillow cases.
Could you guys recommend some good game bags as well? I've heard people just use pillow cases.
WestKentucky
Member
My best game bag ever was a pickup truck...but having vehicle access is a luxury many folks don't have.
- Joined
- Jan 28, 2003
- Messages
- 13,341
dak0ta,
Good question. I'll give you several scenarios because how I pack out depends on my situation. Worst case scenario is I am in steep deep country with a backpack and foot travel with a long way to pack out. In that case I will take all the meat off the bones place the boned out meat in good strong cotton game bags and haul it out on my back in a frame back or on a pack board. A mature bull elk usually takes three to four loads and that includes antlers and cape if I am planning on keeping them. A big buck mule deer is generally two full loads on a back pack.
If I am on horseback I take all the parts as described in my post above and place them equally on each side of a horse in canvas saddle panniers. If the terrain isn't to rugged or steep I can haul one completely disassembled elk out on one good strong horse. In rough country I'll break it up into two loads or use two horses.
On a short backpack haul out I'll simply pack out the pieces as described above, If I am near a road where I can get to a truck easy and it's a down hill drag I'll gut the elk in the conventional way and drag it to the road and load it in the truck. On a big elk I'll sometimes cut it in half just behind the rib cage after gutting to make two smaller more manageable pieces to drag out. I've done that on a big mule deer buck as well.
DM~
Member
I've done more than a few bears, including brown bears. I've never needed anything more than a good quality knife and sharpening stone.
Here's the knives I used,
With the middle one most used, especially on smaller bears, likes blacks. The bottom knife was used "mostly" for a camp knife and for moose, where a little longer blade is nice.
I also DO like to have a smaller SHARP jack knife for capeing though, although it really isn't required....
DM
Here's the knives I used,
With the middle one most used, especially on smaller bears, likes blacks. The bottom knife was used "mostly" for a camp knife and for moose, where a little longer blade is nice.
I also DO like to have a smaller SHARP jack knife for capeing though, although it really isn't required....
DM
caribou
Member
A small handy , sharp knife, a good stone to keep it that way and a rag to clean the knife, stone and myself after the work is done.
The rag is especially usefull when Bears lurk , keeping blood off a fellow and his 'stuff' hes likely to sleep with or near, or its below 20' out, keeps your hands clean and dry, so you dont foul your gloves and freeze your hands/fingers on the trip home.
Is that a Jade handle on the top knife, DM~?
The rag is especially usefull when Bears lurk , keeping blood off a fellow and his 'stuff' hes likely to sleep with or near, or its below 20' out, keeps your hands clean and dry, so you dont foul your gloves and freeze your hands/fingers on the trip home.
Is that a Jade handle on the top knife, DM~?
witchhunter
Member
I have used a 5 1/2" Kabar for many years. I carry a EzeLap diamond steel for it, also a Uncle Mikes hand saw. One side is a bone saw and one side is a wood saw. Light and flat, carries well in my pack. I carry trash bags to keep the meat clean if I bone it out. If I drag it back, I use a paracord and sew up the body cavity with the heart and liver inside to keep it clean while I drag it through the brush.
Years ago, I met an old timer who survived the depession in central PA by supplementing the garden with wild game.He said he would shoot a deer back in the hollows behind his home.Then he would hang it from a limb,skin it and lay the skin under the carcass.He would place the cuts of meat on the flesh side and tie the four leg skins together,throw it over his shoulder and carry it home.
interlock
Member
http://www.bestpracticeguides.org.uk
When I hunt all up to large red deer i take my hunting knife which is 5 inch blade. A Gerber ezi zip... Superb. And a Gerber ezi saw also a superb bit of kit. I take a rope to hang the carcass in a tree to bleed out whilst I go for the truck.
If I can't get to the truck then legs and head come off in the field. Skin stays on to protect the carcass then I carry it out. This is tough, I have an old injury to my ankle.
The Gerber kit is really good.
Interlock.
When I hunt all up to large red deer i take my hunting knife which is 5 inch blade. A Gerber ezi zip... Superb. And a Gerber ezi saw also a superb bit of kit. I take a rope to hang the carcass in a tree to bleed out whilst I go for the truck.
If I can't get to the truck then legs and head come off in the field. Skin stays on to protect the carcass then I carry it out. This is tough, I have an old injury to my ankle.
The Gerber kit is really good.
Interlock.
caribou
Member
I should add that you can split a Bears sternum with a knife, be he Polar, Brown or Black Bear. Its cartilage right up the middle.
The joint to separate the skull from the neck is knifable..........right after skinning, just follow the bone up from the jaws as you slice the throat, then up and around each side, then start twisting......and paws are easily severed at the wrist, also with a knife, after you skin down to them.
3-6 inch blades are handy and good for Bears.
The joint to separate the skull from the neck is knifable..........right after skinning, just follow the bone up from the jaws as you slice the throat, then up and around each side, then start twisting......and paws are easily severed at the wrist, also with a knife, after you skin down to them.
3-6 inch blades are handy and good for Bears.
DM~
Member
Caribou, all three of those knives are Gerbers, from their "custom series" from back in the 70's... The blades are very hard, but really hold an edge and of course, aren't the easiest to sharpen.
I'm sure all the handles are synthetic.....and that has meant strong and easy to keep clean. After buying the first one and seeing how long it held an edge, I immediately bought the other two, even though they were very EXPENSIVE for the amount of money I was making back then! I think they were something like $38.00 bucks each... lol
I guess they have paid for themselves by now...
DM
BTW, I always hated the color of the handle on that top knife, so it got used less!
oneounceload
member
Unless there are no trees where you hunt....
(like out West in many locales)
DM~
Member
I'd MUCH rather gut/skin/quarter or bone out a bigger animal on the ground, rather than deal with hanging it, or it hanging while I do the work...
Learn the right way to do it on the ground and you won't want to hang another one, i don't even gut the animal if I'm boning it out, there's no need to!
DM
Learn the right way to do it on the ground and you won't want to hang another one, i don't even gut the animal if I'm boning it out, there's no need to!
DM
DM~
Member
buck460XVR
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 10,085
Field dressing is defined as the process of removing the internal organs of an animal in the field. All that is really needed is as Caribou explained, is a sharp knife.
gamestalker
member
Prior to purchasing an expensive cutlery kit for skinning and caping, I used to get it done just fine with a skinning knife, a Buck #119, and decent sharpening tool. There is actually no need to saw bone when doing this. I've always just worked it by cutting the connecting tissues between joints, be it separating the head from the spine, or the paws from the leg bones, it is all easily accomplished with knives.
And even now with my nice caping kit, I still don't ever need to saw through bone, it just makes the job long and drawn out. I caped my first black bear was with just two sharp knives.
The only thing I might add, is consider wearing gloves when working with bears or pigs. The concern here is trichinosis, which is a larvae that implants it's self in your brain, bad stuff! By the time you begin to exhibit any symptoms, it's often too late.
GS
And even now with my nice caping kit, I still don't ever need to saw through bone, it just makes the job long and drawn out. I caped my first black bear was with just two sharp knives.
The only thing I might add, is consider wearing gloves when working with bears or pigs. The concern here is trichinosis, which is a larvae that implants it's self in your brain, bad stuff! By the time you begin to exhibit any symptoms, it's often too late.
GS
Last edited:
- Status
