Newbie question from a not-so newbie

[Specialized]

Might I suggest this website with step-by-step, easy-to-follow instructions and illustrations? The graphics are easy to understand, and not so hard to see as photos. Take a look here.

As was recommended in previous posts, there are some precautions you can take, and some gear that will definitely help. A few of these:

1. Nitrile gloves, like those from any Walmart-type store. Thicker than vinyl or latex, and somehow not quite as slippery.
2. A SHARP knife, 3.25"-4" blade. MAKE SURE the handle affords a good grip -- I like knives with finger choils and/or good traction to the scales.
3. Some water, to help clean up.
4. A small length of cord or leather lace, to tie off the poop-chute. For some reason, this seems to help keep things a bit tidier.

Be careful with:

1. The knife. A sharp knife, believe it or not, actually helps prevent injury to the user, but it definitely must be respected. Likewise, deer bones (ribs, etc) have a tendency to present really sharp edges after being shot. When cutting away the diaphragm tissue, be careful you don't get poked.
2. The cut up the middle. It is extremely important that you don't cut open the gastrointestinal tract while making this cut! The experience will be light-years more pleasant if this are isn't compromised. I would recommend a gut-hook of some fashion; they tend to eliminate this problem. Go slowly and be deliberate, you won't have any trouble.
3. Cuts around the an*s and genitals. These can involve a lot of repeat cuts to get all of the connective tissue. Take your time, and don't just stab blindly -- you'll get there if you're slow and deliberate.
4. The breastplate. The further up through this you can cut, the better; but that being said, make sure you're careful! It's a hard surface, and there are ample opportunities for the knife to slip if you don't keep it under control at all times. Same goes for cutting the windpipe -- reach up as far as you can, but be very careful severing it. The windpipe can present sharp edges if you aren't careful.

Again, about the knife -- you don't need a Daniel Boone-sized bowie to field dress a deer (a mastodon maybe, but not a deer). A 3.25" blade is just about perfect. Stout blade, well-sharpened, and you'll be fine. The Buck Alpha knives are very well-made and hold up well to this, as do thousands of others.

Hope this helps -- good luck!

 

[Berek]

Here's a couple of good links for you:
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/Hunting/deer/fielddress.htm
http://www.learn-taxidermy.com/field_dressing_deer.htm
http://www.whitetails.com/field.html

And probably the best in my list:
http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/freepubs/pdfs/uk100.pdf


Berek

 

[pete f]

some additional thoughts.

We use a clean garden sprayer filled with water or water with a handfull of Kosher Salt to fully wash out the inner cavity once we get the deer hung on the meat pole.

water is not the evil thing here, sitting water is the culprit. Once the deer is hanging up, then wash out all the ishy bits and juices to keep them from ending inside the butchering process.

A wise old butcher once once told me, If you take 99 pounds of meat and add a pound of sh**, you end up with 100 pounds of sh**. keep it clean if you want to eat it.

Get a good knife and keep it sharp, I find the bark river canadian series to be the best I have found at a decent price.

http://www.marblesknives.com/produc...ssional+Series(Mini-Canadian,+Mikro-Canadian)

This is not a place for the rambo syndrome. A big knife has no place near a deer, it will only limit your ability to do a good job. Some people split the pelvis that makes it easier to get the lower GI tract out in one piece, here one of those nifty bone saws or a small hatchet can be useful,

In a warm place, flies are often a problem, using a big handfull of black pepper and tossing it around the inside of a dried chest cavity will keep them away from the meat.

Also in warm weather, any thing you can do to cool the deer down as fast as possible. We hunt from a cabin with access to refridgeration, we usually buy a few bags of ice, and keep them in the freezer till we shoot deer. We drag the deer to our meat pole and prop them up and then stuff the cavity with a bag of ice until the meat is cool or the temp drops.

Try to keep the meat clean, when you carry the deer home, cover the carcass with something to keep the road dirt off. we usually use a blue tarp and keep it wrapped around enough to cover without letting it flap all over but not so tight as to keep temprature in

we have gotten to the point now were we do not have any of the rough out butchering sent out, we just do it all, then have a local meat market do the grinding, sausagemaking etc. A hint, if you have family member who are not big "venison" fans, jerky and bratwurst are terrific way to get them started.

 

[yesterdaysyouth]

i happened upon this today... didn't watch it so i dunno...

http://fw.ky.gov/video/deerfield.wmv?lid=1038&NavPath=C105C191

 

[Father Knows Best]

Anyone want to teach me to hunt?

Countertop said:

This is actually a major problem that the hunting community needs to address. Even if people want to hunt, unless they grew up in a family that hunted, the chances of them finding someone to take them out and "show them the ropes" are slim to none.

[raises hand]

Yup. That's me. I grew up around guns, and have been shooting for as long as I can remember. My first job was pit boy at the local gun club (I sat in the trap pit and reloaded the machine during matches). I'm now 36 years old and have never hunted.

The reason is simple -- my father and grandfathers didn't hunt. My dad is and always was a shooter and collector. My grandfathers never had any interest in shooting or hunting. I know more about obscure military firearms than anybody would ever care to know. I grew up target shooting and hanging around gun and military relic shows. But I've never been hunting.

I'd love to learn to hunt -- deer, ducks, squirrels, anything. I just don't know where to start. I wouldn't know what to do with a deer, duck or squirrel even if I did manage to shoot one.

I'd especially like to learn to bow hunt. One step at a time, though.

I now live near Memphis, Tennessee. Anyone who wants to teach a 36 year old guy to hunt, please PM me. In return, I promise to teach my kids (two boys and a girl due any day now) to hunt. I'll also offer my eternal gratitude, and plenty of post-hunt refreshments.

 

[1911 guy]

Hooray For Hunters!

Even if they are 36 years old. Skinning and gutting a squirrel is just like a deer, but a lot smaller. Do it while it's warm, freshly dead. Skin them immediately and carry a plactic bag (not black, those have insecticide in them) to carry your "trophy" home. I seem to spend my money on deer hunting and my time hunting tree rats. Lotsa fun and tasty, too. I use a .22, but plenty of folks use shotguns, especially when the leaves are still on the trees. Have fun! Squirrel season is usually first to open, so plan on getting out in just a couple months. Good Luck, father knows best. Sorry if this is a hijack.

 

[scout26]

FKB,

If your willing to pay for the out of state tags and drive a few hours north. My family hunts the Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois. You're welcome to join us.

If you want Pheasants/rabbits, I do that too, but you'll have to drive a little bit further north.