Pnw 517 revised january 2010 big game from hunt to home. When it comes to the skin, you have two different options. Firmly wrap your stout string twice around the outstretched base of the penis or vagina and rectum and tie the ends tightly with a square knot. Whether you call it field dressing, gutting, skinning or cleaning a deer, this simple guide should be helpful. Make sure you have at least a knife, a saw, and rubber gloves. Step by step guide to successfully field dressing a deer. Know what you need before you begin field dressing your animal. Before you leave your vehicle or campsite to go hunting, make sure you have.
Always wear latex or rubber gloves when field dressing or. Field dressing big game alaska department of fish state of alaska. After all, you have just harvested 30 to 50 pounds of lean meat. Once your deer is on the ground, breaking down the carcass and getting it ready to eat is another challenge. Oct 29, 2018 step by step guide to successfully field dressing a deer are you new to deer hunting and are worried about field dressing a deer for the first time.
Removing the internal organs and cooling the carcass is essential to keeping the meat from spoiling. Be careful if you want to eat the kidneys of the deer. No detail is left out from proper field dressing and butchering to storing and preparing your venison. Proper field dressing and handling of wild game and fish. After shooting an animal, the sooner you field dress it, the better. Step by step instructions from field to table read. Field dressing consists of cleaning the deer of its entrails, which can contaminate the meat. All you need to field dress a deer is a sharp field dressing knife and a strong stomach. He is new at hunting and loves all the information in this book. Each method can be broken down one step further by deboning the meat. By implementing a few precautionary measures during field dressing, the hunter can help ensure the final product is fit to consume. This will help to drain out any remaining blood in the cavity. How to skin a deer step by step guideline outdoorhill. You should take breaks while fielddressing your deer to allow your self to warmup or relax.
Do take the carcass to a commercial processing plant as soon as possible, if. Field dressing, removing entrails, right away is the first step in cooling your meat harvest down quickly. Stepbystep instructions, from field to table salads top. Field dressing must be done as soon as possible in order to ensure rapid body heat loss, and prevent bacteria from growing on the surface of the carcass. Field dressing tips step 1 insert your knife point under the hide only and make one long, straight incision up the belly. How to perform the gutless method on big game gohunt. A stepbystep guide to field dressing, skinning, aging, and butchering deer ultimate guides on free shipping on qualified orders. Dont hold the carcass outdoors, unrefrigerated until it can be processed.
Kill tag with string already attached flashlight knife that has been recently sharpened small rag any color other than white to wipe off hands. Oct 26, 2018 this will help to drain out any remaining blood in the cavity. Honor the animaland get better meals by butchering your deer yourself. Use 68 feet of rope to tie one of the animals legs to a tree to open up the carcass for field dressing. To help with that endeavor, here is a step bystep pictorial guide to field dressing a whitetailed deer. This final step is one that many hunters dread having to do since this is where the real work seems to begin. To a deer hunter, nothing surpasses the savory taste of properly dressed, butchered, and prepared venison. The gutless method is great, if quartering is done immediately. To field dress a deer, youll need a sharp, sturdy knife. A stepbystep guide to butchering your own deer field. I prefer the gutless method because i think it is much more simple to do in the field because you are removing the meat from the animal without exposing the sometimes stinky and messy innards and guts.
The next stage in deer processing 101 now that your trophy is back at camp or your house is to skin it out. Gutless field dressing can save you time, weight and handling of entrails with no significant loss of meat. Now urine and feces cannot escape from the bears urinary bladder or rectum during the rest of the field dressing process. After killing and field dressing the deer, it is time to. Skinning remember that a deers hide is a tremendous insulator as. Below are instructions on how to field dress a deer step by step. That is the final step in field dressing a deer and you are ready to transport it out of the woods. After shooting a deer, immediately field dress or gut the animal to preserve the meat and avoid spoiling. This is the best way to fully utilize the nutritional resources from the onceliving animal. Field dressing and handling of deer and other large animals properly field dressing your game animal is an essential first step in preserving the meat and preventing the occurrence of diseasecausing bacteria. I bought this as a christmas gift for my husband and he loved it. And the process might differ from how someone else does it.
Here is a step by step description of how to do it as efficiently and cleanly as feasible. By avoiding a prolonged chase of a wounded deer, you reduce the chances of. May 09, 2016 pdf field dressing and butchering deer. Thats great, but most hunters fielddress their deer on the ground prior to bringing them home or taking them to the meat processor. Field dressing and handling of deer and other large animals. Many successful big game hunters have learned the hard way that venison quality is strongly influenced by handling of the carcass from the time of the kill until it is. Regardless of whether you are hunting with a bow or firearm, your patience. To help with that endeavor, here is a stepbystep pictorial guide to fielddressing a whitetailed deer. Cut the skin and muscle from the bottom of the breastbone to the brisket. After a successful hunt, it is important that we take care of the animal and process it in a timely manner. How to gut a deer in 6 steps by will brantley author of brow tines and backstrap november 10, 2014 print recipe. This process also helps cool the carcass, slow bacterial growth, and remove blood and paunch stomach materials from the meat. Field dressing deer pocket guide penn state extension. Techniques for field dressing deer and other large animals depend on the size of the kill.
Field dressing your deer ohio division of wildlife. Position the knife within the cut with the blade facing upwards. As liver and kidneys are attached, you need to be aware during pulling them out and separate them from liver. Field dressing as soon as your deer is tagged prepare it for field dressing. Take care to avoid puncturing or tearing the stomach and intestines during this process. The most important thing with field dressing is to have a routine or a timeline that will make the process as easy as it can get. A simple stepbystep guide to field dressing your deer. Dos and donts of fielddressing dont tie the carcass to the hood of your car. The sooner you bring the meat to a cool temperature, the better it will taste on the table. Place your deer backsidedown on a slight incline if possible head pointed uphill. Remove all visible dirt, feces, hair, and bloodshot areas. Prop open the body cavity with a clean stick or branch.
Wear a pair of shoulderlength plastic fielddressing gloves to keep your arms and clothes clean. But to field dress, skin, and process the meat of your downed animal can take a good deal of time to do properly. Whitetail deer hunting produces outstanding memories in the field and it also provides excellent meat for our families to eat. Heat and contamination are the primary culprits responsible for meat deterioration and the gamey flavor that many associate with venison. For those who intend to complete the butchering and processing of the deer themselves, the next step is skinning. Thats great, but most hunters field dress their deer on the ground prior to bringing them home or taking them to the meat processor. Field to fork field dressing deer with food safety in mind. Some hunters have a meat pole or skinning shed where they hang their deer to remove the entrails. Kentucky department of fish and wildlife resources. Field dressing an elk is a nasty job, but somebodys gotta do it. If you have a long trip home, place a plastic bag full of ice inside the carcass to keep it cool.
It is peak hunting season, and you have just bagged yourself a twelvepoint buck. Fielddressing, or gutting, is the first step after the deer is down. Wipe the inside of the body cavity with a dry cloth or paper towels. Place the carcass on a slope at a slight angle to straight downhill and work on the. With the help of stepbystep instructions and illustrations, monte burch passes down the wisdom of his practical experience and explains how to field dress and butcher deer in order to prepare and preserve it for cooking or storage. On this video our very own joel lickliter the home cookin hunter. General information wellcared for deer and antelope make fine table fare for many people. Field dressing or gralloching is the process of removing the internal organs of hunted game, and is a necessary step in preserving meat from animals harvested in the wild. A deers internal organs need to be removed as quickly as possible for a variety of reasons. Nov 06, 20 to help with that endeavor, here is a step by step pictorial guide to fielddressing a whitetailed deer.
Field dress as soon as possible to remove the entrails. Field dressing deer pocket guide college of agricultural sciences agricultural research and cooperative extension step 2. Drag it to a spot where you will have plenty of working room and prop it up on its back. Field dressing a whitetail deer hunt fish camp wisconsin. For the most part, all you need to field clean a deer is a sharp knife and a strong stomach. A simple step by step guide to field dressing your deer. To me, the most important aspect of field dressing a deer is not rushing the job and making sure no internal organs are accidentally cut open. Properly field dressing your game animal is an essential first step in preserving the meat and preventing the occurrence of diseasecausing bacteria. The moment your bullet or arrow hits a deer, venison care begins. This method is a fast and easy way to get your animal out of the field. There are countless ways to field dress a deer, but this is how we do it back home in tennessee. Proper field care of meat is an important step to putting tasty wild meals on your dinner table. This method also allows hunters to skip the traditional step of splitting and handling the spine, which can contain fluids associated with chronic wasting disease.
Be prepared ahead of time before you leave your vehicle or campsite to go hunting, make sure you have the following materials with you. Step by step guide to successfully field dressing a deer are you new to deer hunting and are worried about field dressing a deer for the first time. If youre a backcountry diy hunter and you want to quickly break an animal down into manageable pieces and get it cooled down, the best way to do that is called the gutless field dressing method. Spread the hind legs by propping a branch between them or position the carcass on its back with rocks or logs to keep it in place. If youve never tried the gutless methodor even if you havecheck out these helpful tips and tricks, in our 5step guide to the gutless method. Prop the deer with its head uphill or over a log or brush pile, or hoist it headfirst.
Tips for dos and donts of fielddressing commercial deer. Field dressing a deer step 1 oregon state university. Field dressing a deer is not the most fun part of the hunt, but its just as necessary as all the careful preparation and the killing shot. I often save this step for later, or skip it altogether if i plan. Deer processing 101 complete field to table guide bone. Do not consume any deer that may look weak, sick or is staggering. Step by step instructions, from field to table salads top. Do not take any risks if in doubt about the health of the deer. Follow the previous incision from the pelvis to the anus.
You can field dress a deer by simply straddling the animal and pushing the legs out with your knees. So youve downed your first twelvepoint buck of the season. Keep a big container ready because you need to pull out the organs from the body. Field dress your deer as soon as possible after you have shot it. This is easiest with a limber, freshly killed animal. The steps below are what we do when it comes to field dressing deer. Skinning remember that a deers hide is a tremendous insulator as evidenced by the fact that deer do not freeze.
Keep the carcass cool the deer should be as clean and as cool as possible during transport. Techniques for field dressing deer and other large animals depend upon the size of the kill. Proper field dressing photos courtesy of digital bucket improper handling of the deer can contaminate the carcass with potentially harmful bacteria and compromise food safety and quality. Opening the chest initiates the cooling process and gets the internal organs away from the meat, a critical step in slowing bacteria growth and keeping spoilage at bay. Theres only one problem your 30 pounds of meat is stuck behind a wall of hide and bone.
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