How do you field dress a deer?

[Pro2A]

Normally I just cut from the genital area up to the sternum. I break apart the hip bone. I put some gloves on, reach inside and cut the windpipe area. Then I just pull it all out and flip it over to dump the internals.

Any pointers you guys have?

[knight0334]

I cut around the anus, pull it out, then either tie the rectum in knot or use a string to tie it off - keeps pellets inside.. I then cut upwards to the sternum, removing the penis & "gnadz" without cutting the bladder. Then I start removing the lower cavity contents. After that I open up the diaphragm and remove the upper cavity contents, reaching way up in to cut off the esophagus.

[Tomcat088]

Normally I just cut from the genital area up to the sternum. I break apart the hip bone. I put some gloves on, reach inside and cut the windpipe area. Then I just pull it all out and flip it over to dump the internals.

Any pointers you guys have?

I cut out the male scent glands before I start on anything else, that way I'm not covered in piss. Then I usually start with the genitals. On a doe, especially if she has had a fawn I will cut off the teets and mammary glands. I cut around the anal sphincters before I break the pelvis, then it comes out quite easily. If it's not a deer I'm going to mount, I cut up through the sternum to get a longer "handle", but you can just cut hi up in the neck pull the esophagus back down through. I've also found that you if you cut through the diaphram, it makes getting the guts out easier. You gotta be careful while doing this though, or else you'll bust the guts and ruin your tenderloin. When you get down lower into the genital area, also always watch for the urine bladder, it's an easy way to taint your tenderloins or hams as well.

Oh and something that some of you may not do that I've always found helps a TON involves some logs. I put a log on each side of the deer (parallel to the abdomen), so that it can't roll around and move until I want it to move. When you're ready to break the pelvis, putting a log crossways (perpendicular) along the other logs so that you have some area to pull the pelvis down and spread it to break. A sharp knife always goes a long way, as goes a hatchet that you can hit with a rock or hammer to split the pelvis.

[Coop650]

...as goes a hatchet that you can hit with a rock or hammer to split the pelvis.

In 26 years of hunting and countless deer I have never once split the pelvis. I am surprised to hear how many folks do this in the field.

Otherwise I pretty much do it like Pro2A mentioned already, minus the hip/pelvis splitting part.

[Tomcat088]

In 26 years of hunting and countless deer I have never once split the pelvis. I am surprised to hear how many folks do this in the field.

Otherwise I pretty much do it like Pro2A mentioned already, minus the hip/pelvis splitting part.

This is interesting to me. That's just "how I was taught" and I figured it helped to get the anus and intestine out without having to cut really deep with a knife. I've hunted with lots of friends, that all of us were taught by different people how to clean a deer. Our methods all vary, with quite a few similarities, but I've always seen them split the pelvis too. I find this interesting, I wonder how many other people don't do it, and what other variations we'll hear about.

[ranger_5_0]

for the count ive never split a pelvis on a deer either. just the way i was taught. the rest of it is basically the same as already posted though.

[thefirstndsecond]

With a nice shirt and tie

[fingers80002]

WHAT??????

Noone saves the heart or liver???????



Those are some of the best parts!!!!!!!

[IronButt]

I've been hunting deer since I was 10. (That's 51 years!) I know some who split the pelvis, but I've never seen the need. Also I don't cut out the scent glands. That contaminates the knife that you're going to use to gut the deer. Don't touch the glands & you won't contaminate the meat.

Otherwise, I cut around the anus & gonads, then with my fingers on either side of the blade (& using them to loosen the hide ahead of the blade) I cut the hide to the sternum; being careful not to cut the gut. Rock the carcass back & forth to loosen the entrails, then pull them out to one side as far as you can.

Then roll your sleeves up, reach in & cut around the membrane separating the lungs & gut area. Reach up as far as you can into the cavity & cut the windpipe. Rock the carcass back & forth a few more times & everything should dump right out on the ground.

It sounds harder than it is, but it only takes about 5 minutes.

[dk99358]

A sharp knife always goes a long way, as goes a hatchet that you can hit with a rock or hammer to split the pelvis.

Once you get the pelvis exposed, stick a finger on the underside (along the colon) and you will feel a ridge. That ridge is cartilage and can be split with a decent sized knife, no need for a rock or hatchet.

I like to cut the glands off because the legs often flop around and who knows what that gland will touch? I start well above the gland so I have a clean piece of skin to hold on to and carefully cut around the gland.

That's the way the butcher at camp taught me 33 years ago and that's the way I still do it.

Dale