Free: Contests & Raffles.
It helps to use a small, and extremely sharp knife, like a Havalon, and also it makes it much easier if you can find a large rock, log, etc. to set the rear end of the animal on.This gets it up off the ground so you can access it easier and see what you're doing.
[ftp]I have a havalon- the blades I think are too thin and a pain to change without tools. Maybe just me thoughI carry these with a sharpener Great little kniveshttp://www.consumersearch.com/kitchen-knives/victorinox-paring-knife-4-inch/buy
Quote from: 7mmfan on September 23, 2015, 09:48:54 AMI have field dressed about 15 deer and half a dozen elk in my life, but I have always used a small bone saw to cut the pelvis in order to pull everything out the back. Last year my saw bit the dust and I field dressed 2 elk and a deer by just fleshing out the anus to a depth where I could pull it through the front and roll all the guts out. This worked well, but each time I punctured the bladder. Luckily I was in a position to tip and then immediately flush the area out thoroughly. I didn't notice any issues with any of the meat. My question is, for you guys that field dress this way, how to manage to not puncture the bladder, but flesh out enough of the anal canal to pull it all through? I want to look up videos but I'm at work and videos of field dressing animals are frowned upon. Find the high point where the two halves of the pelvis come together. drive your knife right into that seam (may need to do it a couple times, especially on elk) then push the legs further apart and the pelvis will break along that seam.
I have field dressed about 15 deer and half a dozen elk in my life, but I have always used a small bone saw to cut the pelvis in order to pull everything out the back. Last year my saw bit the dust and I field dressed 2 elk and a deer by just fleshing out the anus to a depth where I could pull it through the front and roll all the guts out. This worked well, but each time I punctured the bladder. Luckily I was in a position to tip and then immediately flush the area out thoroughly. I didn't notice any issues with any of the meat. My question is, for you guys that field dress this way, how to manage to not puncture the bladder, but flesh out enough of the anal canal to pull it all through? I want to look up videos but I'm at work and videos of field dressing animals are frowned upon.
No need to split the pelvis. As has been said, use a havalon and carefully cut the connective tissue and you can push the anus in through the pelvic cavity. (I think it's cleaner to not split the pelvis).I do prefer the gutless method though. I carry my havalon and a leatherman. If a blade is getting dull I just pull out the leatherman and take off the dull blade and put on a new blade......works great.
It's easy, and relatively quick to do it this way. First, do not cut the throat of the animal. Cut the wind pipe from the inside after opening up the body cavity, reaching up as far as you can.Then, use a very small knife to cut around the anus on the outside, just to remove connecting tissue. Then, using your finger, remove as much of the remaining connecting tissue as you can.You can now reach up inside, grabbing the intestine connected to the now-free anus, and grab the wind pipe with the other hand. It will take some tugging, but the entire pile of guts will come out in one fell swoop !!I've done this on both deer and elk. It helps to use a very small knife for all of this, not some big Bowie knife which many hunters seem to think is necessary !!