Cleaning a grouse

[Natas5150]

So I read ICEMAN's post on cleaning a grouse and it looks fairly simple. My question is how come when I do a search on cleaning grouse I see a lot of video or read a lot about stepping on the wings of the bird and then pulling up on the feet? Is this a good way of breasting the bird? How many out there do this around here? Should I clean the grouse the way ICEMAN posted? I am just looking for a little feedback on what you all do in the field.

Thanks,

Natas

[joe_dumy]

The old stepping on the wing trick. Is not for me as I save everything I can for me and my dog.

Icemans way is great. I pluck my birds that are not too shot up.

If your worried about them getting hot while in the field you can cut around the anus and give it a squeeze and flick and get most of the nasty guts outs.

[MADMAX]

I just breast them out
easy

[Miles]

I just pull the skin off the breast area and cut the breast meat of each side.   No sense in bringing home the breast bones only to do the same thing at the house.   

[birddogdad]

if I have weather, they hang for a while in the shade  before processing....

[Okanagan]

I do the major cleaning of a grouse within 30 seconds of picking it up after the shot.  Pick up the bird head down with two hands and with whichever hand is holding the breast side, press that thumb under the end of its sternum (breastbone).  The thumb on the other hand presses down into the same soft body cavity toward the backbone.  Simply press down till the skin tears (very easy to do) and pull the whole breast and backbone apart.  It skins itself as the two major halves of the bird separate.  Cut off the wings where they remain attached to the breast, pluck or wipe off a few feathers that stuck to the breast meat and put the whole breast in a bag somewhere cool.  I either cook it that way or bone out the breast once home.

For me, it is faster and tidier than stepping on the wings and other methods.  It is easier to show than to describe, and takes seconds.   I used to pluck etc. but there is very edible to a grouse but the breast meat.  You can pull that off and leave the rest.

[DRobnsn]

Tagging along.

[CP]

Poultry shears – snip off the wings – cut under the breast on each side – peel off the skin.

[erk444]

I do the step on the wing method. Most of the time, the only thing left is the breast and wings. Everything else pulls right out. Just cut the wings off and do a little clean up and thats it.

[brew]

i've done the "step on the wings and pull method" but in the hunting regs it says "The feathered heads of game birds must be attached to the carcass
when they are in your possession in the field or are being transported."

can't find the definition of a "game bird" that it includes grouse or not...imho i would keep the bird intact until i'm out of the woods

[chester]

I think once it's in the truck and butchered it's part of the possession limit. Not daily limit


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Bigshooter]

I skin and save everything.  Liver, heart and gizzard included.

[idaho guy]

I do the step on the wing method. Most of the time, the only thing left is the breast and wings. Everything else pulls right out. Just cut the wings off and do a little clean up and thats it.

 :yeah:I have always done this as well very simple and quick and has worked for years why complicate the matter?

[MtnMuley]

I skin and save everything.  Liver, heart and gizzard included.

Minus the liver. Legs are by far my favorite piece.

[mdbuck5x5]

I do the step on the wing method. Most of the time, the only thing left is the breast and wings. Everything else pulls right out. Just cut the wings off and do a little clean up and thats it.

 :yeah:I have always done this as well very simple and quick and has worked for years why complicate the matter?

  Exactly!

[Stump]

We step on the wings unless its a big blue.

[Jonathan_S]

You can clean grouse with just your bare hands. Tear the breast skin open, peel it all off. Pinch the abdomen wall and rip it open, the gut will come out with ease. You can then tear the wing skin and feathers off in one motion and remove any remaining skin with thumb and forefinger. Just remember to leave the head attached while in the field.

[dmoua]

I pluck and gut  them right after I kill them. I don't like to waste anything especially if I took it's life.

[JDHasty]

I pull the skin off and then take a poultry sheer and cut down both sides of the spine starting at the front.  I then grab the neck and pull the spine out and then take the guts out and keep the liver, heart and spine and a spatchcocked game bird.  It works w/partridge & pheasant as well. 

http://homecooking.about.com/od/poultry/ss/how-to-spatchcock-chicken-step-by-step.htm

[Jonathan_S]

I pluck and gut  them right after I kill them. I don't like to waste anything especially if I took it's life.

That's a good way to be. If you ever don't clean them immediately, don't be afraid to eat them anyway. They don't spoil 

Recently I killed three grouse and within five minutes of popping them, I had them dressed and skinned and in a cold creek. I hunted for two hours until dark and then plucked them from the creek. An hour later and I was eating them, skillet cooked in olive oil with salt and pepper. Wow are grouse tasty 

[Remnar]

 I either use method described by Okanogan , or a reserved step on wings method . Depends on size of bird and condition broken wings etc. Ive shot a few big blues that I just had to plain old skin .
 I like to save the thighs and giblets .

[TONTO]

 I've always done the step and pull, but then I will push the legs back up through the skin and snap off the feet. Not alot of meat on the legs, but if not shot up worth saving. The gizzards, well the yotes get to chew on them. As far as ID goes a few years back they told us to keep one wing, not the head. With the new mixed bag limit, I'm not sure whats reuired to keep now, but I supose if you only had three birds it shouldn't matter.

[huntinguy]

Just a FYI from page 88 of the game regs:

"The feathered heads of game birds must be attached to the carcass
when they are in your possession in the field or are being transported."

May want to save the breasting until you get home.