How To Clean Grouse, Duck, Pheasant....

[ICEMAN]

Here is a how I have been cleaning our birds for many years. Not the only way of doing it, but a quick and easy way I have found to save every bit of meat on the birds with little fuss....pretty clean too;

1. Trim head, feet and wings at first joint.
2. Reverse the skin and feathers over the bird, starting at the neck and ending at the vent.
3. With pruners, or scissors, or game shears....starting at the neck, cut a 1 inch path thru the back and ribs to the vent.
4. Pull neck, vertebrae, and entrails all towards the vent until all hang from the vent, trim it all off.
5. Wash bird and toss on ice.

[gasman]

 

I like the idea of cutting the back bone.

should cme in handy next week. I saw 5 grouse behind ur camp durring scouting 

[robodad]

Great stuff, Most guys just cut out the breast and toss the rest, I usually cut the skin and peel it off then try and get the guts out and make a complete mess of it so thanks for this tutorial it will come in handy for sure !!! 

[boneaddict]

That is a cool way.  I'll have to try it.  Thanks for posting that Ice.

[ICEMAN]

No problem.

Forgot to add....it helps to have a great firewood round to clean them on..      We have been cleaning grouse on that round for years at our favorite ridge top grouse camp site, probably atleast 80 grouse cleaned on it over the years.... Every year we return and use it, and not a single feather can be found from the previous year....

[GWP4Me]

Yup, my thanks as well. As a relatively new hunter (went from shooting with buddies who got to worry about all that to owning a dog and having clean my own birds), it helps to see how to save all the meat.

[dontgetcrabs]

Thanks for posting Ice.

[cummingsa]

Great pictorial explanation!  Thanks for the post!     Now I want some birds 

[Ironhead]

Good  idea Iceman, just goes to prove you can learn something new everyday.

[coasty]

when first shot try stepping on the wings and poll on the feet all comes clean gust cut the wing off and you can take the legs but to tuff to eat for me grab the liver and giz to cook with the bird

[alecvg]

That is a great way to clean them.  Thanks, that will come in handy this season!

[Sportfury]

Just to clarify, you first cut one inch down the back before cutting from the neck to the vent?

That is a much better way than I have been doing it. Thanks ICE.

[batsquatch]

step on the wings and pull up on the feet

[robodad]

Just to clarify, you first cut one inch down the back before cutting from the neck to the vent?

That is a much better way than I have been doing it. Thanks ICE.

I gathered that you cut a half inch on each side of the backbone (with a shears)from the neck to the vent the full length of the bird so all the insides stay intact and remove the entire spine along with the innerds ??  sounds like a very clean way of doing it compared to what I have been doing !!! 

[ICEMAN]

Sportfury, robo was correct, I cut down both sides of the spine to the vent, then pull the neck/spine. The entrails often pull out with the backbone. If they don't, just sweep them loose with your fingers and the whole magilla hangs from the pooper. One snip and all is loose and falls away.....Sometimes a bit of lung to flick out with your fingers...not too bad...

Hey you guys who like stomping on the birds and yanking the wings/legs....lets see some pictures! 

Are they all pretty lookin when done?