Field dressing grouse - (New hunter question)

[Ash]

Hello everyone! I will be hunting for the first time this year, I was going to start with grouse. I was planning on using the "Step on the Wing" method of cleaning the bird, but am wondering if it is legal to do so in the field. I've really been unable to find anything online that does not involve doing the "Step on the Wing" method.

Do you wait until you get home to do this? Does it work on a "cold" bird? Do you gut your birds in the field to cool them or just leave them in tact? I ask because the WDFW regs state: "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." Page 73 of this years regs.

Sorry for the newbie question, I greatly appreciate your assistance.

[quadrafire]

Ash, very good question. Lets see what the experts say. I am wondering that also.

[BLKBEARKLR]

I can tell you that the step on wing method, is a lot easier to do when the bird is fresh and not cold. I have done many birds this way and the colder they get the harder it is to get them to seperate.

Joe

[huntingfool7]

You can do the step on the wing method then just leave the head, wings and breast feathers on the bird.  The legs will pull away with the intestines, then you just reach in there and pull out the remaining organs. 

If the bird is cold you can cut a small incision at the base of the breast to help get it started.

[seth30]

How to field dress a pheasant

[seth30]

not my vid just one of many helpful vids on U tube. Hope this makes it easy for ya!

[Ash]

Huntingfool7, thank you for the reply. I guess this is something I will have to figure out in the field. Worse comes to worse I'll just skin the bird.

Seth30, I've seen several videos illustrating the same method. These are the video's the lead me to pose my questions. As you can see when the bird separates the head goes with the guts and the legs. I can't imagine that people take the guts(head attached) home for disposal, but maybe they do?

WDFW says you must leave the head attached. So ultimately, the question boils down too... Is there a way to keep the head attached when using the 'Step on the Wings' method?

Huntingfool7, say's it can be done. I'm just having trouble visualizing it, the fact that I've never cleaned a bird before is probably just making it hard for me to imagine.

[carpsniperg2]

i am not sure of the laws but the old stand and dress like in the vid sure works good

[Thenewguy]

Ash, am a skinner of my birds. It does not take much time to do on a bird that small. I say, worry about shooting some. Once you have gone through a few you will answer your own questions.

[seth30]

Huntingfool7, thank you for the reply. I guess this is something I will have to figure out in the field. Worse comes to worse I'll just skin the bird.

Seth30, I've seen several videos illustrating the same method. These are the video's the lead me to pose my questions. As you can see when the bird separates the head goes with the guts and the legs. I can't imagine that people take the guts(head attached) home for disposal, but maybe they do?

WDFW says you must leave the head attached. So ultimately, the question boils down too... Is there a way to keep the head attached when using the 'Step on the Wings' method?

Huntingfool7, say's it can be done. I'm just having trouble visualizing it, the fact that I've never cleaned a bird before is probably just making it hard for me to imagine.

I do it at home, and put the leftovers in a very big ziplock bag and in the trash.

[ICEMAN]

Ash, here is a link to a tutorial I wrote on field dressing.... We know the regs say to leave the head on...my tutorial shows a different way. A person could use this method with the head on....

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,33461.0.html

[Sportfury]

I like Icemans method. http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,33461.0.html

I used it last year and it works great. You don't lose a lot of meat and it makes for very easy cleaning.

[Sportfury]

ICE you beat me to it! 

[sako223]

The hard part is fending off the bees.

[ICEMAN]

ICE you beat me to it! 

My bad!