Post by: Stein on September 11, 2020, 10:14:38 AM
It seems like this would prevent the hair I always get in the sternum and pelvis area.
Post by: h20hunter on September 11, 2020, 10:17:29 AM
Post by: Bigshooter on September 11, 2020, 10:38:24 AM
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 11, 2020, 10:40:38 AM
Post by: Crunchy on September 11, 2020, 10:45:11 AM
Post by: 10thmountainarcher on September 11, 2020, 10:46:19 AM
Post by: Twispriver on September 11, 2020, 03:42:43 PM
Post by: Stein on September 11, 2020, 03:44:17 PM
Post by: Twispriver on September 11, 2020, 06:30:23 PM
Post by: Bango skank on September 11, 2020, 07:54:22 PM
Yeah, it will be to the truck quickly. I don't want to start another road hunting thread, but let's just say it isn't much of a hike when it works. :chuckle:
Shooting something near a road isnt necessarily rd hunting. Driving around hoping to spot something from your rig and shoot it is road hunting. Some killer spots very close to vehicle access are totally overlooked. A guy can park his rig, walk 100 yards or less into the timber, and have the world to himself and hunt quality animals while everybody else just drives past. You just gotta sniff these things out.
Post by: teanawayslayer on September 11, 2020, 07:55:52 PM
Post by: j_h_nimrod on September 11, 2020, 08:11:49 PM
Post by: Stein on September 11, 2020, 08:26:45 PM
I am only going to skin to just past where you would hang it on the gambrel, just past where the achilles attaches, maybe 6-10" or so down from that joint, then cut the lower leg off and leave it hanging for something to pull on.
It must be regional to some degree, I've never seen anyone hang a deer head up. Gutting them hanging upside down is done all the time, I've just never seen it done after skinning, always before.
Post by: teanawayslayer on September 11, 2020, 08:43:58 PM
The guts fall right out, the diaphragm keeps them from going into the chest. Start up by the pelvis and zip it down to the sternum and the guts literally fall out. They, you cut the diaphragm, reach into the chest to cut the windpipe and the whole thing falls out with a small final cut of the diaphragm right at the sternum.it is slicker than slacks on a duck! The old timers I used to hunt with all used to hang them heads up. I always gave them crap about hanging them by the head. I worked at a hunting lodge in South Carolina 20 years ago and would gut and skin 10 hogs a night. The first time I gutted one in the field and my boss tore my arse. Bring them back to the lodge, hang,gut,skin. Very fast and efficient. I went to a wild game processor one time down there. There were 15 deer laying on the floor of his shop in a pile. People drop them off whole. Who knows how long they had been sitting there.
I am only going to skin to just past where you would hang it on the gambrel, just past where the achilles attaches, maybe 6-10" or so down from that joint, then cut the lower leg off and leave it hanging for something to pull on.
It must be regional to some degree, I've never seen anyone hang a deer head up. Gutting them hanging upside down is done all the time, I've just never seen it done after skinning, always before.
Post by: HUNTINCOUPLE on September 11, 2020, 08:46:44 PM
Yeah, it will be to the truck quickly. I don't want to start another road hunting thread, but let's just say it isn't much of a hike when it works. :chuckle:
Shooting something near a road isnt necessarily rd hunting. Driving around hoping to spot something from your rig and shoot it is road hunting. Some killer spots very close to vehicle access are totally overlooked. A guy can park his rig, walk 100 yards or less into the timber, and have the world to himself and hunt quality animals while everybody else just drives past. You just gotta sniff these things out.
Boy ain't that a fact.
Post by: greenhead_killer on September 11, 2020, 10:10:50 PM
Like said, once skinned, zip from pelvis to sternum. Take a saw and split chest cavity. Around the butt, knife all the way around to loosen tissue/muscle up. Then take one of the front hooves (works with deer/elk/etc) and jam it down the shoot to push the butt hole out etc again. Everything will shoot out In one clean swoop. Super clean.
Post by: hard hunter on September 12, 2020, 08:22:47 AM
Post by: Alchase on September 12, 2020, 07:35:03 PM
Post by: Stein on September 12, 2020, 09:02:46 PM
I prefer to gut out immediately. No matter where I kill it. If I have a long drag I will knock the knees. Less to get hung up. Then when back in camp, hang head up, and skin. I find I get a ton less hair on the meat when skinning head up. And I can slip the game bag right up to the neck without repositioning.
That kind of makes sense as the neck area is the hardest and I can see how having that at eye level and doing it first would help.
I have this dream of getting my deer and antelope, if I do, maybe I'll do one heads up and one heads down. If I had a stronger hoist I would just tie the hide to a fence post and drive it off. Now that I think about it, I could put it in the bed of the truck, tie the head to the tie down against the cab and do it that way.
Post by: elksnout on September 12, 2020, 09:13:06 PM
Elksnout
Post by: Stein on September 12, 2020, 09:17:58 PM
I got two out at the same time last year, I was too lazy to make two trips and wanted to see if the cart could handle it. I have to use a game cart, if you can drive out it's even easier.
Field dressing at the truck with a hoist gives me so much better of an end product. I consider myself pretty good in the field with a knife, but if you get them out whole there is zero chance for dirt on them and you just have to worry about hair, thus this discussion.
Post by: kball4 on September 15, 2020, 11:24:15 AM
Post by: Alchase on September 15, 2020, 06:47:07 PM
Post by: Okanagan on September 15, 2020, 08:57:02 PM
I start as Stein described, skin down past the hocks before hanging and cut around the anus on the ground or with rump barely lifted. If I need to keep the tail attached as evidence of species, I pull a clear plastic bag over the tail. Cut the hide through around the tail bone and cinch a cord around the base of the tail and bag, with all hair inside the bag, tail bone still attached. That keeps tail hair from getting on the meat.
I've done this skin first approach right where some animals fell, hanging them on a tree limb or tripod of poles.
I cut the pelvis after it is hung, not getting the saw teeth into the pelvic channel much, to avoid the bladder. I use a pull saw for all of this. The bladder hangs down away from the blade when it is hung up.
Then I saw open the sternum before starting gutting. Saw from the brisket up to the diaphragm. A cut into the lungs or heart does not matter, but I keep the angle close to the sternum, not letting much of the saw inside the body cavity, and stop before entering the gut cavity. It opens access more if you cut the flank flap loose from the ham. When cut loose from pelvis the guts then roll right out. The diaphragm is right there with easy access to cut around the edge along the ribs. One light push down and the ribs spread as it all drops out. A tub is a good idea or a snowy hill slope to roll the guts/lungs assembly out of the way.
It leaves an amazingly clean carcase. We did my grandson's opening day archery buck that way a couple of weeks ago. It was so clean it looked like a training video.
Re skinning from the head down: have done many that way, and it has advantages and dis. An older Native lady told me that if I skinned head up the thin red meat on the back and sides would stay on the carcase rather than stay with the hide. She is right. If you save the hide to tan, skinning head up may be better. I get more hair on the meat when skinning head up but I could improve that with better starting technique at the top of the neck.
Post by: jeffro on September 16, 2020, 02:06:21 AM
Skin out some, remove, bag meat, repeat...
The only hard part is the tenderloins
And if you want the heart/ liver
Save that for the end
Post by: Okanagan on September 16, 2020, 09:02:25 AM
We only do this method when we can get the gutting done soon after the animal goes down. If the critter has to be left for awhile or overnight, gut it even if you plan to bone it out later.
There is no best way to gut and skin, because terrain, nature of wound, temperature, time of day, distance to pack, etc. are all factors that decide the best method for that deer in that situation. I started to gut a blacktail one time and quickly discovered the worst gut shot I've encountered due to a bullet that changed direction and penetrated where I didn't expect. Instantly I reverted to gutless and boned out the critter without opening the gut cavity till the last reach-in for tenderloins. I've boned them out beside a vehicle and hung them way out in the bush. Different strokes for different deer.
Post by: kball4 on September 23, 2020, 10:14:50 AM
Post by: dvolmer on September 23, 2020, 12:19:27 PM
Post by: Stein on September 23, 2020, 12:27:11 PM
Additionally, I like to keep the animal as whole as possible up to the cutting table as it gives me more freedom for different cuts as well as minimal loss due to dirt and dry meat where previous cuts were made.
It's a personal preference for sure and doesn't apply to an animal shot 5 miles from the road for sure.
In a few years, I may be back to quartering, but I like to try new things and see what works best.
Post by: dvolmer on September 23, 2020, 03:43:21 PM
The reason I haven't gone gutless is that I save the heart, liver and ribs (when allowed per CWD regulations). I could do that gutless but it seems like more work than just gutting it.
Additionally, I like to keep the animal as whole as possible up to the cutting table as it gives me more freedom for different cuts as well as minimal loss due to dirt and dry meat where previous cuts were made.
It's a personal preference for sure and doesn't apply to an animal shot 5 miles from the road for sure.
In a few years, I may be back to quartering, but I like to try new things and see what works best.
I agree totally that it is up to the hunters preference. I don't care for the Liver and heart on a deer but I will keep an elk heart when I can. What I really like is that I don't have to deal with the hide and carcass after I get home. I used to sneak down and dump them in dumpsters and or have to take them for a long drive into the country. I really like not having to do that. Every guy has different likes and situations. So whatever works for you is what is best for you.
Post by: Stein on September 23, 2020, 03:52:45 PM
Post by: nwwanderer on September 25, 2020, 01:55:38 PM