Iowa gutless method

[duckhunt]

I was at the eastern Iowa sports show and was chatting with a DNR officer about deer hunting on public land. When I mentioned the gutless method for packing the animal out I was told that is illegal. That is considered wanten waste. You can cut the animal up to get it out but you have to take every part of the animal except the guts.

 

[jeremys4]

I agree you leave the inter loins what a waste. If you don't want your hands bloody don't go hunting. I did it once with a buddy of mine on deer hunt a long way from the truck. It's quick and easy but it's a waste of a lot of good meat.

 

[jvanhoy]

You can easily get the inner loins out with the gutless method. Once backstraps are out take a saw and saw through backbone where loins should start and you can fold spine back and cut inner loins right out.

 

[junior71]

Every state is different it seems. I guess the law makes sense, when a lot of guys would waste, or leave meat.

To an ethical guy, who knows what he is doing, it makes no sense at all.

 

[WapitiBob]

Learn how to do it right.

 

[TheJason]

I agree you leave the inter loins what a waste. If you don't want your hands bloody don't go hunting. I did it once with a buddy of mine on deer hunt a long way from the truck. It's quick and easy but it's a waste of a lot of good meat.

Then you didn't do it right. A half assed job of any sort will leave meat to waste.

 

[MTGomer]

Learn how to do it right.

Which would be?

There is not a single piece of meat that you take out, that I do not take out with the gutless method. I have not gutted a deer or elk in six years, and do not intend to do so ever again unless I am somewhere where it is foolishly required by law .

And yes, I cut a slit between the ribs and even get the heart. And Occasionally the liver, if I will be around someone who will eat it.

There is no sense in removing the guts from a carcass of bone that you are not going to carry out.

 

[TheJason]

I was at the eastern Iowa sports show and was chatting with a DNR officer about deer hunting on public land. When I mentioned the gutless method for packing the animal out I was told that is illegal. That is considered wanten waste. You can cut the animal up to get it out but you have to take every part of the animal except the guts.

I highly doubt that the gutless method itself is expressly prohibited. Just for fun I looked up the regs, which state the following

You cannot leave a
usable portion of the game or furbearing
animal in the field. “Usable portion” in
this instance means the following: 1) for
game, that part of an animal that is
customarily processed for consumption;
and 2) for furbearing animals, the fur or
hide of the animal.

If you do a half assed job of normal processing you can be guilty of waste of game. If you do a half assed job of gutless you can be guilty of waste of game. The name of the technique doesn't really seem to matter unless it's the half assed method.

 

[cornfed]

The reason for it supposedly being illegal has more to do with tagging and registration before being processed than it has to do with wanton waste. Unfortunately every officer interprets the laws differently.

 

[beginnerhunter]

There's like a billion YouTube videos on the gutless method. Some even show you how to get the rib meat, brisket, neck, and inner loin without sawing through bone. There is no reason that should be considered wasteful.

 

[1_pointer]

It is technically illegal in IN unless the deer is checked in first. Prior to being able to do it on a computer or phone you had to present the carcass to be checked in at a check station. Now if you are in cell service I check them in right away.

 

[junior71]

Which would be?

There is not a single piece of meat that you take out, that I do not take out with the gutless method. I have not gutted a deer or elk in six years, and do not intend to do so ever again unless I am somewhere where it is foolishly required by law

That's hilarious! Considering Bob probably hasn't gutted anything in 30 years!

 

[bobbydean]

Just curious. I have never used the gutless method. Have gutted animals for 40 something years.

Is leaving ribs consider a useable piece of meat?

I have taken an animal out whole, (deer, antelope, Barbary, oryx).

Again, just curious?

 

[Reeltime]

I agree you leave the inter loins what a waste. If you don't want your hands bloody don't go hunting. I did it once with a buddy of mine on deer hunt a long way from the truck. It's quick and easy but it's a waste of a lot of good meat.

You don't know what your doing if you leave the tenderloins, or inside tenders. Anyone who tells you that the tenders are left behind was either lied to , hasn't actually done it, or has no clue how to do it correctly. It takes about a minute or less to get the inside tenders if you don't cut a rib or two. It can be done either way.

 

[Reeltime]

Just curious. I have never used the gutless method. Have gutted animals for 40 something years.

Is leaving ribs consider a useable piece of meat?

I have taken an animal out whole, (deer, antelope, Barbary, oryx).

Again, just curious?

Depends on the state's regulations. In MT it is not required to take the rib meat. If you like elk burger like my family does, you'll be taking every last piece!

 

[cornfed]

It is technically illegal in IN unless the deer is checked in first. Prior to being able to do it on a computer or phone you had to present the carcass to be checked in at a check station. Now if you are in cell service I check them in right away.

This is supposed to be how to get around it in Iowa but everybody who writes the tickets don't agree with that.

 

[JohnCushman]

If you don't gut them, then how do you get the heart and liver out?

 

[MTGomer]

If you don't gut them, then how do you get the heart and liver out?

See above.

 

[1976]

Wanten waste also occurs by many people when they take the whole critter home and do a poor job in the garage. I have recently seen the light on the gutless method over the last couple years. My favorite way to get the tenderloins is after the qtrs, and rib meat is removed I simply roll the guts out to the side since the FLANK meat is in the meat bag this is quite simple, couple of cuts and the TL is out. As far as the heart goes I will saw a couple ribs and retrieve it. I would have no issue walking a warden to the butcher site if thats what is takes.

 

[bobbydean]

I have all my meat at the butcher or processor and I do not know if they do ribs, If they do it is hamburger.