serious game question...

[californiacoyotes]

where did you learn to skin and gut an animal? i haven't had to yet but my time is coming soon and i don't work to screw it up. is it a reading thing or just a trial and error thing. how do i know where and what to cut and more important where do i stop before i go too far? this question pertains to deer and bear. when i went on my pig hunt i didn't have to do anything but it looked pretty easy and everything kinda of came out in a package with very little blood.

dennis

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 21 June 2001 23:35: Message edited by: californiacoyotes ]</font>

 

[hntrjohn]

When I went on my first pig hunt, the guide knew the biggest thing I shot before was a pheasant. He asked me if I wanted to do it, so I said yes and he showed me how.

I also have a video I think on how to do it. If you want I will dig it up for you and let you borow it.

John

 

[californiacoyotes]

john that would great!! i'll PM you my address.

dennis

 

[josh]

My dad helped me with my first deer when I was about 11 or so, of course i didnt remember much the next year so I pretty much learned everything by trial and error.

The first season I hunted coon(I was about the same age) I skinned them all up the belly! Luckily the fur buyer felt sorry for me and gave me half the value of correctly skinned coon

Live and learn!

 

[Kraven]

I learned by watching my dad ovet the years,but when you are young watching it you think that its so easy WRONG.Boy was it all trial and error for me when I got my deer a couple yrs ago.Before I started I apolagized to the deer that it was going to be messy.Well I figured it all out and when we got back to camp my dad helped me alittle on easier ways.Good luck to ya CC.

 

[Sport240]

I learned from my father-in-law, who introduced me to deer hunting. From the onset I was only a waterfowl hunter. But a couple years ago he took me moose hunting and on our first kill he had me gut the animal with his assistance guiding me along the way. On my first deer kill, I had the basics pretty much down pat and it was pretty easy. Good gutting equipment helps you not to mess it up. Passing along the knowledge is probably the best way to learn. Books are fine but they do not come with a freshly killed deer for practice...

Sport240

 

[The Greek]

The most important part of cleaning any game is to bleed it.(cut the throat) Then when you get to cleaning you MUST get all of the windpipe out and GET ALL OF THE A$$ hole out!!! If you dont the meat around will sour quickly.
Now this may be tougher than it sounds especially on a bear. I have this little problem of gettn sick to my stomache and on the one bear I shot I pretty near died from the smell. Of course as soon as I say that some one will say what smell.

 

[Calif. Hunter]

I agree totally with the Greek on getting the windpipe and anus/rectum out completely, but I disagee on the cutting the throat part. The animal is already dead, so there is no heart action pumping the blood out. All you'll get is a little drainage and it will ruin the cape for mounting. Also, be careful with the bladder and lower intestines!

 

[Muledeer4me]

I was taught by my dad,but the first time I was on my own it didnt seem so easy.
After doing a few it does get easer,the main thing is to get it done and keep it clean.
I was taught to cut the throat but we dont do it anymore.Like calif hunter said whats the point it bleeds out when you are gutting it and when it hangs.
It does depend on how you are hauling it out.
On a horse or other animal? In a pack frame?Draging? How long before you get back to camp.
Getting the rectum and wind pipe out helps to cool it down & its a good thing to know where the bladder is
You can go in from the split in the belly up throught the neck to cut out the wind pipe ,just make sure not to cut yourself (been there done that)
I know there are lots of way to do the same thing .We use a couple of different ways depending on how far back we are and how we will be hauling it out.
We use a lot of water to clean it out once back at camp or near a stream.
I am only speaking for deer, elk and antelope
The videos can be of some help ,but nothing works like jumping in there and doing it.

 

[Twofingers_under]

Bring some string with you to tie the hind legs out of the way, not critical but helpful. Bring a MINIMUM of two VERY sharp knives(I carry three). Start your first cut over the bottom of the sternum(breastbone) and work carfully rearward until to clear the bone. This allows you to break the skin without worrying about plunging the blade too deep and as you cut with the lay of the hair your blade stays sharp longer. Cut down to the anus and "Y" this cut down the inside of each hind leg to the knee. If its above 40 degrees out I recommend you split open the hams along the your first cut, all the way down to the bone. Heat is the primary cause of spoilage and bone as the densest tissue in an animal's body, holds heat long enough to spoil the meat.

I agree with the others about cutting away the windpipe and anus. Tie off the anus and the urethra with some of that string so they don't leak and foul your meat.
Pull out the intestines and lower organs and cut away the diaphragm. Now you can remove the heart and lungs (or whats left of them).
If you don't intend to cape your deer, extend your initial sternum cut even with the armpits and "Y" out and down the inside of each front leg to the elbow. Continue the sternum cut all the way up to the jaw. Now split the sternum (heavy bladed knife, bone saw or hatchet). Slice along the muscle grain to expose the windpipe where the jaw joins the throat. Cut the windpipe and pull from the body cavity side. NOTE if you're going to drag your deer any distance don't open the neck until you reach camp or wherever you'll do the butchering. My method assumes the use of meat bags. (sorry about that)

If you intend to cape, then starting at the point you first broke the skin, ring the torso. Split the hide along the ridge of the spine to the back of the head. Peel the hide up to the head, cut through the neck muscle and twist the head and cape off of the spine.

Again if you're going to drag, save this part for later.

Good Luck.

 

[Lady Hunter in AZ]

The first time I ever clean a elk or a deer was last year. The Greek cut the throat. I did the rest. It is important to get the windpipe cut this helps with bleeding. I read a book that state you need to cut the windpipe and get it and the a$$hole out as fast you can. This way you are liminting you chance of the meat getting sour taste.

After I get the guts out I if possible get the hide off (especially with elk), then quarter it and place it into game bags

The most important thing to remember is to get it clean was well as you can when field dressing and you can do a better job when you get back to camp or at home.

 

[ROCKYMTNELKSTALKER]

On this topic a lot depends on what you plan on doing with the hide after the kill. If you want to, you can email me and i'll give you my Phone#. You can call me or leavee yours and i'll call you. I'll give you some good info on this and some secrets and short cuts to boot. It can be quite tricky and I'm just kinda to lazy to type it all out. My email [email protected]
Good hunting.