Looking for guides in field dressing, butchering

[rickystyx]

I'm new to hunting and have needed to go with seasoned hunters in the event I get my first harvest and require direction in field dressing. I'd like to remove this tether and learn on my own, but the different tips & techniques I've come across can be contradictory. Is there a tried & true education source which describes the "right" way to field dress and butcher a harvest (deer or otherwise), perhaps with video tutorials?

 

[Ski]

Check youtube. I don't think there's a right or wrong way, but rather a way that works & gives the results you want. I do things differently than my dad does, and he taught me.

 

[MickThompson]

Spilt the belly. Cut the diaphragm but watch out for the tenderloins. Cut the windpipe/esophagus as far up as you can. Cut the other end loose then pull out everything that isn't meat.

 

[Shotgun84]

Like others said watch some videos and do your best man. Take your time and give yourself a chance to calm down before you go breaking blades out especially if it's your first deer. Speaking of blades make sure they're nice and sharp and that you have a sharpener on hand. Dont put too much pressure on yourself to get it all perfect the first time. Its a learning process. Anyone who says they haven't messed up field dressing a time or two isn't being honest. As far as the butchering part goes I just try to cut out each muscle group as neatly as I can and get as much of the tough stringy sinew off the meat as possible. I think there's some good tips in this article but you'll find your own way with time: https://www.fieldandstream.com/how-to-butcher-your-own-deer/
The fact that you care enough about doing a good job to ask folks and do research about it tells me you're gonna do just fine.
Good luck out there man

 

[shirtshirt]

This is one of the videos I watched when I was starting.

 

[FredRog72]

The Meat Eater videos are some of my favorites. I've gutted and butchered my own all my life and still learn from Steve.

 

[diamond hunter]

Learn the gutless method,its awesome

 

[SteveJ]

Like others have said, there's plenty of videos on YouTube to get tips from. I still do that from time to time to get tips. One tip I could give is when you make your first cut to open up the belly, make small, shallow cuts to make sure you don't puncture the guts. Don't just jab your entire blade in it to start. It can make it more messy and smelly

 

[TNGunsmoke]

Most of all, take your time and go slow on the first couple. Do not get in a rush to get it done, that is how accidents happen. If you don't have a good knife, I'd recommend the Outdoor edge. This is the one I have https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Edge-RazorPro-Replaceable-Hunting/dp/B00IM1BGOI

 

[JeepKuntry]

I had printouts years ago when I went to dress my first out. My advice is do not rush and start pulling. That is usually when the guts rupture. The smell doesn't bother me but some people cannot handle it when dressing one out. Start at the diaphragm and work back to the butt hole. Trim when needed. Reach as high as you can in the chest cavity and cut the esophogus. Things should fall out. Try to use a high side if you are by yourself where gravity can help you out.

 

[rickystyx]

Like others said watch some videos and do your best man. Take your time and give yourself a chance to calm down before you go breaking blades out especially if it's your first deer. Speaking of blades make sure they're nice and sharp and that you have a sharpener on hand. Dont put too much pressure on yourself to get it all perfect the first time. Its a learning process. Anyone who says they haven't messed up field dressing a time or two isn't being honest. As far as the butchering part goes I just try to cut out each muscle group as neatly as I can and get as much of the tough stringy sinew off the meat as possible. I think there's some good tips in this article but you'll find your own way with time: https://www.fieldandstream.com/how-to-butcher-your-own-deer/
The fact that you care enough about doing a good job to ask folks and do research about it tells me you're gonna do just fine.
Good luck out there man

Kind words. Thank you!

 

[rickystyx]

Most of all, take your time and go slow on the first couple. Do not get in a rush to get it done, that is how accidents happen. If you don't have a good knife, I'd recommend the Outdoor edge. This is the one I have https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Edge-RazorPro-Replaceable-Hunting/dp/B00IM1BGOI

Your recommendations are appreciated. I can imagine it will be difficult to "calm down" after taking my first harvest, so this advice is invaluable. My father-in-law gave me this for Christmas a couple years ago to use on my first harvest: https://www.buckknives.com/product/102-buck-woodsman-knife/0102FAM01/

 

[TJS209]

Look up the gutless method. Randy Newberg has some good videos out there. Good luck!

 

[DaveB]

My first deer took about 6 hours. Seriously. SInce then, its maybe 30 minutes. Sharp knives and a plan of attack.

Watch the hair.

 

[EastTNHunter]

If you were close by I'd offer to help after you got your first deer or two, but Rutherford is a little poke from Rhea

 

[rickystyx]

If you were close by I'd offer to help after you got your first deer or two, but Rutherford is a little poke from Rhea

That's a kind offer! I'm sure there's great hunting there, especially being right on the Tennessee river. A buddy of mine moved to the Chattanooga area and loves all the options there.

 

[EastTNHunter]

That's a kind offer! I'm sure there's great hunting there, especially being right on the Tennessee river. A buddy of mine moved to the Chattanooga area and loves all the options there.

If you happen to hunt nearby then let me know. I'll help anyway that I can

 

[Weegee]

There's plenty of good advice above. I too have relied heavily on the Meateater tutorials. It's much easier to take extra care keeping meat free from hair, dirt, and debris than it is to try to clean that stuff off later. I recently got one of those butt-out tools and I'm a fan. They're like $8 and weigh basically nothing.

 

[270MONTS]

That's a good knife.

 

[TNWhit3tail]

Here is a good guide on field dressing. The most important thing is to have a very sharp knife!


Also, there's a channel called Deer Meat for Dinner..he has several skinning and cleaning videos...here's a line to one.


Bearded Butchers has some videos too. Just some things you might like to check out.

 

[tnanh]

Get a gut hook. Not expensive and the best tool you will ever get for gutting a deer. I have several but prefer my Gerber with replaceable razor blade. The ones on the back of a knife are difficult to sharpen for me.

 

[Bone Collector]

Here is a video on butchering probably tons out there.

 

[DaveB]

There is a best tool in your Hunting inventory thread someplace and I pictured the Butt-out.

I have the Gerber w/razor blade and it is invaluable-much better than the gut hook style because it never gets dull.

Here is a link shows what it looks like
https://www.wingsupply.com/gerber-e-z-zip-gut-hook-tool.html

 

[megalomaniac]

If you use anything more than a small pocket knife with a 2.5in blade to go from a whole deer to boneless quarters in the cooler you are making more work for yourself than needed.

 

[catman529]

There's not a set "right" way. Just try not to pop the guts or get their contents on the meat. I used to cut through the whole brisket but now I just cut to the tip of the sternum and reach up in there and cut the wind pipe and pull the vitals out. Takes a little practice to gut one cleanly without popping something, you gotta get your hands dirty and learn as you go.

As for butchering, I learned that too through trial and error. First deer I killed I did one side at a time laying on the garage floor. Since then I've used a gambrel which makes it a lot easier. I've got a video somewhere on YT on how I butcher a deer. Nothing fancy, just separating out the quarters and trimming some fat and silver skin. Assuming you want some ground meat, I'd recommend a stout grinder like the LEM Big Bite series or something comparable. The small kitchen grinders don't have enough torque and tend to get hot and bogged down. The good grinders will eat meat as fast as you can cut chunks and feed it. And they will grind up any silver skin too. I use the fine grind plate and grind once, works really well.

 

[7mm08]

Here is a good guide on field dressing. The most important thing is to have a very sharp knife!


Also, there's a channel called Deer Meat for Dinner..he has several skinning and cleaning videos...here's a line to one.


Bearded Butchers has some videos too. Just some things you might like to check out.

Starting at the butthole first makes no sense...... he contaminants his knife with crap and then proceeds to cut into the deer. Kind of like wiping your butt with a spoon and then eating your soup with it!!!!! Ha!!

 

[DaveB]

You killing me 7.

 

[T. J. Mercer]

1) use the sternum to get a good opening cut, b/c you don't risk puncturing the guts. You can slice against it without fear.

2) before I began using a gut hook blade, I'd shove two fingers in that initial hole, and carefully slice between them, pulling the skin away from the inwards, working my way toward the rear. It took a couple of minutes. The gut hook does it in seconds. And the little dull protective tip prevents you from making a stinky incision into stomach or intestines. There's a reason they call them zippers.

3) smaller deer not only eat better (more tender and less gamey taste), they're significantly easier to dress out. The tissue holding the diaphragm and gut bag in place gets thicker and tougher the older the deer gets. If I could, I'd only hunt yearlings. I'd rather harvest two yearlings and field dress and butcher two deer for the same amount of meat, because they dress out and butcher so much easier, and they taste better. My point is, if you can, take a small deer first, if the opportunity allows. Less meat, but easier learning.
If you do, know that those (inner) tenderloins will only be hot dog sized.

4) lastly, if you love venison, great. If you're pallette is relatively inexperienced, learn what makes the meat gamey. If you like it gamey, go kill an old buck. If your wife & 4 children don't, like mine, know that blood, the silver lining, cut of meat and age contribute to the flavor. My favorite cut is the back strap off a yearling or doe. Hind quarters i dice up for various dishes, whereas many butchers will slice this into nice bone-in steaks. But if you're doing it yourself, drain the blood on cold/ice water. It usually takes 2 to 3 days. When the water remains clear (keep changing it out), it's ready to wrap. Other ligaments and fat can cause flavor issues. But I think they can also help preserve the meat better, so learn from trial and error there. If I think I'll keep it frozen for a while, I might let it stay and trim during meal prep. Otherwise, I typically trim it before I wrap and freeze it.

 

[philsanchez76]

Others said it, but my # 1 issue was my knife wasn't sharp enough. And when it was, it would quickly dull cuz I was clumsily hitting bones. Got a Havalon knife last year with disposable scalpel sharp blades and it made gutting, skinning and butchering 10 times easier.

 

[Headhunter]

Starting at the butthole first makes no sense...... he contaminants his knife with crap and then proceeds to cut into the deer. Kind of like wiping your butt with a spoon and then eating your soup with it!!!!! Ha!!

I agree with your statement in theory, except you have never seen me gut a deer. I start at the butthole and I have gutted a "couple" deer. I can gut a deer in 3 minutes, a friend actually videoed me a couple years ago and when I gut a deer it is a nice, neat, clean job and zero meat is contaminated.

When you gut a deer, you are not butchering it, you are getting the guts out. Other than the tenderloins, if you touch the meat when gutting, then you are doing something wrong.