deer gutting

[barebackjack]

If you have trouble with splitting the pubic bone, try this.

Feel under the pubic bone through the hole where all the "tubes" go (ya know, the urethra, rectum, etc), on the topside there will be a ridge. This is the pubic symphosis, where the two bones of the pubis are fused together with cartilage. Place the heel of your blade over this and while pushing down on the blade rock it forward and backward, usually on does and small bucks this splits real easy, although on older bucks or real old does it can be difficult. Ive split moose and elk this way also. Just be careful not to let the blade wander off that line, once you get off the cartilage and into the bone its real hard to get back on track.

I always get a kick at the guys with their hatchets and saws and 18" "guttin" knives hangin off their belt down to their knee (they think their rambo or something). I do most my guttin with a two and a half inch folding pocket knife,.....kept very sharp of course.

Also, be careful when splitting the sternum (i rarely do), by buddy was horsin on his blade trying to yank it through the sternum when it slipped out and nearly castrated his cousin who was holding the front legs.

 

[barebackjack]

Oh yeah, and always be careful on archery kills where the broadhead may still be in the animal. Ive seen hands and arms cut up VERY badly from this.

 

[roundball]

One of the reasons I like the Remingon folder I showed earlier is that one of the blades has a bone saw edge and it'll go right through the pelvic arch in a couple strokes...also allows safe cutting (sawing) up through the sternum.

 

[Mad Professor]

To get things to pull through easily you really need to be sure all of the conective tissue has been freed from the digestive/urinary outlets and the pelvic area. It also helps to trim things before pullin so you don't have a large piece of skin and such still connected to the "outlets".

Tying off the ends is also a real good idea. I always carry some 550 parachute cord with me (ca. 25 ft). Doubled up it's strong enough to drag/hang a deer and the inner stands its composed of have many uses, one of which being about perfect for tying off urethra/colon.

 

[Goldhunter]

I have never split the pelvic bone. I don't see a need.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you want to keep a razor sharp edge on a knife to cut flesh on that deer, DON'T use it to cut bone, or cartelage. I don't now any men who actually sharpen their own knife blades to a razor edge, who use them to cut bone or cartelage. They use a very small ax, like I do, to do that job. I saw will work, but its not necessary on a white tail deer. On Elk, or Mouse, or Caribou, maybe, but not on a whitetail.

I don't like saws, because they leave small bits of bone dust in, around, and on the meat. That dust carries lots of bacteria, and that is what spoils the meat. I respect what saws do. That is why I don't want them around something I want to eat! I don't have a choice when I am buying meat wrapped in plastic: I do, in the field when I am dressing out my deer.

 

[roundball]

I have never split the pelvic bone. I don't see a need.

I did that once...and you're right there's no need...furthermore, once that pelvic arch is cut through, the two hind legs just flop all over the place...PITA...be fine if you're at the point where you want to quarter the hams off

 

[Goldhunter]

I agree, except for I don't cut the pelvic when I quarter. Just cut thru the hip joint and follow the bone, the meat comes off in two large chunks. :thumbsup:

 

[messer454]

I like knives so I don't mind carrying one or two more than normal (messer is knife in German you know). I start with a folding filet knife that I use to cut around the anus. Most hunting blades are too wide to do this. I could probably use this knife for everything but what is the fun of that? I then use a Gerber Gator drop point folder to cut from neck to anus being careful not to cut any of the guts. I use a folding Gerber game saw to cut through the ribs (saw a guy stab himself doing this with a knife) and also the pelvic bone. Everything is then pulled out. All of the folding knives are folded up and put into a zip lock bag along with my must have rubber gloves and taken home to be cleaned.

This has worked like a charm for me for many years. I havn't got as much practice as a lot of you though. My county allows only 1 dear a year.

 

[PreglerD]

Hi messer 454,

why do you use a German name? do you have relations to GE or did you even emigrated from GE? Would be nice to hear something from you.

Greetings from Bavaria, GE

 

[ryoung14]

I've never split the pelvic bone either. I do take great pains in cutting around the lower end of the urinary tract and repro. organs, separating them from the belly and feeding them back up through the hole cut at the anal opening. When everything is disconnected, anus, scrotum, penis and urinary tract are all fed back up through the anal opening at the same time. That's the touchy part and I breathe a sigh of relief when it's done....mistakes can ruin meat.

BTW any liver eaters on board? I've determined from this year's kill that buck liver is far better than doe liver. The doe's liver tastes like a milk cow's, the buck's is terrific.
Bob

 

[jethro224]

I do that end the same way, short start. I don't split 'em up past the sternum either. Stop at the sternum, cut around the edge of the diaphram, roll up sleeves and reach up as far as possible and grab the windpipe. Pull the windpipe down as far as I can then carefully reach up there with my knife in the other hand and cut the windpipe above my hand. Pull hard and the whole mess comes out in one package. I use a sharp knife with a 2 1/2 to 5 inch blade. The 2 1/2" blade makes the vent end a little harder to get freed up but makes the windpipe cutting easier.

As for the liver, I ate a bucks liver once. The worst tasting liver I ever ate. And I love beef and chicken liver. Eat it all the time. Maybe I did something wrong??? Haven't saved a deer liver since. Is there some special way to clean, cut or cook deer liver?

 

[Bountyhunter]

I have a number of small axes, one of the better being a Gransfors hunters axe. It is razor sharp, and will do anything a knife will do, the back of the poll is rounded and polished and is used to flay off the hide without cutting it. However, this year, the weather was so bitterly cold and dry that it was a matter of locate, kill, and escape. I havent used one of those can openers, but I sure would like to try one.

I prefer a fixed blade knife. I do sometimes use a CRKT folder by Russ Kommer, the Bwana folder. It is a lock blade, and holds an edge very well. I have had extremely good luck with this knife. I also carry two knives. The other knife I use is also a Kommer design, the Kuskokwin. It is small, and light, and extremely sharp. I use one to open the hide and remove glands and then put it away, and then use a clean knife for the rest of the work.

When it is time to bone the meat, I use a regular boner, period. Boning knives are sharpened at an angle of about 30 degrees, the wider angle protecting the edge from nicks into bone, and it holds its edge longer than a regular butcher knife that is sharpened at about 24 degree edge.

I dont have any problem with carbon steel blades, but the quality of the meat that my family depends on the next year utilizes the best of technology and research of the current times.

I boned on site one deer because of location, and time of day. Dark and cold and alone is no way to be. I split er down the back and yanked the meat (Shoulders, Loins, hams, and tenderloins)and made an offering of the rest of it to the coyote gods. I never opened the belly. The only meat that doesnt come out this way is whats on the ribs and belly, hamburger meat, maybe 5#. You dont cut any bones other than disjointing the legs. In 30 minutes, I had the meat in game bags and was climbing the bluffs to find my truck. I found that some geologic phenomona had occured, as they were much steeper and taller than they were last year.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

Did you carefully remove the gland that is on the liver, the sac that has fluid in it? If any gets on the liver it will ruin it. The 'Bile gland' I think it is called. It's on doe and buck livers alike.

 

[jethro224]

Well... yeah... but...
I was younger and dumber at the time.
It was a bow kill buck that the arrow went thru the liver so it was probably ruined before I ever gutted him. :redface: It was not edible. Nasty.
I'll have to try it again. With a liver that hasn't been shot. Could be that I've been missin' out on the best part all these years since.

 

[GrizzlyBear]

You know, it's a funny thing. I've accidentally drained a bladder on ham meat before and not noticed any ill effects. When this happens I try to rinse off the meat as soon as possible though. Never had 'ruined' meat from it.

 

[Blizzard of '93]

The best part is the tongue and kidneys. Yumm!

 

[paulvallandigham]

Bliaard: The " Gland " you are referring to is the Gall Bladder, and every deer has one. It containes Gall, manufacturered by the Liver, and used to break down enzymes and sugars. The only way it can " hurt " a liver is if you don't wash off the liver before you cook it. I wash the liver to clean it of any waste materials and fur that may have gotten on it during handling. Then pat it dry with paper towels, slice it into stacks, dreg them in flour, and then fry them in hot bacon grease for 30 seconds a side. They they go into a roasting pan, cover with onions and bacon, cover the roasting pan with a lid, or foil, and bake at very low heat for an hour to sweat the onions and cook the bacon to limp condition. Salt, pepper, and butter can be added to this before baking, but the butter is for flavor and is not necessary with the bacon strips covering all the liver. You can also pour some favorite wine in the roasting pan with a cup of water to help steam the liver and onions, and add flavor.

 

[rabjr]

I do my deer pretty much the way Roundball posts "Most common" only with a slight twist. I put a gambrel between the back legs and lift the deer to a height I can work at. Zip zip and everything comes out pretty quickly into a heavy duty plastic bag lined tub.

I understand most guys don't or can't bring their deer home whole and I'm in a unique situation. But I'm surprised more people don't raise the animal off the ground and let gravity help. I bet I could surprise most people how fast and clean I can do this.

 

[davy]

I am of the same mind & practice ... that gambrel really helps keep the carcass spread for the final chores! :thumbsup:

Davy