Game & Field dressing.

[montana]

Do you open the hide, cut both breast bone and pelvis, and work towards the neck, or do you go the other way?

What would you do with a less than perfect shot? (stomach or intestines)

When Using the gutless method of field dressing, how do you get the loins?

Any unusal uses of game parts?

I've read all the info, just want your input/expertise.

[Sitkaspruce]

Montana

I use the no gut method for all the bigger game. When I am guiding I use the NG for the moose. It is much easier, cleaner, faster and once you do it a few times, it is simple.

To get to the loins, remove the backstrap and hind quarter. Once these are removed, feel for the hip bone, located just in front of the hind quarter. Once you find it, make a small cut from there to to the first rib. make the cut shallow, just to open the area up. I should also throw in that you should make sure the animal is on level ground, or slightly down hill. This will pull the inards away from the rear of the animal. Once you make the cut, insert your hand a feel for the loin. Once you find it, slide your fingers along the back bone, pulling it away from. You can use your knife as well to remove it. Once you get it loose, cut it away at each end and remove. It is hard to describe here in words, the best way is practice on all animals you kill. The only exception is a bear, they are tought to do this on.

I also use the NG on deer that I have to pack out.

For deer that are close to a vehicle, I just cut to the breast, split the pelvis and remove all in one pull. If gut shot, I flush the inside out with water and wash down with water/vinegar when I get back to camp/home.

I will bring back the heart and if someone wants it, the liver. I love heart, just sliced up and cooked with onions, garlic and spices in a hot frying pan. Anther thing is to clean it out, stuff it with wild rice, mushrooms, onions, carrots and other stuff, along with spices and bake until the rice is done.

The best thing I can suggest is to pratice at what is easiest and to use the KISS method.

The NG works best for me, but to others they like the gut and 4 quarter split.

Cheers

SS

[hunt nut]

no matter what the shot, i start neck to backside. I have never done the gutless method but i might have to try it. As for the intrails, i always have to eat the heart, if its not damaged

[sawmill]

I`v heard of a few "unusual uses for game parts" but I think they are illegal in most Provinces.

[montana]

When going from neck backwards, I find the gut bag impares cutting the anus out. I've tried re-positioning the animal, but this isn't always possible. m2cw.

[jimmyh]

Originally Posted by montana

Do you open the hide, cut both breast bone and pelvis, and work towards the neck, or do you go the other way?

I work towards the neck, cut the breast bone if I am in the mood to and never split the pelvis. An intact pelvis is a nice place to hang the deer later when I bone it out.

[/quote]What would you do with a less than perfect shot? (stomach or intestines)[/quote]

Curse myself for making a bad shot (believe me it has happened far too often). If there is water handy I wash it out. Sometimes all I have in the field is snow so I will wipe it out with snow. I deal with most of the crap by cutting it out and throwing it away after the deer has chilled and dried out.

I hunt the general rifle season in Manitoba and that allows me to hang my deer nicely without refrigeration. I always leave the skin on if at all possible. I find that the late season is usually cold enough to do this. Leaving the skin on keeps the meat from getting dried out and dark and also keeps the meat from freezing on the cold nights. Some people laugh at me for this.

[sawmill]

Hey JimmyH,I tried that no skinning thing last year,worked perfectly.Your right ,as long as it`s cold enough it works great.If it`s too cold it sure is a son of a b%tch to get the hide offQuite a bit of saved meat though.
I usually gut from the back to front with the animal pointing head down hill.On a deer it usually takes 3 or 4 minutes,an elk or moose can take 15 or so.Longer if you drop the damn moose in 2 feet of waterBeen there.

[jimmyh]

Originally Posted by sawmill

Hey JimmyH,I tried that no skinning thing last year,worked perfectly.Your right ,as long as it`s cold enough it works great.If it`s too cold it sure is a son of a b%tch to get the hide offQuite a bit of saved meat though.
I usually gut from the back to front with the animal pointing head down hill.On a deer it usually takes 3 or 4 minutes,an elk or moose can take 15 or so.Longer if you drop the damn moose in 2 feet of waterBeen there.

I have never had the priviledge to shoot an elk or a moose, never mind in water so I have no idea what you speak of! I have slaughtered a lot of beef in my life and would probably find it easiest to deal with moose or elk with the help of a front end loader. Sadly such conveniences are not to be had in the places where you shoot LARGE game.