Thread: Field Dressing Advice

Originally Posted by ocium

Thanks for the response mate. I've seen a few vids on how to extract the whole carcass;
Scott (Backblocks Hunting); Turning a Deer into a Backpack... "Kiwi Style" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhPp_m3Kz2k
Josh; Deer Backpack with the Kiwi Bushman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WN3ltoYTAMc
Shaun (Pig Hunters NZ); Gut and Carry - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6kdX9fG-dA
Shaun (NZWildThings); Backpacking a Wild Pig - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_eeFVWmO9E

I'm not a huge bloke, and this is another reason why I thought it would be more practical to only carry out what I can eat. Even considered boning-out shoulders and neck on site (weather and time permitting) to minimise load-out weight.

I don't see any reason why you couldn't take the neck out in one piece (bone-in), or bone it out, along with tenderloins and offal (heart, liver, kidneys), without having to gut the carcass, all on site; I've seen a few vids on how to do this too.

What is the advantage of carrying a full carcass out when you're going to biff the head/spine/pelt/hooves? Maybe because you want to mount the head as a trophy, or use the bits you're not going to eat yourself to cook-up for dog tucker?

It is really good to get every-ones opinions which cover all sorts of situations. The advantage is speed and better cleaner meat. If the deer is small - a spiker or yearling it will only weigh 40 - 60 kg gutted. Maybe you can drag it down a steep face to a track.40 kg is an easy carry. In another situation gut it leave it on the hill over night and come back in the morning. Shoot one first thing in a hunting trip and hang it up and carry on hunting.