Field Dressing Advice

Hey All,

I was wondering if I could get some advice on field dressing/extraction please?

Ideally, I would like to field dress/butcher on site. Aside from lugging-out redundant weight, my missus is a bit squeamish about that kind of thing and I don't really have current facility at home to butcher or dispose of carcasses/hides/bones efficiently.

Most videos involving field dressing I've stumbled upon centre around removal of the innards so the entire carcass can be extracted, but I'd rather carry out meat I can bang straight into the freezer (i.e. skinned and butchered cuts - shoulders, backstraps). Seen a few videos on how to take apart a beast where you drop it (on the ground) and bag the meat for extraction without worrying about gutting it, but I'm not sure about a few aspects of the process.

So my first question is, assuming I'm butchering on site (without a lifting rig), do I need to bleed the animal before butchering it, and if so, how?

Second question is, after I get the meat cuts home, should I hang them before freezing, and if so, is it safe to hang them in a cool spot in my garage (in a fly-proof area in pillow cases), or do they need to hang in a refrigerated environment?


TIA,

Dave

I always turn the deer downhill if I can and stick it like you would a pig (in the thorax) and usually give it a couple of pushes down on the ribs with my boot to push the residual blood out.
Hanging in pillow cases this time of the year in the shade for a few days is fine. But soon it will be too warm so you will need to lay it out or hang it in the fridge. Leave it in the fridge or hanging for about 7 days.

I come through Featherston quite often with a whole deer and would be happy to call in and give you a demo on breaking down a deer as if it is in the field if you want. Or if you can get a whole one home I will happily come over and show you. I'm in Wellington - but don't worry - I won't have my shiny arse suit and tie on.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

I always turn the deer downhill if I can and stick it like you would a pig (in the thorax) and usually give it a couple of pushes down on the ribs with my boot to push the residual blood out.
Hanging in pillow cases this time of the year in the shade for a few days is fine. But soon it will be too warm so you will need to lay it out or hang it in the fridge. Leave it in the fridge or hanging for about 7 days.

I come through Featherston quite often with a whole deer and would be happy to call in and give you a demo on breaking down a deer as if it is in the field if you want. Or if you can get a whole one home I will happily come over and show you. I'm in Wellington - but don't worry - I won't have my shiny arse suit and tie on.

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Take tahr up on this very generous offer man. No substitute for hands on experience.

Butchering a deer isn't rocket science but there are a few tricks that can make all the difference.

I'm fussy about my meat and want it to be the best it can be so I take the extra time to skin out a side then butcher. Keeps the meat cleaner from both hair and dirt. If you can get the deer up hanging with a bit of line it does make the process a lot easier

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Originally Posted by Tahr

I always turn the deer downhill if I can and stick it like you would a pig (in the thorax) and usually give it a couple of pushes down on the ribs with my boot to push the residual blood out.
Hanging in pillow cases this time of the year in the shade for a few days is fine. But soon it will be too warm so you will need to lay it out or hang it in the fridge. Leave it in the fridge or hanging for about 7 days.

I come through Featherston quite often with a whole deer and would be happy to call in and give you a demo on breaking down a deer as if it is in the field if you want. Or if you can get a whole one home I will happily come over and show you. I'm in Wellington - but don't worry - I won't have my shiny arse suit and tie on.

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Thanks for the advice, and I'd like to take you up on that demo offer please!

Cutting them up in the field is over-rated imo. Get Tahr to show you how to gut and then carry. And how to separate a set of hindquarters from the carcase with backsteaks attached and the skin from the shoulders and back wrapped round them as a carry load. There is good meat like the neck chops that will get left behind if you butcher on the hill.

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Cutting them up in the field is over-rated imo. Get Tahr to show you how to gut and then carry. And how to separate a set of hindquarters from the carcase with backsteaks attached and the skin from the shoulders and back wrapped round them as a carry load. There is good meat like the neck chops that will get left behind if you butcher on the hill.

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Butchering on the hill is not over rated in the right situation. Obviously it’s nice to carry the animal out whole but it’s not always practical. I’d say more meat gets left behind by those who remove the legs etc with bone in skin on.

Also look at gutless field dressing a deer on utube could be a help and I made up a pulley system for hanging a deer in a tree to make it easier, keeps it off the ground.

Plus depending on the terrain and animals size/weight (also your own, I'm not a big guy and won't pretend to be tough for no reason) it may be impossible to carry the whole thing out in one piece.

Last Red I shot was easy twice my weight + and in shitty country. Took a couple of trips but got almost everything out by boning it out and doing "shuttle runs".

I.e. meat cooling in pillow cases (hanging in shade) and moving a few hundred metres to a "staging" area, re-hang in shade and repeat. Took a few hours and admittedly wasn't too warm, BUT salvaged about the same amount of meat I would have by risking a broken leg or worse trying to mutton it out.

P.s was head shot so the only practical meat left on carcass was between the ribs.

It's pretty straight forward. I shot a lot of goats for practice.

I have found that removing the back legs and the back steaks in one go with a vertebrae cut off just before the pelvic bone.

Front legs if they are not smashed then get cut off really easily. Just pull it up and just start cutting in its arm pit area. Neck meat trimmed off.

I have not always bothered with the eye fillets unless it's for a deer.

What's left will be ribs, guts, neck.

This whole process still takes me a while.

I only do a full carry if it's a small deer or good terrains and near camp.

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Cutting them up in the field is over-rated imo. Get Tahr to show you how to gut and then carry. And how to separate a set of hindquarters from the carcase with backsteaks attached and the skin from the shoulders and back wrapped round them as a carry load. There is good meat like the neck chops that will get left behind if you butcher on the hill.

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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?

meat is always better if hung to set as a body.
lets the carcase cool as well as it's going to,any residual blood drains,all the muscles set in a "rested" shape.not contracted and bunched up.
This makes it easier to break into cuts,which makes it easier to trim out sinew(and fat?) and easier to cut
steaks etc.
I think they're easier to carry if they're set too,not flopping around.
I was a butcher in another life so tend to break down a red deer the same as a beef.
fallow,sika etc(smaller animals) get dealt with like a mutton,frozen then cut into chops on the bandsaw

It is a lot easy to hang/age the carcass whole, and a lot easier to process when it’s hanging somewhere convenient, rather than a scrubby hillside somewhere. Ideal, but not always practical.

As MSL said, although aside from gnarly stag I find "ageing" in the fridge vs hanging in chiller makes no real difference for me. The processing part absolutely easier if hung whole for a bit.

I had a real battle with this one recently. I had to deal with him hooked up like this and it was a lot steeper than it looks. Its always way more difficult by yourself. He took off down the hill and into a steep creek while I was removing the last shoulder so I just waved it goodbye.
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This recent one too was a big heavy bugger to turn over and deal with in the steep scrub by myself. Boned him right out where he was - it all fitted into my 55litre pack. Hell of a load for an old bugger though. I hung the head up in a tree half way up the climb out and it can stay there.
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@Tahr is a legend offing to show you hands on and can’t be beaten. I lay the dear on its belly and cut the skin down the centre of the back and cut/pull the skin away down each side to expose the back steaks. I then remove both back steaks by cutting down along both sides of the back bone (there’s a ridge of bones along the centre of the back) then cut up to the centre of the back bone along the ribs rolling the knife around the ribs to get as much meat as possible. I like to start at the neck and work down to the back legs working the knife along the bone. Then flip the dear and cut down through the crutch following the hip bone and avoiding the gut cavity, work the knife around the hip joint and then keep close to the bone and take all the meat down through to the tail. Hang the leg in a tree and cut the skin from the bottom of inner leg up to the top of the hock and pull the skin off around to the outer leg and cut around the hock. I then remove the meat off the leg bone by dividing into muscle groups. All the meat goes into a pillow case and is hung in the shade to cool. Job done.

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Originally Posted by 2post

@Tahr is a legend offing to show you hands on and can’t be beaten. I lay the dear on its belly and cut the skin down the centre of the back and cut/pull the skin away down each side to expose the back steaks. I then remove both back steaks by cutting down along both sides of the back bone (there’s a ridge of bones along the centre of the back) then cut up to the centre of the back bone along the ribs rolling the knife around the ribs to get as much meat as possible. I like to start at the neck and work down to the back legs working the knife along the bone. Then flip the dear and cut down through the crutch following the hip bone and avoiding the gut cavity, work the knife around the hip joint and then keep close to the bone and take all the meat down through to the tail. Hang the leg in a tree and cut the skin from the bottom of inner leg up to the top of the hock and pull the skin off around to the outer leg and cut around the hock. I then remove the meat off the leg bone by dividing into muscle groups. All the meat goes into a pillow case and is hung in the shade to cool. Job done.

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Much the same. I take the inside steaks through an incision behind the last rib hard against the spine and take the shoulders if they are not ruined and/or if someone is watching :)

Remember that it normally takes 30-45 mins to process a deer in the field when you know what your doing. If your in the Bush just keep in mind if you drop one on last hour of light you run the risk of trying to navigate through Bush in dark. Open farmland or valleys is somewhat easier.

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Originally Posted by Tahr

Much the same. I take the inside steaks through an incision behind the last rib hard against the spine and take the shoulders if they are not ruined and/or if someone is watching :)

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This^^^

the Graf brothers have some great dvds...there is one where they break down a deer in next to no time with a mercator knife of all things.... see if you can find a copy...you can watch it over and over again....goats are great to practice on.
2x15ltr buckets...drill holes in base of one of them...put meat in holed bucket and slip it inside 2nd unholed bucket...put in fridge for up to a week...stir the meat every day to move blood to bottom of bucket and into bottom bucket...tip that out and rinse it daily.

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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?

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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.

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Originally Posted by Moa Hunter

Cutting them up in the field is over-rated imo. Get Tahr to show you how to gut and then carry. And how to separate a set of hindquarters from the carcase with backsteaks attached and the skin from the shoulders and back wrapped round them as a carry load. There is good meat like the neck chops that will get left behind if you butcher on the hill.

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If you’re going to carry them out whole, get a carry belt made up, so you are carrying the deer horizontally. It’s a whole shitload easier. Definitely more comfortable and energy efficient than the traditional backpack style.

One thing i have found is everyone does it diferently, learn something new everytime.... all depends on the situation if you can carry it out whole or not.

Usually i take chest shots so have the animals lying chest down, take as much skin off back as possible and tale backsteaks out, then skin off the back legs and seperate them off. Leave legs whole for the carry out amd butcher then into groups when home and the dogs get the bones.

Yep, I just quarter them with gut bag intact and remove back straps. Hanging if cool or boning out, double bagging and in the creek with a cairn of stones to keep eels out.

One trick I was shown was take a small ss marine pulley and some 200-300kg paracord. Use that as your portable lifting rig when needed (Though handy trees are not always handy...)

The other trick he showed me was to gut it, then instead of hanging it by its hocks, he put the rope through the poo hole. That way you are free to work on both legs stripping the meat and leaving the large bones behind. By using the poo hole the whole animal doe not come down when you finish the second leg. The fellow who showed me this does not leave any usable meat behind and carrys nothing home that he does not eat.

There's a good graf boys video on YouTube where he breaks the whole animal down I'll try find the link for you

https://youtu.be/dUArHhWj3rY

A few random thoughts from someone who has only shot half a dozen pigs/deer on solo day hunts.

- When I shoot an animal, the hunt is over. My priority is to get it cleaned and stored appropriately as fast as possible.

- I use this method for animal preparation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubxppdxfx0w&t=10s

- I find it easier to deal with an animal that's hanging up. I've made a lightweight pulley system for less than $15. Tested it today on my son (20kg) and my wife (55kg) in a playground! All good. Could pull my son up with one arm, wife was a bit more work, but doable. It's more crap/weight to carry around, but worth it I think.

- I take back steaks, tender loins, back legs and shoulders. It all fits in a Huntech Meat Bag. I've added a wide luggage strap so it sits across one shoulder on my front so I can still wear a backpack.

This works for me, but I'm still learning.

I agree MB...once animal is down hunt is over....JonP agree about the carry strap...my latest daybag/pikau is made from polarfleece ,has tennis ball in each corner (shhhh dont for goodness sake tell the dog) and the strap is 8 feet of seat belt..... the belt can be used for carry strap and bag itself poked in gut cavity..so far Ive used it twice,strangely enough two animals at once both times ,two goats and two pigs about 70lb each.....was a good load but sure beat doing the relay shuffle thing.

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Originally Posted by MB

A few random thoughts from someone who has only shot half a dozen pigs/deer on solo day hunts.

- When I shoot an animal, the hunt is over. My priority is to get it cleaned and stored appropriately as fast as possible.

- I use this method for animal preparation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ubxppdxfx0w&t=10s

- I find it easier to deal with an animal that's hanging up. I've made a lightweight pulley system for less than $15. Tested it today on my son (20kg) and my wife (55kg) in a playground! All good. Could pull my son up with one arm, wife was a bit more work, but doable. It's more crap/weight to carry around, but worth it I think.

- I take back steaks, tender loins, back legs and shoulders. It all fits in a Huntech Meat Bag. I've added a wide luggage strap so it sits across one shoulder on my front so I can still wear a backpack.

This works for me, but I'm still learning.

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This is a good point, when you shoot an animal the hunt is over. Obviously depends on terrain, access, etc. Basically you have hunted, successfully, and now the job is get the meat out. Remember there is no race, unless it’s close to dark but then you have a torch right? I prefer a whole carcass, doesn’t dry out in the chiller, but obviously there are physical limits. Shuttleing works well once you get to a track, if you’re bush bashing keep all of your shit together. Whatever works for you, but get basically get what you can and enjoy👍

I’m yet to shoot a deer on flat ground but that’s life.. most are a few hours walk from the car so I butcher on site.

I remember shooting my first deer and thinking I needed to bleed it prior to field dressing. I cut into the femoral and no blood at all came out. There is no need to bleed an animal unless it’s still kicking.

After trial and error with both goats and deer and ive settled on removing the back legs complete without gutting the animal. Back steaks, shoulders and if I can carry it neck etc gets boned out and hung in pillow cases. Tenderloins can be taken last by reaching under the ribs once the back legs are off.

I then hang the rear legs and prior to the walk out skin and bone them out to cut weight.

I’ve taken to keeping a chilly bin in the car but a rubbish bag will suffice. Throw a bag of ice in with the meat (keep a plastic barrier/bag between the ice and the meat). Once home it’s placed in the fridge for a couple days and then processed into steaks and mince.

Cool meat seperates easily into it’s different muscle groups so you will appreciate refrigerating the meat when it comes time to break it down.

Like you I’ve had a lot of advice to cool or hang for 7 days. Nothing wrong with that I’m just less patient.

I can’t stand hair on my meat. Even the most popular hunting show on TV shows chunks of meat that look like hedgehogs!

Few simple tips:
- when taking out back steaks, open the skin on the flank and skin over the back.....never open down the back bone
- never cut down on hair, open from under the skin
- remove legs first
- if you have a tree, nip the hock off, open the first 2 inches at top of hock, hang, pull the skin off and open up from the under side of skin as you go...hard to explain
- no tree...use a flat rock or a tussock, remove hock, open from the inside of the leg and knife off.

I just use a mecator for all my hunting.