We never gutted them in the field. Mainly because we hunted with in 1-3 miles of home. Loaded them up, hung them up and gutted them. We had water available too, to wash up and flush the cavity. Besides who wants to gut a deer in negative degree weather, when you don't have not.
Up here, it's the only way to warm your hands !
Since it takes about 3-5 if you work slowly I'm not sure what the big deal is. But most of the time I'm with family and on the hunt for days at a time so we just get back and hang it.
I can gut one a lot faster than I can 1/4 one. But now that the laws in MN/WI have changed, I'd not hesitate to 1/4 one and pack it out instead of haul it, if necessary.
