Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Why don't guys field dress their deer?

It takes what, maybe 2 minutes to unzip one. It's killing, it's supposed to be messy.

I spend more time digging out my knife and rolling up my sleeves than it does to unzip one.

I grew up "gutting" a deer immediately after killing it. We then took it home and finished cleaning it and either cut it up ourselves or took it to the processor we had in that day. Now, I hunt within 15 mins. of our house. It is actually closer to the processor than it is my home. 95% of the time I hunt by myself and because of my back condition, I cannot lift a deer into the back of the truck by myself. So, either I find someone on my club to help me, or I back up my truck to the deer (when possible) and drag it out to the nearby road, back up my truck to the ditch which allows me to just drag the deer into the truck bed. Since my processor will completely dress the deer and I can be there usually under 30 mins. from time I shoot the deer, I no longer even gut the deer. If I stay bent over these days to field dress the deer, I am done for the next several days because of my back. No brainer for me.

Same. Taking my time to get it really good, 10 min max. Usually more like 5-6.

I started hunting in the Catskill Mountains and Adirondack Mountains. I always gutted deer where they fell. When I moved to the Southeast I was totally taken back by gutting deer back at the cabin. I think it might have something to do with the generous tags. Maybe folks think it will booger up an area if they want to hunt it again. I think it's a regional thing. I never used a 4wheeler back in the day either. It's the way I get around on the farm now.

Damn if I know why you wouldnt gut your deer on the spot, where Kill deer its a hell of a drag to get em back without the guts, these guys got to huntin farms where they can drive right up to them with there truck or ATV, I hunt rugged steep Mtn terrian, no ATV's and no roads for F150's....Lol.....Hb

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't.

If I want to hunt the same stand again, I don't need coyotes, wolves, ravens, eagles, etc. buggering me.

This is a good post with a lot of valid information.

Depends on circumstances, but I prefer to hang them for a few days once gutted/skinned...proper temps/facilities, of course. I’ve hunted places that didn’t allow gut piles outside of a specific spot, required whole weight for biology records, and had scales on the gutting/skinning hoists. I’ve also packed them out of hell’s half acre in pieces. I’ve also had mature bucks walk within 10’ of a fresh gut pile on the same day. Do what you gotta do.

Well we are hunting small farms in the east and frequently the deer is only a short drag from vehicle access. We use an Amish procession and I usually have the deer there within a hour or so from killing it two hours tops . The Amish boys will dress it for $10 so after 30years of doing it myself I splurge and let them do it whenever possible. I've done enough postmortems to know what a bullet wound looks like and don't care if I ever do another.. besides not fi eld dressing in the woods means no dirt, leaves grass & twigs get inside the deer.

Today I drug a blacktail buck whole 30 yards to a creek, got the Jeep to the creek, and still quartered it so I didn't have to open it up. Nothing hits the dirt if the quarters get dropped in a bag and set in the creek to cool.

Here's my tape:
[img]https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51F1aJJrxYL.jpg[/img

It could be the KY deer are closer to the PA deer. I've had the tape for 16 years and the scale for about 14. All I know is the scale and the tape agree fairly closely at our pole. I don't mean to say I've made a science of it. However, for a few years, we were doing both, and now we mostly do the tape. The tape is a pretty good indicator of yield. If I get one that reads 90lb or more processed weight, I've learned it is a good idea to wait and see how it fits in the freezer before taking another one.

Another thing: I gut them hanging from the neck. That stretches out the rib cage. If you hang from the back legs, it makes the rib cage expand. I measure just before I open them up.

i guess if you are going to soak your meat then not gutting right away is ok but i don't want the blood staying in my meat any longer than possible. i always gut them as soon as i can get to them.

Huh? Other than cooling considerations, unless you gut shoot your deer or they’re alive for a long time after the shot, it can’t matter. Deer live all their lives with their innards and body fluids. Being dead a few minutes with them doesn’t magically chang the meat.

Pretty much.
If you're looking for other pieces of wisdom, srw can advise on how to long-arm a deer for picts too.

I eat liver and heart....soo...fk the coyotes. They can get their own.

Mostly gut them where they fall, but sometime Ill drag them off a bit, so I dont mess up the stand. the yotes Coons, ect will have the gut pile gone in a day or two anyway, heard a rumor today that the Michigan DNR because of the EDH problem, are talking about passing a Law that would make gutting in the woods a No No! I think that would SUCK!

How did you get the tenderloins inside the lumbar spine without opening it.

not gutting is a southern thing

We all don’t like to gut deer way down here.