Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Recip saw for working down deer

any of y'all try those "razor" type knives that you can toss the blades, for breaking down a deer in the field?

Recip saws too dang heavy for packing in. A heavy blade knife for cutting sternal cartilage and knife-du-jour for skinning and I'll be good. It's probably coming out gutless anyway, but like the ability to gut and drag if I decide that's what I'm gonna do.

How about using a chainsaw?? A little bar oil adds flavor!!

hanco are you a brother to pete53 ?


S M H

Jerry

Just in case you did NOT read this:

Friend of mine tried that, he had a little battery chainsaw that he bought just for the task and used vegetable oil for the bar lube. The kerf was too wide IMO. The recip works better.

This, I cut up 20-30 deer and antelope a year for ourselves and friends/clients. there is zero reason to split the pelvis, the sternum can be cut along the cartilage edge with a knife while gutting, I go clear to the throat, cut the windpipe and it all comes out clean. a minute 30 tops for a gut job on a deer. when you skin down to the legs just take the legs off the joints with your skinning knife, takes seconds. I do use a reciprocating saw to cut the antlers off. Now if I'm quartering a elk or bison for clients, we split the pelvis so the hind quarters can be managed easier onto the rail, but this is a deer forum and that's what we're talking about.

There is a reason to split the pelvis and the spine as well. Try fitting a whole ribcage into your trash can for the garbage man to take away once.

Here I was pondering why a guy splits the spine/pelvis......now I get it:) I guess I've forgotten that not everyone steps outside and is able to feed the fish a short walk from the house.

I'm gonna take my next deer to the local cabinet maker for processing. He has bandsaws, planers and sanders that should make very short work of a deer.

The question is, did you read it?

YES, I have a reason to split the pelvis--- NO matter what anyone else thinks.

Most of the time I HAVE TO put my deer on Ice & Water for a few days >> Wx is too warm.

I DON"T cut meat off the bone till AFTER rigor mortis. The 'hams' fit into an ice chest nicely >> SEPARATELY !
I also cut the leg bones (4) below the meat. I won't dull a blade on a good knife cutting BONE,

1 + 4 + 1 = 6 th reason - cutting the rack off the skull. I keep every one regardless of size except spikes.
Spikes haven't been legal here for some time so.


Mike, I throw the remains in my pasture for the vermin & Eagles. Sorry for the blurr. I zoomed the pic before i uploaded.
That is the rib cage plus hide & innards




Jerry

Of course not.

I don't saw bones on deer. Everything can be separated at the joints with a knife.

However, I do use the saw with a tree pruning blade for hogs. I like to saw the ribs into country style with the back strap attached aka pork chop style. Cleaning the saw isn't too much of a pain, but do keep it clean and wipe it down with a bleach solution. Bacteria and all.

I quarter early season deer and antelope and put on ice as well, still don't cut the pelvis to do it, just slice off by the socket and keep the meat on the leg bone. never cut bone with a knife, slice the tendon at the joint and even my 7 year old daughter can snap them off easily. I've had to pack out lots of animals over a distance, a saw makes no sense to carry in and out when you have to also take meat, hence figuring out the simplest method of breaking an animal down, then perfecting it over a couple decades. no reason to do it differently when I get the whole animal home either. YMMV

the question was regarding working down a deer, not disposal, I've chunked mine up before to throw into the garbage, or to scatter in the pasture. don't get me wrong, I'm not anti reciprocating saw, I just never saw bones on a deer. for taking elk or bison ribs, yes they work fine, deer ribs don't have enough on them to fuss with for me.

We break down close to 25 deer in 4 days

Our 18 volt Ryobj is dang handy

I'm envious Jerry. I live in town and I'm lucky enough to have a Pear tree to hang a deer from. But that's all I have.

Mike, I know the feeling. I have lived in towns most of the time from 1972----2011.

It's more convenient to stores and gas stations but living in the country has its advantages too.
We have RETARDED Canada Geese - they stay down here !
There are 4 good size lakes w/in 30 mi and Eagles are common in Winter.

I don't have a pic but I built a skinning rack with 4X4 treated posts behind my house in 2005. I used my truck winch instead of mounting a boat trailer winch.


Jerry

If you hike back into the hinterlands I imagine using a saw seems like a silly idea. But if you are lucky enough to be able to get the whole carcass back to your shop where you have a block and tackle, water, etc, they can be very handy. I also don't lift a carcass if I don't have to.

ha ha, yep.

And if you don't have a front end loader..................

















Jerry