Gutting technique ?

[CanuckShooter]

When making my first incisions to gut an animal I always start in the pelvic area and split the hide up to the point where the neck meets the head. I do it this way because it's how I was shown as a young lad.

Last season a newby that was watching for the first time asked me why it was done like that and not opposite so the cut followed the direction of the hair...theoretically doing a cleaner job?

I didn't have an answer other than it was how I always did it!

Which way do you split the hair?? :-)

[huntinstuff]

Animal is on its stomach

I cut fron anus, along the middle of the spine to the base of the antlers

Peel back the hide, remove backstraps, disassemble left quarters, tip animal on its left side, remove right quarters.

Slide knife under last rib (on both sides) reach in and "blind" cut the tenderloins out

Remove meat from between ribs

Take out neck meat to the jawline

Im done

[archeryman]

Any way is right as long as you are happy with the job and aren't wasteful. I start in the pelvic region and go up to the ribs and stop there. This way I find keeps most hair out of the inside. I hate hair on my animal!!!!

[Lefty-Canuck]

Here is a couple points I learned many years ago......

Start at the neck for your cuts if you intend on gutting the animal...(gutless method is different but personally I would still open up the neck unless it was a cape I wanted to keep)

Personally I like to hang my meat for a period of time and I have a walk in cooler for this very thing....unless absolutely necessary I don't use the "gutless" method.

1. If you start on the neck and the animal isn't dead yet (yes it happens!)....you will dispatch it by cutting the windpipe and veins in the neck...

2. If you start at the neck your knife won't have contamination on it from starting at the other end....if you get what I mean....

My 2 bits....I was taught how to gut animals by my Father who is a butcher....so how I was shown will be how I do it and how I teach others to do it....there are many equally effective means to do it.

LC

[Alberta Bigbore]

Animal is on its stomach

I cut fron anus, along the middle of the spine to the base of the antlers

Peel back the hide, remove backstraps, disassemble left quarters, tip animal on its left side, remove right quarters.

Slide knife under last rib (on both sides) reach in and "blind" cut the tenderloins out

Remove meat from between ribs

Take out neck meat to the jawline

Im done

Always wanted to try this method... maybe this year.

[Frans]

Hmmm... I'm not cutting into the guts, starting from "the other end", so there won't be contamination, though I admit that accidents happen. I get my fingers in there to guide the knife tip, and avoid cutting the intestines.

But I too have been taught to start at the nether end and work up, but do "gutless" these days whenever I can.

[Lefty-Canuck]

Hmmm... I'm not cutting into the guts, starting from "the other end", so there won't be contamination, though I admit that accidents happen. I get my fingers in there to guide the knife tip, and avoid cutting the intestines.

But I too have been taught to start at the nether end and work up, but do "gutless" these days whenever I can.

Yah but you free up the "butt hole" right? you never had a bladder leak when you were cutting around the "nether regions" :)

Sometimes you don't cut into the guts but a bullet or bullet frag may have found its way in there....

I like to work on that section after the rest has been "free'd up".....to each their own.

LC

[300savage]

If we get something down this fall, I will try gutless.
I start at the intake and go to the exhaust. That way I'm not cutting against the hair. Clean out the sewer, split the brisket and remove the pump house. I hang from the back legs and skin it out to the head. I remove the tail and sex, but leave the head on, but tie a garbage bag on it to keep the hair off the meat. I hate picking hair off stiff meat!

[MikeAndHike]

I haven't been hunting in over 10 years and am looking forward to getting back at this year. I can no longer remember how to dress and clean a deer so I have been watching a lot of videos. I can't find a good video of how to do a "gutless" on a deer though. Anyone got a link for me. All I can find are elk videos and I know it is going to be much the same but I would like to see it done on a deer if I could.

A second option is if anyone needs a hunting buddy that does it this way I will gladly help out for a free lesson.

[Moo Snukkle]

Just follow huntinstuff' s method Its the only way to do deer sized game in the field much cleaner

[Big Daddy Badger]

Here is a couple points I learned many years ago......

Start at the neck for your cuts if you intend on gutting the animal...(gutless method is different but personally I would still open up the neck unless it was a cape I wanted to keep)

Personally I like to hang my meat for a period of time and I have a walk in cooler for this very thing....unless absolutely necessary I don't use the "gutless" method.

1. If you start on the neck and the animal isn't dead yet (yes it happens!)....you will dispatch it by cutting the windpipe and veins in the neck...

2. If you start at the neck your knife won't have contamination on it from starting at the other end....if you get what I mean....

My 2 bits....I was taught how to gut animals by my Father who is a butcher....so how I was shown will be how I do it and how I teach others to do it....there are many equally effective means to do it.

LC

Pretty much how I go about it.

I don't bone em out like Huntinstuff unless it's a real long drag to the truck.

[Rantastic]

Animal is on its stomach

I cut fron anus, along the middle of the spine to the base of the antlers

Peel back the hide, remove backstraps, disassemble left quarters, tip animal on its left side, remove right quarters.

Slide knife under last rib (on both sides) reach in and "blind" cut the tenderloins out

Remove meat from between ribs

Take out neck meat to the jawline

Im done

Interesting gutless method... I'm intrigued to give this a try

[Frans]

Yah but you free up the "butt hole" right? you never had a bladder leak when you were cutting around the "nether regions" :)

Sometimes you don't cut into the guts but a bullet or bullet frag may have found its way in there....

I like to work on that section after the rest has been "free'd up".....to each their own.

LC

Makes sense.

Hunting alone often, I don't generally take the carcass home in one piece. Quartering, and getting the rest of the meat off is much cleaner if I don't have to enter the abdominal cavity at all.

Back in the old country we'd only cut up to the ribs, get the guts and heart/lungs out, and do the rest in the garage, where we had a nice clean hanging/butchering area with running water etc.

[rhuntley12]

I haven't been hunting in over 10 years and am looking forward to getting back at this year. I can no longer remember how to dress and clean a deer so I have been watching a lot of videos. I can't find a good video of how to do a "gutless" on a deer though. Anyone got a link for me. All I can find are elk videos and I know it is going to be much the same but I would like to see it done on a deer if I could.

A second option is if anyone needs a hunting buddy that does it this way I will gladly help out for a free lesson.

This might be similar, but deer is hung.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfDdpgPKkww

[Rackmastr]

Animal is on its stomach

I cut fron anus, along the middle of the spine to the base of the antlers

Peel back the hide, remove backstraps, disassemble left quarters, tip animal on its left side, remove right quarters.

Slide knife under last rib (on both sides) reach in and "blind" cut the tenderloins out

Remove meat from between ribs

Take out neck meat to the jawline

Im done

x2....love this method.

Course, if I'm just going to gut an animal, its a quick easy process as well and I'd often start from the diaphram area.

[catnthehat]

Animal is on its stomach

I cut fron anus, along the middle of the spine to the base of the antlers

Peel back the hide, remove backstraps, disassemble left quarters, tip animal on its left side, remove right quarters.

Slide knife under last rib (on both sides) reach in and "blind" cut the tenderloins out

Remove meat from between ribs

Take out neck meat to the jawline

Im done

This is the way my old Cree Mentor tought me, and if i am in a tent camp I still use it.
if I'm on the river or close to a vehicle with a deer, I gut it and take out the innards, then transport it home and hang it.
Moose however, gets it down like this .
Cat