How Do I Learn How to Gut and Cut Big Game?

[Stéphane]

I was wondering if there is a good video or how-to on how to properly gut an animal.
I can do a grouse, but if I continue to improve with my bow prowess I will graduate to big game hunting.

Maybe I'll buy a calf and look at the butcher works his magic.

SG

[phoenix]

Youtube, there's hundreds of videos on gutting and butchering. I like the butchering ones by Willies Country Meats http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzYGBNDc_xU
gutting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewCVFkkyQC4

[AT&T]

It is easy to do. Not making a big mess is the hard part. Easier if you have something that will cut the pelvic bone, especially on a deer. Guys have their own way of doing it for sure. On a deer I just cut between the hind legs, cut through the pelvic bone. Then run the knife from the brisket down the belly, not gutting the guts just the hide. Roll some of it out. Get in all the way up. Cut the heart and lungs from around the body cavity. Keep cutting and pull all the icky shit out the back. When most of it is out then cut the attached bladder and such carefully and slide it all out. That simple. It only takes a few minutes when you get good at it. That first cut into the brisket is always nice. You get a little gas in your face. I like to think of it as the smell of success. Some people dont gut big animals. They just quarter it leaving the rib cage and guts intact. Some are good enough to do this without a bone saw.

[MuleyMadness]

Outdoor edge makes a video if you want to watch it that way...it's actually pretty well done, and covers field dressing, skinning, caping, and deboning.

http://www.outdooredge.com/Deer-Proc-DVD-Vol-1-p/deer-big-game-processingdvd.htm

The best way to learn though, is to do it yourself, with someone guiding you the first time. A pig (much cheaper) or a beef would be a good way to get started if you don`t have a handy buck lying around.

[Stéphane]

Thanks guys, I watched the videos Phoenix sent me, and the second one was great. I might even save it on my iPod Touch and carry it around in case.

A pig, good idea. I know someone who has a pig farm, now I need a butcher. . .

[phoenix]

Butcher it yourself also, not really hard at all to get edible portions of meat.
Kim

[BiG Boar]

I would not gut it and instead read up on gutless method. Google it and search HBC. Easier, faster, cleaner and safer. Wish I had done it years ago.

[Steeleco]

I've got a copy of the "Outdoor edge" DVD if you want to borrow it.
If you've the space to hang and cut your game, the most important thing you will need is a good knife or two.

The worst thing you can do is end up with tons of burger!!

If you want I can show you my set up if you come to borrow the DVD.

[troutseeker]

Like everyone said, it's pretty simple, just take the insides out! Watch those free youtube videos and have at it, practice makes perfect.

[TyTy]

Just go at er, thats how I learned. Start at the spleen.

[west250]

Agree with the comment of watching someone do it, start with deer as well and work your way up to larger animals if you like..

As far as field dressing:
First - cut your tag if you haven't already =]...
Roll the deer onto it's back , start a small cut near it's penis and get the knife under the skin. Work it towards the brisket with the sharp edge up ( I like to keep the hole as small as possible so that when dragging out there's less chance of getting foreign matter in the cavity),-Although i haven't used the gut hooks, I'm sure they work very well for this. Once the skin is cut, work your way gently through the membrane and muscle of the belly until the guts start to pop out, then reach in and haul it all out. When you get to the diaphragm, reach in with your knife and open that up and drag the heart, lungs etc. out as well. Further in with the knife and cut the windpipe somewhere. Yard all that muck out, then drag the animal away from the mess and roll it over on it's belly, preferably with the hind legs downhill. This will drain the cavity somewhat. Take your paper towels out and wipe your hands off and admire your fine catch!

If you have a cool dry place to hang your animal at home like an unheated garage that's secure, hang it high enough so that it's off the floor by a bit but so you can still skin the animal. If you're really clever you have a v shaped sawhorse that you can skin the animal out on (that's the way the butchers do lambs and sheep), either way, skin the carcass out being very careful to keep as much hair off the carcass as possible. Skinning is something that improves with practice, so don't be too hard on yourself if you have hair etc. on it. A wet cloth will clean up the carcass nicely after you're done skinning.. Cut the feet off, being very mindful of the hind tendons that should be left on for hanging purposes , and head off as high as you can towards the head (there's some good trim in the neck).There's a few ways to take the bladder and anus out but the best is with a sharp, long straight knife making a big circle around the anus. This will remove all the connective tissue around these parts an make it easy to just pull out. If for some reason the bladder has broken (shite happens), you'll have to drain out and give it a go inside with the cloth and water... Before leaving the hanging animal, split the brisket and remove the windpipe for draining. Put something underneath to take all that mess..When splitting the brisket, don't worry about going down the middle of it, you should be able to work down just beside it with a knife. The windpipe should come out easily....

If I shot the animal on Saturday or Sunday, by Thursday I would get set up for butchering. A sturdy table, few sharp knives, saw (even a clean carpenter's saw), plastic bags, cutting block of some sort, masking tape,black marker, a bowl, damp cloth, beers and freezer paper should round out all the major stuff that you would need. Start by splitting the animal with the saw, then divide a side into hind quarter, front quarter, and spine section. Take the spine section and bone out your backstraps and tenderloin. Cut the backstraps into 1 inch plus sized steaks - you can even mash them a bit to flatten them out into bigger chops. Next take the hind quarter and make yourself some appropriate sized roasts, then cut the trim off the rest of the hind. I like to bone out the front quarter as well and make it into sausage but to each his own. Stew meat's nice too...Repeat on other half.
Wrap it all up in light duty plastic bags then freezer wrap, mark them as required, toss them in the freezer ( I like to keep some out and eat fresh), and clean up the carnage.

Then go out and look for another suitable animal for the freezer.. Yummi!!

[TheProvider]

there'll be good videos online.... best way is to do it yourself. Take your time and have a sharp knife. Careful not to cut the bladder. It's pretty easy

[MuleyMadness]

Thanks guys, I watched the videos Phoenix sent me, and the second one was great. I might even save it on my iPod Touch and carry it around in case.

A pig, good idea. I know someone who has a pig farm, now I need a butcher. . .

Your friend with the pig farm is gonna know how to do it...you're all set :)

[Bow Walker]

Too bad I wasn't over on that side of the "pond"...I'd come and show you how to do your own meatcutting (been doing it for over 40 years now).

[Gateholio]

Google "gutless method"

I'll still gut an animal and load it int he truck if it is close to the road, but the gutless method makes way more sense if you have to pack it any distance.

I've only actually gutted and loaded one deer in the past 5 or so years. IN the meantime, I've done gutless on about 6 or 7 deer a few bear and a few moose.

[BiG Boar]

Agree with the comment of watching someone do it, start with deer as well and work your way up to larger animals if you like..

As far as field dressing:
First - cut your tag if you haven't already =]...
Roll the deer onto it's back , start a small cut near it's penis and get the knife under the skin. Work it towards the brisket with the sharp edge up ( I like to keep the hole as small as possible so that when dragging out there's less chance of getting foreign matter in the cavity),-Although i haven't used the gut hooks, I'm sure they work very well for this. Once the skin is cut, work your way gently through the membrane and muscle of the belly until the guts start to pop out, then reach in and haul it all out. When you get to the diaphragm, reach in with your knife and open that up and drag the heart, lungs etc. out as well. Further in with the knife and cut the windpipe somewhere. Yard all that muck out, then drag the animal away from the mess and roll it over on it's belly, preferably with the hind legs downhill. This will drain the cavity somewhat. Take your paper towels out and wipe your hands off and admire your fine catch!

If you have a cool dry place to hang your animal at home like an unheated garage that's secure, hang it high enough so that it's off the floor by a bit but so you can still skin the animal. If you're really clever you have a v shaped sawhorse that you can skin the animal out on (that's the way the butchers do lambs and sheep), either way, skin the carcass out being very careful to keep as much hair off the carcass as possible. Skinning is something that improves with practice, so don't be too hard on yourself if you have hair etc. on it. A wet cloth will clean up the carcass nicely after you're done skinning.. Cut the feet off, being very mindful of the hind tendons that should be left on for hanging purposes , and head off as high as you can towards the head (there's some good trim in the neck).There's a few ways to take the bladder and anus out but the best is with a sharp, long straight knife making a big circle around the anus. This will remove all the connective tissue around these parts an make it easy to just pull out. If for some reason the bladder has broken (shite happens), you'll have to drain out and give it a go inside with the cloth and water... Before leaving the hanging animal, split the brisket and remove the windpipe for draining. Put something underneath to take all that mess..When splitting the brisket, don't worry about going down the middle of it, you should be able to work down just beside it with a knife. The windpipe should come out easily....

If I shot the animal on Saturday or Sunday, by Thursday I would get set up for butchering. A sturdy table, few sharp knives, saw (even a clean carpenter's saw), plastic bags, cutting block of some sort, masking tape,black marker, a bowl, damp cloth, beers and freezer paper should round out all the major stuff that you would need. Start by splitting the animal with the saw, then divide a side into hind quarter, front quarter, and spine section. Take the spine section and bone out your backstraps and tenderloin. Cut the backstraps into 1 inch plus sized steaks - you can even mash them a bit to flatten them out into bigger chops. Next take the hind quarter and make yourself some appropriate sized roasts, then cut the trim off the rest of the hind. I like to bone out the front quarter as well and make it into sausage but to each his own. Stew meat's nice too...Repeat on other half.
Wrap it all up in light duty plastic bags then freezer wrap, mark them as required, toss them in the freezer ( I like to keep some out and eat fresh), and clean up the carnage.

Then go out and look for another suitable animal for the freezer.. Yummi!!

Wrong. Start at the brisket and cut downward. You cut with the hair that way. No hair in the meat.

[hunter1947]

Be around someone that can show you how it is done I'm sure you can find someone that can help you..

[west250]

Wrong. Start at the brisket and cut downward. You cut with the hair that way. No hair in the meat.
Not wrong, different. I hang from the hamstrings, not by the neck which it sounds like you are referencing.

[knighthunter]

Be around someone that can show you how it is done I'm sure you can find someone that can help you..

I agree. An inexpirenced hunter/gutter can watch all the video's, read all the reply's on here and be completely confused. If they don't know where the heart, liver are (if they are keeping them) where the pi** bag is, what is the gut, it just takes one slip of the knife and you have a gross mess.

[Steeleco]

Wrong. Start at the brisket and cut downward. You cut with the hair that way. No hair in the meat.

I do as you, but with the knife upside down cutting UP through the hide, it saves the knives edge and keeps the hair to a minimum. That said, I think it's more to do with how the blade is held, that the direction we cut??