Deboning Big Game

[Dale]

I've always been able to get my downed animals out of the bush whole our close to it, but since moving to BC from MB I find myself wondering how to get something out of the bush in some of the more mountainous areas. I somewhat know how to debone big game, but I was wondering if there are any little tricks that make it easier and quicker?
DALE

[Brambles]

Not too many tricks, just follow the bone and pull the meat away the best you can. Good knives will make ALL the difference in the world and make sure they are sharp and you have the ability to touch them up in the field. Keep the meat clean and take your time. I butcher my own meat so deboneing in the field isn't a big deal, If you don't cut your own meat then it might take you a while to figure out where everything is and how to get around them. I actually throw a steel and one of my flexible boning knives in my pack frame side pocket. Victorinox makes a good boning knife for reasonable cash, they make a couple different designs, I find the more flexible one Part #40515 is a great knife. Also a Dexter/Russel S131-6 is a GREAT knife and is my personal favorite.

Hope this is some help

Brambles

[atri]

Try this video link:

http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/video/d...vPath=C151C158 (http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/video/d...vPath=C151C158)

Try this link, and click on the first video.

http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/navigation.asp?cid=158&NavPath=C151

or this

http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/video/deerfield.wmv?lid=1038&NavPath=C151C158

hope this works

[JAGRMEISTER]

TO DO IT WITHOUT THE MESS, SKIN AND DEQUARTER, REMOVING BACKSTRAPS, ALL WITHOUT OPENING THE BODY CAVITY.
LAST STEP, REMOVE TENDERLOINS, AGAIN WITHOUT OPENING THE CAVITY..........NO MESS, WAY LESS CLEANING UP!
bONE AFTER QUARTER IS REMOVED.

[reach]

Try this video link:

http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/video/d...vPath=C151C158 (http://www.kdfwr.state.ky.us/video/d...vPath=C151C158)
The link doesn't work... wherever you got it from, right click and choose "copy link location" rather than highlighting the text and hitting Ctrl-C (assuming you're using a PC).

Forum software usually shortens the visible path with the ... in the middle like you posted. But the full link is there if you right click and copy link location.

[MichelD]

If I brought home de-boned meat my wife would de-bone me!

I think she'd like to see deer and elk made of all bones so she could make more soup.

Seriously though, I've never been so far back of beyond that I couldn't pack out the chunks bone-in, though it may happen yet, to the wrath of the cook.

[atri]

The link doesn't work... wherever you got it from, right click and choose "copy link location" rather than highlighting the text and hitting Ctrl-C (assuming you're using a PC).

Forum software usually shortens the visible path with the ... in the middle like you posted. But the full link is there if you right click and copy link location.

I can't seem to keep the link from abbreviating. :???: I don't have the option of "copy link location" when I right click.

If you have problems viewing the site, you're welcome to PM me with your email address, and I can send you the video file. Be warned, it is a rather large file.

[reach]

I can't seem to keep the link from abbreviating. :???: I don't have the option of "copy link location" when I right click.

If you have problems viewing the site, you're welcome to PM me with your email address, and I can send you the video file. Be warned, it is a rather large file. Holy smokes, you're not kidding... 26.8 MB...

I googled for "c151c158" and found the link on this page.

http://www.fw.ky.gov/Navigation.asp?cid=158&NavPath=C151

Thanks!

Edit: Sorry, didn't see your edit... the last two links work fine.

[steel_ram]

We took some de-boned elk into a butcher shop. A C.O. did an inspection at the shop and wanted to see our proof of the animals species/sex etc. I know the common synopsis says that stuff can be removed at a place of butchering, however the CO pulled out the big book with the real regs. Can't remember what the issue was but he let us of after we showed him antlers and pic's.

This CO was the senior one for the area.

Not sure how a gung-ho new CO would handle a pile of meat at a road stop.

[bsa30-06]

atri, thanxs for the link that helped me alot.

[3kills]

i will second what brambles said about a good sharp knife...dulls knifes will skip off the bone and cuz serious injury....make sure u are using a boning knife makes it alot easier and like brambles said victorinox are really good knifes thats what i use...a good boning knife will cost ya around 30 bucks a good still bout 50 or so....

[huntwriter]

on my meat information website you will find a complete meat cutting and deboning guide. http://members.shaw.ca/masterbutcher/meat_cutting_tutorial/intro.html

I show how it is done right with a pork carcass, but don't let that hinder you. Animal carcass is animal carcass, with very little variation as all cutting and deboning is more or less the same.

[mrdoog]

My Grandad used to say; why do you think a Trapper Nelson has 2 rods down the side?
Answer: it was to remove the pack and hump out the quarters
Moose? That is why God invented horses.
Debone, never!

[JAGRMEISTER]

NO MATTER HOW MANY PIECES IT IS IN, EVIDENCE OF SEX MUST BE LEFT ON 1 SECTION. tHAT DOES NOT MEAN YOUR SPERM, IT MEANS TESTICLE OR PENIS, UNLESS COVERED BY A COW TAG, THEN UTERUS MAY HAVE TO BE TURNED IN.

[Brambles]

NO MATTER HOW MANY PIECES IT IS IN, EVIDENCE OF SEX MUST BE LEFT ON 1 SECTION. tHAT DOES NOT MEAN YOUR SPERM.

LMAO :D Thats great!!!

[DBM]

According to the new B.C. regulations it looks like antlers or horns can now be used as evidence of sex, and you no longer need a portion of the hide attached to each piece of carcass, just one.

[huntwriter]

If it is a deer sized or smaller game animal I would not bother to debone it in the field, just tie them to the back of the ATV and drag them out, provided you have an ATV. However, a elk sized animal and larger I would debone. These are large animals making many trips necessary to pack it out. You bet that I would leave anything inedible, including bones, for the coyotes and bears to enjoy and only pack the bare meat out. I have never been one to waist time and effort on useless stuff like packing out 100kg. and more bones. Even if you completely debone the carcass you still can leave evidence of the sex attached to the meat.

[Walksalot]

No matter how good a person is at boning out an animal, at one point in time he/she stood over an animal with the apprehension and lack of experience of doing it for the first time.

[chevy]

Deboning is the only way to go no matter how far your pack is gonna be from the truck or camp i debone all my elk moose and some deer only because i think it is a waste of time to pack out all that bone with all that extra weight it is pointless when that extra weight of the bone could be meat instead

[Deaddog]

just a suggestion, but we always pack a sheet with us, light and doesn't take up much room, to put the meat on while we are working on it as well as before we put it in the pack, it keeps it much cleaner, we have tried tarps and plastic but found them to slippery for those steep areas that we always seem to find our animals.

[huntwriter]

just a suggestion, but we always pack a sheet with us, light and doesn't take up much room, to put the meat on while we are working on it as well as before we put it in the pack, it keeps it much cleaner, we have tried tarps and plastic but found them to slippery for those steep areas that we always seem to find our animals.

That's a good idea. I use an old bed sheet or cheese cloth and it works great plus, as you said, it keeps the meat clean.

[Walksalot]

I got four of those large cotton laundry bags from the hospital and they work great. The drawstring tightens up and can be lifted into the shady side of the tree if you have to make more than one trip.

[kishman]

No matter how good a person is at boning out an animal, at one point in time he/she stood over an animal with the apprehension and lack of experience of doing it for the first time.

Very true, this is my first season for big-game and I think thats the most intimidating part, not wasting any meat at all. The video on this thread is excellent, very easy to follow. I got drawn for whitetail does this year, should be good practice and good eating. If anyone has any other suggestions about good video instruction please pm me or post them here:smile: Thanks.

[ufishifish2]

Still recognise some of these guys. Good info.

[MikeH]

Well I learned from my dad how to hunt and cut game.I would hate to stand over an animal for the first time and wonder ummm how do I do this, that's poor planning when it comes to hunting you don't want to waste meat.This is how I clean game, quarter the animal without opening the cavity put the deer etc on his back.Fronts come off easy just muscle holding the fronts on, rear quarters find the ball joint cut through that walla hinds off. Outside loins are easy,if you want ribs just as easy.Easier to haul out 4 deer quarters, or one Moose or Elk at a time.I like this method cause its fast and you don't get as bloody and no worries about piss sack and guts.I've even deboned in the field less crap coming home.When cutting off bone just follow the leg bone use it as a guide.But make sure you have all the parts that identify the animal properly!

[hunter1947]

There is no trick on getting a big game animal out of the bush when shot back in a ways.

I find the only way is bebone and back pack it out just follow the bone line and cut the meat away from the bone ,fillet the back straps like you would fillet a fish ,cut the front shoulders away fro the rib cavity ,cut the meat off the neck etc ,I carry 5 game bags in my meat back pack in order to get the jobe done http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif.