To reduce your risk of exposure to disease, wear disposable plastic gloves while handling animals. The Field Dressing. I have observed hunters with hunting knives on their side long and large If it’s a male, cut and remove the genitalia. It’s inside a hide, fully intact and attached to bone. You may want to prop the deer up on a nearby tree to help with draining. The Division of Wildlife’s mission is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. 1 solid work surface in the field for example a tree stump or rock 6 pair latex field dressing gloves 1 ice cooler with ice Gallon-sized Ziploc bags Field Dressing Gloves Print the Field Dress Squirrels Step by Step Guide STEP 1: Prep for Field Dressing the Squirrel. Using clean water, pre-moistened wipes, or alcohol wipes, clean your knife frequently between cuts to prevent bacterial contamination. If necessary, use ice to cool the carcass until you’re ready to process its meat. Look for a clear patch of grass with a slight incline. Photo Credit: Ryan Kirby. 4.4 out of 5 stars 19. Wash hands and arms thoroughly with soap and water before and after dressing. Field dress the deer immediately to ensure a rapid loss of body heat. Pull the hide off the squirrel like removing a shirt and pair of pants. Steps. When it comes to deer, I still dress them the old-fashioned way, though I know several guys who have gone gutless on them as well. Using your first incision as a starting point, use a gut hook to cut open the belly from the pelvic bone to the breastbone. Slide your knife deeper into the pelvic canal and retrace the coring cuts to slice attached membranes and free those last few inches of colon. To make things easier yet, tie each leg to a tree. Field dressing helps maintain the overall quality of the meat. If you want to keep the heart and liver, cut them free and place them in a plastic bag. If you’re getting the deer mounted by a taxidermist, do not cut farther. Animals such as squirrels and rabbits can be skinned before making the cut on the underside to remove the entrails. Clearing a muzzleloader, breach loader, pump shotgun, bolt action, or a semi-automatic rifle all require different methods you should be apprised with well before hunting deer. Before field dressing your deer, locate and remove the arrow and broadhead. This article will teach you how to successfully field dress a deer and keep your freezer stocked with meat. Step by step – How to field dress a deer. There are 22 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. Cut around both sides of each udder to remove them. Consider the air temperature to avoid meat spoilage. The first way is to use the basic field dressing method , which requires you to gut the animal before packing the animal out whole or cut into quarters. Also, prop open the body cavity with a stick to help air circulate and cool the carcass. You’ll need to pull hard. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. The muscular barrier you cut through is also sometimes called an abdominal wall. What You Learned; Unit 5: Primitive Hunting Equipment and Techniques. Field dressing must be done as soon as possible in order to ensure rapid body heat loss, and prevent bacteria from growing on the surface of the carcass. Start with a sharp knife. Locate a slope and position the deer belly up with its head elevated. Before making your first incision, position the deer belly up with its head elevated Photo Credit: Ryan Kirby. How to Field Dress a Deer in 7 Easy Steps. Here is a handy step-by-step guide that demonstrates how to field dress a deer. That’s the vicinity of the deer’s heart. Pull out the stomach and intestines, and pull the anus and penis through the pelvis. The job's easier if you use a sharp knife with a gut hook. Gutting a deer as soon as you can after a kill is important to help cool the meat and prevent any meat from spoiling from bacteria growth or contamination from internal decomposition. There’s only one problem: Your meat isn’t packaged in cellophane and Styrofoam like meat at grocery stores. This will separate the windpipe and esophagus from the deer’s mouth above where you cut. Field dressing a deer is not the most fun part of the hunt, but it's just as necessary as all the careful preparation and the killing shot. The diaphragm is the thin membrane separating the chest from the abdomen. The most common question that I get asked by new hunters is, "How do I field dress a deer if I shoot one?" Additionally, paracord can be used to “sew” the body cavity shut after the carcass has cooled to prevent debris from getting inside the animal during the drag out process. FREE Shipping. You may also cut out the udders of female deer. • Field dress deer as soon as possible to ensure rapid loss of body heat, prevent surface bacteria from growing, and maintain overall quality of the meat. The tissue that binds a squirrel’s hide to its muscle is very strong. Be careful not to puncture the rectum while cutting. Brown is down! Removing the internal organs and cooling the carcass is essential to keeping the meat from spoiling. Try to keep something blaze orange on your body for safety as well, such as a hat. Place each in separate plastic bags and put those bags in a cooler if you have one available. Some hunters rinse the body cavity, but it’s seldom necessary unless it’s contaminated with hair, dirt, feces or paunch (stomach) materials. 99. Field dressing should be done immediately after killing the deer. Your fingers will guide the blade and because it’s facing upward, it won’t cut the entrails beneath the muscle. If you can’t locate it, carefully watch for it as you field dress the deer. Once you’ve practiced, it’s fast. To make your first cut, grab the skin where it forms a “V” between the rear legs and cut a shallow 1-inch slit through the skin. How to Field Dress, Skin, and Quarter a Deer Field dressing, skinning, and quartering a deer is a touchy subject for some and I’m sure I’ll probably receive lots of hate for posting this instructional from anti-hunters, but it will be worth it if I have helped other hunters or potential hunters in the process. Wash hands and arms thoroughly with soap and water before and after dressing. Prepping the Deer. You'll start to recognize what needs to be cut to free the internal organs. Use a knife to cut away anything that’s left stuck to the inside of the ribs. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. If you cut the diaphragm well, most of the entrails will come sliding out as you pull. The meat is protected from dirt, insects, and other contaminants. You can pull the skin to the side a little while working, if necessary. up the carcass for field dressing. The Division of Wildlife’s mission is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. If you want to keep them, seperate the heart and lungs by cutting them free from the organs you’ve removed. Few people truly want to field dress deer, but if you arrow one you’re obligated to clean it and eat it.Field dressing a deer means removing the animal’s internal organs to prevent the meat from spoiling. See more ideas about field dressing a deer, deer, field dressing. Once you've gutted the deer, drag it to your vehicle and transport it home or to a butcher to skin and quarter it. There are two methods to prepare any big game animal like sheep, elk, mule deer, pronghorn, etc. Pull the hide off the squirrel like removing a shirt and pair of pants. The skinning and caping knives feature machined cutouts and finger holes for opmal blade control. You can still access the organs in the chest without doing this, but it may make it easier. Then, start from the deer's crotch and pull out its guts while you cut the membranes linking the innards to the spine and diaphragm. Hold tight and pull it toward you so it’s taut. https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/deer/deer-getting-started/field-dressing-your-deer, https://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/how_to_field-dress_deer_493715_7.pdf, https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/licenses/tagging-instructions/tagging-deer, https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/fish_wildlife/wildlife/disease/cwd/cwdfdbrochure.pdf, https://www.hunter-ed.com/washington/studyGuide/Field-Dressing-a-Deer-Detailed-Instructions/20105001_700046905/, http://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/files/26399.pdf, https://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/pdfs/publications/hunting/pub111.pdf, https://extension.psu.edu/field-dressing-deer-pocket-guide, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. Wipe the bird inside with a … KAY HOLMES STAFFORD A few walks in the woods should turn up deer sign such as droppings, if deer are in the area. Field dressing consists of cleaning the deer of its entrails, which can contaminate the meat. for packing it out and getting it to a processor. All pieces have solid one-piece stainless steel frames. Photo Credit: Ryan Kirby. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. The colon, which you cut free inside the pelvic canal in Step 3, should slide through and pull out with the rest of the innards. Spread the hind legs by propping a branch between them or position the carcass on its back with rocks or logs to keep it in place. Piercing the deer’s stomach or entrails could release contaminants that might ruin the meat. "The YouTube video link was helpful. With the anus free, diaphragm cut and windpipe severed, the heart, liver, lungs, intestines, stomachs and bladder can be removed with one long, strong pull on the windpipe. According to his blog, Whitetail Wisdom, Schmidt’s standard protocol for hunting season was to take allergy medication, wear a facemask, and wear shoulder-length rubber gloves when field dressing a deer. Visit an archery shop for help finding field-dressing gear. Be very careful not to cut your hands or fingers while cutting the skin. Do not approach a live deer to slice its throat with a knife. This is the best way to fully utilize the nutritional resources from the once-living animal. If the deer’s tongue is hanging outside its mouth, push it back in its mouth. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. After killing a deer, it is important to field dress the harvested animal as soon as possible. Next, lay the deer on its back, find its sternum, and make a cut from the sternum to the crotch, penetrating the deer's hide and membrane but not its guts. OK, No problem. The cut around the anus and vagina should be about 4 inches (10 cm) deep. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. 2) Place the deer on its back with its hind legs spread. Also references legal issues, hunting safety and hunting etiquette. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 506,146 times. References Though my method isn’t as field expedient as the rabbit dressing illustration in the official Air Force Survival Guide (shown above), it should only take 2-5 minutes, even if this is your first time. The following field-cleaning tips are illustrated with a whitetail deer. There are certain things you need to have with you to safely field dress your deer. Dragging the field dressed deer out of the field is often necessary. Be careful to only cut through the skin … As a result, the only weight many hunters obtain for their deer is a field-dressed weight, leaving the whole weight of their quarry unknown. Run your knife blade across the thin skin of the armpit. In the field… Field treatment of game birds is crucial, especially if you plan to age them. With your free hand, reach up and grab the windpipe above the lungs and heart. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/80\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/80\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a> License: Creative Commons<\/a>
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/ff\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/ff\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-2-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-2-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Official website for the State of Michigan, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/db\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/db\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-3-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-3-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/26\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-4-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-4-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/c1\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/c1\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-5-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-5-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/b\/be\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/be\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-6-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-6-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/9a\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/9a\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-7-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-7-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-8-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-8-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-8-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-8-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e8\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e8\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-9-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-9-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, Educational organization dedicated to delivering science-based information to people, businesses, and communities, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f1\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f1\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-10-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-10-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/f9\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/f9\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-11-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-11-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/75\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/75\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-12-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-12-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/9\/99\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-13-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-13-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/99\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-13-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-13-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-14-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-14-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fd\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-14-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-14-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/6\/64\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/6\/64\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-15-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-15-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e4\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e4\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-16-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-16-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-17-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-17-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/8\/8a\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-17-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-17-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-18-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-18-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cc\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-18-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-18-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-19-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-19-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/4\/48\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-19-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-19-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"
\n<\/p>
\n<\/p><\/div>"}, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-20-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-20-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/2\/21\/Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-20-Version-2.jpg\/aid9923-v4-728px-Field-Dress-a-Deer-Step-20-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"