Oh yes, that thrill of the kill  is partly over and it's now time to get a little dirty,  Gutting a deer (old timer's words) and/or field dressing a deer is a must to help prevent spoilage, or untainted meat. It is of average difficultly and should not take a person more than about 15 minutes in time. It's best to have a sharp knife and steady hands.  This is not only a must but you'll find it makes transportation easier as well. *Note: If doing a head mount don't do the following but contact your taxidermist before the hunt.

Getting Started:

A.  About 6 inches under the jaw cut/sever the windpipe, esophagus and juggler vain. This will help to assure that the deer is dead and help to bleed it out.

B.  Most states require the hunter to tag the deer immediately. (Check your State's regulations). This tag must remain on the deer at all times or one faces a stiff fine and/or even worse, confiscation.

C.  It's best to place the deer on it's back. Cut around the outer edge of the anus so it can be removed from within. Made sure the rectum is seperated from tissue connection it to the pelvic canal.  Pull the rectum out a ways and tie it off with a string to prevent droppings from touching the meat. 

D.  If it's a buck, remove and discard the testicles and cut the penis free so that it can be removed by the same route as the annus. 

E.  Now cutting close to the pelvis, work your way up the stomach cavity to the ribcage. You are best  to use a couple of fingers from your other hand to help guilde your knife along. Be sure to only cut through the skin and a thin layer of meat to prevent hitting into the innards.

F.  Following the breastbone, cut through the skin and ribs to the base of the neck. It's best to have a friend there to steady the deer's leg for you so you can pull upwards with both hands on your knife. I've known a few knives to be broke doing this as undo force was used at an angle between two  ribs. Also be careful not to let the knife slip cutting into your fingers or leg.

G.  Now continue cutting up the neck to the base of the jaw. Now make sure  the esophagus and windpipe there were severed cleanly.

H.  There is a thin muscle tissue that separates  the stomach area from  the chest cavity. Cut carefully through this area as to not cut into any intestines. This shall now allow all of the diaphragm area to come out at once.

I.   Now have your hunting partner left up on the front of the deer while you reach up inside pulling downward all of the innards. you may have to pull with slight force but they should come right out.

J.  With great care remove the bladder!  Reaching up into the pelvis area, pinch off the cord to it while you sever with the free hand, removing it all at once. The most important part is to make sure no urine has got on the meat. This, as well as the droppings, will give the meat a nasty taste faster than anything else.

K.  Now hold the deer up head first letting any excess blood and loose innards to fall from the cavity area.        

L.  Now go back to that gut pile and cut the heart and liver free as they are yummy too. Cloth bags are usually used to keep them clean and allowed to cool more freely.

M.  Now go to the mid hind leg area and cut off the sent bags. This will be the area of some pretty ruffed up looking hair on the outer sides. Most are about 3" in diameter. Just slice them off.

N.  Once you have your deer back to the camp sight and hung up it's best to wedge the cavity open with a dry stick. This will help the air to circulate inside so as  to cool down and dry out faster.

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