Thread: Field Dressing Advice

I’m yet to shoot a deer on flat ground but that’s life.. most are a few hours walk from the car so I butcher on site.

I remember shooting my first deer and thinking I needed to bleed it prior to field dressing. I cut into the femoral and no blood at all came out. There is no need to bleed an animal unless it’s still kicking.

After trial and error with both goats and deer and ive settled on removing the back legs complete without gutting the animal. Back steaks, shoulders and if I can carry it neck etc gets boned out and hung in pillow cases. Tenderloins can be taken last by reaching under the ribs once the back legs are off.

I then hang the rear legs and prior to the walk out skin and bone them out to cut weight.

I’ve taken to keeping a chilly bin in the car but a rubbish bag will suffice. Throw a bag of ice in with the meat (keep a plastic barrier/bag between the ice and the meat). Once home it’s placed in the fridge for a couple days and then processed into steaks and mince.

Cool meat seperates easily into it’s different muscle groups so you will appreciate refrigerating the meat when it comes time to break it down.

Like you I’ve had a lot of advice to cool or hang for 7 days. Nothing wrong with that I’m just less patient.