Thread: Gutting and cutting your venison, etc.

Just a thought as there are a lot of new members who are only just now looking to shoot their first game animal.
I was lucky in having an elder brother who was a MAF Meat Inspector (MAF now dead and long gone).
He showed me the 'nice' way to gut an animal without getting poos and wees all over the meat.
Bleed the animal first (I always cut the jugular...you may have your own idea). Cut through the underbelly skin carefully to expose the guts, (and do not puncture the bladder). Flop the gut package out.
A nice sharp little knife (I used a Mercator) to jab in and cut all around the poop chute (firstly from the outside), work your fingers in around the poop chute from both inside and outside and cut it free so that the tube will slide outwards a few inches. Don't puncture the tube!
Tie a piece of twine tightly around the exposed end of the poop chute (white twine that we called kite string back in the day).
Now the entire gut package can be slid out with the poos all tied in and nothing gets onto the fresh venison. Yes, you can just cut and hack your way in and get poos and wees all over that meat...but really? Take a bit of care and avoid spoiling that meat.
Any other tips you have that might help a new hunter gatherer?

Gutless method.

Originally Posted by MB

Gutless method.

As in...just cut off the meat, leave the guts in the frame? If so, then that sure does save some weight for the carry out.
But I always liked to look at the internals (I did a season as a meat inspector too before moving house, plus the meat works closed!).

I guess you could have a look at the internal organs once the meat has been harvested.

Yep @MB that's not silly at all.
Then no worries if you do spill some poos out.
I never took a meat bag along so I always humped out my deer.
But was mainly shooting Mt. Thomas area (Nth. Canty.) so was never too far back to the car.

With a deer I reckon dont even bother gutting.knife blade inside outward up the spine skin peel back plenty to expose the loins and minimise hair onto the meat, remove loins, flip over onto back take off back legs and fronts also if not destroyed from the bullet.not much meat left after that, bone out in the field if time rich leaving all but the meat on site, good not to have to deal with carcass stuff back at home if no use for it.but if gutting as the OP said.i use zip tie instead of string.

In the works at Mamaku the gutter would do as @Grey Kiwi said and carefully cut around the poo chute. Too do this you pull the asshole away from the side you're cutting so you don't cut the insides causing leakage. Once fully around the outside, with the right knife, mercator is good, pull the poo tube out and sideways gently and free it from inside the pelvis. They then put a small plastic bag over the poo chute and secured it with a rubber band and stuff it down through the pelvis.
Then open the belly, best with animal on its back so guts isn't pushing against knife.
Roll onto side, reach in with non knife hand, grab asshole and gently pull towards brisket using knife to free guts from backbone. Be very careful of the bladder here as it is easy to puncture.
Been a long time since I've done it but that's what I remember.

Sometimes i leave arse in and gut ev then tie knot in the shit tube after gutting it. That Saves some of the blood dripping down my arse as u cart it out if whole or or half as pikau.

And don't forget the other end , run your knife along the neck full length loosen the throat and cut off where it goes into the body , makes life easy when taking out the vitals .

I carry small pulley setup if hunting red deer,Sika I can usually just lift into tree then easier to deal with once off the ground and I’m not hunched over .

I know you should be careful but how many bugs are there in our deer that can actually harm you if the venison is properly cooked or seared on the outside?

I’m always super careful handling venison, but I often wonder why half of Germany didn’t die through the terrible stuff we sent over to them during the meat hunting era.

Originally Posted by Tahr

I know you should be careful but how many bugs are there in our deer that can actually harm you if the venison is properly cooked or seared on the outside?

I’m always super careful handling venison, but I often wonder why half of Germany didn’t die through the terrible stuff we sent over to them during the meat hunting era.

You got to wonder alright. Maybe they're all now immune to blowfly eggs and maggots. I know I sent a fair few their way.

Originally Posted by Tahr

I know you should be careful but how many bugs are there in our deer that can actually harm you if the venison is properly cooked or seared on the outside?

I’m always super careful handling venison, but I often wonder why half of Germany didn’t die through the terrible stuff we sent over to them during the meat hunting era.

Some were pretty bad going into the freezer, a bit of fly strike was just something that wouldn't survive below zero . Then the carcasses were thrown on to an open flat deck for a 4 hr ride to town on a mostly gravel road wrapped in no more than a hessian sack.
Was a good feeling, sitting at the table watching the pages of the ready reckoner turning.

lots of good advice on here big yes to tying of anal tube and food tube at front - makes for neat job - the big one to watch for learning to gut is the bladder - dont poke knife in to far when cutting around anus in case bladder is full - always easy to do rear end with deer hung up- but I lay deer on its back and lift up hindquarters and prop them between my knees makes it a bit easier - most of my deer these days are fallow so I tend to just do backsteaks and hind quarters - after a 308 or 222 thru shoulder not much use boning that out - camped out cant say enough for the lite weight meat safes they really are a game changer and super light to carry - the zips though can be flimsy - and wash well in dish washing liquid when home dry thoroughly - me mate forgot left it on garage floor - found it a week later and mesh was stuffed - good eating starts with gutting and care from then on - cold and dry are your friend - wet and warm are the enemy

Originally Posted by Parky

Sometimes i leave arse in and gut ev then tie knot in the shit tube after gutting it. That Saves some of the blood dripping down my arse as u cart it out if whole or or half as pikau.

This is a really good idea, never thought of doing that.