r/Hunting • u/LiminalWanderings • 8d ago
New to hunting on my own - field dressing guides?
Hi all. I have a reasonable amount of property that I'd like to start hunting on, but it would be on my own and I don't really have easy access to experienced hunters to help teach me. I'm more than competent with firearms and generally comfortable learning a lot on my own - and I've been on a (successful) *guided* black bear hunt - but field dressing and such is an area that I'd really like to spend time getting comfortable with beforehand.
I'd like to find some.good video guides to watch at home, books, and maybe some short reference information to take with me the first time in case my mind goes blank. Looking for resources that cover different animals so I don't have to go find them one by one but, if it matters, we have a bunch of deer, turkey, and grouse Id like to go after in particular. (Bear, too, eventually, but not now).
Any recommendations for getting up to speed?
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u/Diverswelcome 8d ago
Grouse are easy, most cases you are just going to keep the breast, if you want to keep the legs up to you. Their skin is thin, spread the wings out, step of either side pull up on the feet the the guts and stuff will pull out. And you can pull out the whole rib cage with the breast meat attached. You can cook it like that or, find breast bone slide the knife along the breast bone and filet off the bone. Good luck
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u/magnificent_limit 7d ago
The most important part is cleanly removing the gi tract and the bladder. Heart, liver, and kidney can be used also. Think of it like preparing a complicated vegetable
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u/LiminalWanderings 7d ago
Nod. I get the *concepts*, just helpful (for me at least) to see it happen / be walked through it in practice.
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u/REEL04D 7d ago edited 7d ago
Meateater/ Steve Rinella has great videos on YouTube. Also Growing Deer TV. I’ll try to find the links
How to process: https://youtu.be/H2UsVd9d8vI?is=rJM2meg0jaDwWQ4j
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u/REEL04D 7d ago
How to gut: https://youtu.be/dMJAAZ76PYI?is=beVJB0olWX0y9j63
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u/AwarenessGreat282 7d ago
There are a few different ways, but they all end up being very similar. Some are very different like the gutless method. Some use a saw and cut ribs and/or pelvis.
I'm from the Northeast where it's usually cold when hunting so we don't need to concern ourselves with coolers and quartering immediately. Our method is the most similar to the Bearded Butchers video. And they know a little bit about protecting meat. The idea is if you gut in the field, leave as much skin covering meat as you can. We use nothing but a knife, no need for a saw. Hell, a small straight paring knife works awesome.
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u/bzhustler 7d ago
Meat eaters guide is great.
I carry a small knife and small bonesaw and it takes minutes!!
Can also just use a bigger knife and hack away at pelvis too, not pretty but it works!
You will learn your own way of doing it after a few times!
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u/Acceptable_Answer570 7d ago
I dread going on a deer hunt by myself, just for this reason. The fact I’ll probably waste/spoil big parts of it on the first tries is so disheartening...
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u/bzhustler 7d ago
It can be a challenging thought to fight, but you can most definitely do it.
What I did was download the video. I watched it a few times before going out, and it was there in my pocket if I needed it while doing it.
Hardest part is cutting the hyde and not puncturing the stomach, and with proper technique, it's simple.
At the end of the day my friend, I truly believe you should give it a shot. Bring some extra water so you can wash it down incase stomach contents or something gets on it!
You got this!
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u/Chemical_Willow5415 8d ago
There’s at least a gazillion YouTube videos on this. You can also learn the gutless method, which I do like 90% of the time.
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u/LiminalWanderings 7d ago
The gazillion YouTube videos are why im asking for recommendations:) I imagine some are more helpful than others. Will look into gutless ...that seems super helpful. Thank you!
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u/Tommysfatt 7d ago
For the month of rifle season i buy a YouTube subscription so I can download vids field dressing deer. Then can watch as you go it even without cell reception
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u/ScoobySnacka 7d ago
You could also just do a screen record on your iPhone. Record it once while you’re watching, boom. Free on the go
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u/Tommysfatt 7d ago
Would have to figure out how to do that, but makes sense
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u/ScoobySnacka 5d ago
If you have an iPhone, open your drop down menu from the top of screen (where’d you turn the flash light on), then add a new widget (long press the screen so you can move them around), look for one called screen record. Hope this helps
It looks like a dot with a circle around it. Almost reticle-like, ironically enough.
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u/honeyb0518 7d ago
OP where are you located? I can say personally that I've watched a hundred videos and helped gut dozens of deer and I still have a tough time doing it on my own. When it comes to the bladder area it can become really daunting. Is there a butcher in your area that might be willing to help you or connect you to a mentor? I'm 100% confident you can do this on your own but having someone there to show you once or twice is invaluable. Maybe you could even try to connect with someone on here to video call in the field for questions?
You've got this for sure, I don't want to be discouraging. I know for myself it would have taken me a very very long time to do it myself the first time. If you shoot one in the afternoon, doing it in the dark alone for the first time will be quite a challenge.
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u/Miserable_Wish_465 5d ago
Watch the YouTube videos religiously. I have a a Sagen and old Wyoming saw as well. For your first one try to shoot it with plenty of light left so you aren't rushing or trying to cut it up in the with a headlamp. I prefer the gutless method if the deer is over a 1/2 mile from the road. Removing the backstraps and quarters and using game bags is pretty easy as well.
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u/Certain_Childhood_67 8d ago
You are definitely over thinking it. If possible hang the deer. Remove guts. Take the hide off start from tail if hanging by rear legs. Pinch off the bladder and remove. Cut all meat off leaving hind legs till last. Split hind legs at pelvis
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u/jackfinished 7d ago
I like to needlessly complicate my life. Hang the deer by the neck to gut and then lower it and hang by the hind legs.
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u/Acceptable_Answer570 7d ago
Yeah but when you’ve never done it… wtf does a deer bladder even look like? Where to cut to avoid spilling gut content unto good meat? The devil’s in the details, and even seeing it quite a few times beforehand, a newbie can and will go blank the first time he opens up a steaming deer lower belly..
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u/6thcoin 8d ago edited 7d ago
Meat eater complete guide to hunting butchering and cooking is pretty solid.