Harvesting a Deer

This will be my 2nd year deer hunting. My hunting experience is a lot of upland bird and duck hunting. Last year I bought a rifle and a deer stand and put it up on some state land close to my house a few weeks before the rifle season. Didn’t really do much scouting or work in the off season. I saw one small buck last year and didn’t shoot it. This year, I’ve put a lot more time and work into scouting, working trail cams, etc. during the spring, summer and fall. I’m hunting public land and based on what’s been showing up on my trail cams, I have a really good chance at harvesting a nice deer this year. I’m more interested in venison for the table than putting a trophy on the wall. With that said, last year if I shot a deer, I was going to call a buddy to come help me gut it. This year, I want to be prepared to do it all myself. There’s something to be said for the satisfaction you get from doing everything yourself. Not having someone to show you how to do everything makes it that much more rewarding, as I’ve been self taught in everything outdoors/hunting/fishing. I’ve done lots of reading and watched lots of videos on gutting a deer. I still have a few basic questions. Do you gut a deer ASAP after shooting it? After gutting the deer, is there a preferred length of time you hang it before you bring it to the processor? Also, I’ve heard a lot of MN deer processors dont really give you “your” deer back but rather a portion of a batch based on the weight of your deer. Are there some processors that don’t do that? If I do harvest a deer, all I want is steaks and ground venison. Is it easier for a processor if you just want steaks and ground venison?

Any other tips or tricks or must have tools you can offer a newbie?

I appreciate any suggestions some more experienced hunters may have for a newbie. I want to fully respect the resource and in doing so, try to prepare myself as much as possible. Those of you who have had dads, uncles, grandpas, etc take off a lot of this stuff for granted in that you had someone show you the ropes.

Bearded butchers on YouTube has alot of good content I’ve watched last couple days for gutting, processing, aging, etc.

It’s awfully tempting to bring into a butcher as you mentioned but for reasons stated I process my own.

Great Laker wrote:

Do you gut a deer ASAP after shooting it?

Yes, also a good idea to carry a hand towel or two, just for the sole purpose of wiping the body cavity clean. (Be sure to pack the dirty towels out with you.)

Thanks. Right now in regards to deer processing tools, my hunting backpack has two deer knifes, a small saw, several latex gloves, rags, and several gallon ziplocks.

Are those butt out tools worth having?

Great Laker wrote:

Are those butt out tools worth having?

Oh boy. Use your knife and work slowly and you’ll get the bung out fine. As soon as the skin around it has been cut to meat a lot of the freeing will be done with your fingers. Once I get this loosened up and free I tie the sucker off with a cheap shoelace. Add a pair to you list. Also, I tie off the ureter near the bladder so I don’t get a wash job before I’m at a water source.

If you have room in your day pack, put the towels mentioned and a couple bottles of water in a gallon sized zip lock with the air squeezed out to save room in the pack. If a slip happens and the gut gets a nick and leaks the water will really help in cleaning things up to avoid and contamination and those towels will help keep hands and KNIFE dry so slips and cuts don’t happen on you. When you leave everything that was in the zip lock can go right back in it.

I gut and flip the carcass over to promote draining right away. While a hit might look fine one never knows what has happened inside until the animal is opened up. I take zero chances with waiting until later. If the animal is on a main trail I will drag it off and away a few yards just so its not right there for other animals coming along to trip on it however I have had other deer come down a trail and stop and smell a gut pile before ambling along.

I don’t give a rip how cold it is outside, I get my deer dressed out with ten minutes of dying or finding. Three hours later is a lot more fragrant than right away. The odor comes from bacteria working in the gut and blood inside vessels of the dead critter and if you can smell it you’ll taste it too since blood and vessels are found in the meat. Get it cleaned out pronto and if the hunt is still happening flip the critter in an out of the way spot in the shade if possible and carry on.

If you’re taking pictures, do so quickly then get on with the dressing. Yes, take the picture before gutting and be tasteful by choosing a shot that shows as little of the blood or damage as possible.

Absolutely gut the deer as soon as possible. I have a pelvic saw I keep in my pack for cutting the pelvic bone. Makes getting all the internals out a lot easier including the bung.

There are 2 schools of thought on washing/rinsing the cavity. I don’t for the simple reason that water attracts parasites and bacteria. Get the internals out of it and get it hanging. I hand them by the back legs because there is still blood and fluids in the deer. I don’t want those fluids to drain into the meat in the hind quarters. I’d rather have it drain to the head.

Great Laker wrote:

Not having someone to show you how to do everything makes it that much more rewarding, as I’ve been self-taught in everything outdoors/hunting/fishing. I’ve done lots of reading and watched lots of videos on gutting a deer.

If you’re watching it on YouTube or reading about it in a book, then you aren’t self-taught. It’s just a lot easier and more productive to learn things in person from someone who already knows what they are doing. That method worked well enough for roughly 150,000 years give or take, so why abandon it for newfangled stuff like books and YouTube?

In addition to your equipment, I carry several pairs of latex gloves. Deer can carry several diseases that you don’t want to be exposed to, and it also makes cleaning your hands easier if you don’t get them bloody in the first place. Also, in the case of an intestinal hit, I like to change gloves after gutting to avoid spreading any contamination.

I also keep wet wipes in my truck and I keep a knife sharpener.

As far as getting your own meat back, ask the processor what they do. You can get your meat done any way you want, but IMO you are missing out if you don’t take some of the better roasts back whole for slow cooking.

Hanging a deer is a deep subject and it depends on many factors. IMO, you are better off saving this topic for another day, just get your deer to the processor.

Grouse

Watching all the YouTube in the world is useful, but not as great as hands on. If you know any hunters who could help show you the real thing, it’s worth it. Maybe a bowhunter who could call you if he gets one before you or something. I watched my friends dad gut my first, after that, all on my own. I feel like I’m very efficient and clean at it (30+ deer later) speed means nothing if you cut your finger or spill intestinal fluids on your meat. I cut out/around the junk and pevic area first.
Locate a good processer before you go hunting.
Have fun.

If you can clean a squirrel you can gut a deer. As you do more of them youll develop your own system. Dont over complicate things. After all, all you need to do is remove the guts above and below the diaphragm. Best of luck to you on your hunt! Post some pics please. Looking forward to seeing them. And please be safe.

I have had excellent results using the Butt out tool. You should check out the youtube videos on gutless deer processing . I have been doing that for several years and really like the no mess . But i live on the land i hunt . Good luck .

Props to you for respecting the resource enough to reach out and get the research done and questions answered before killing the animal. A lot of people don’t have the foresight to do that. Good luck in your hunt.

TheFamousGrouse wrote:

If you’re watching it on YouTube or reading about it in a book, then you aren’t self-taught.

Geez, smug much? I’d say if he’s reading up on it, he’s self taught. Much more than you or I at the very least. No need to talk down and try to “correct” him when he’s just trying to do things right.

Great Laker wrote:

Do you gut a deer ASAP after shooting it? After gutting the deer, is there a preferred length of time you hang it before you bring it to the processor? Also, I’ve heard a lot of MN deer processors dont really give you “your” deer back but rather a portion of a batch based on the weight of your deer. Are there some processors that don’t do that? If I do harvest a deer, all I want is steaks and ground venison. Is it easier for a processor if you just want steaks and ground venison?
Any other tips or tricks or must have tools you can offer a newbie?

As with most things in the outdoors, a lot of what the “right” way to do things is subjective on opinion and circumstances. The “right” way this year, may be greatly different next year if it’s 80 degrees or -10 for example, so I’ll try and answer your questions based off this years forecast. Generally you want to gut the deer asap. However if you’re not sure you got a good clean kill (ie see the deer die), you may want to wait an hour or more to let it bleed out and not bump it while tracking, or if it’s wounded and you can get another shot do so asap. With the cool temps we are headed for this weekend, there’s nothing wrong with hanging it, and if you have a good place for hanging it the processing is fairly easy to accomplish yourself. Any good reputable meat market is going to get you your own meat back, and make sure you get the chops too! Personally I’d get steaks, chops, possibly a roast or two, and the rest in trimmings. That way you can make (or have a meat market make) smaller batches of sausage throughout the year. A good buck knife can do the whole job, but a pelvic saw makes it easier. And I much prefer rinsing out the cavity with clean water, but that can be like a Marcum/Vexilar debate. Where are you located? I’m sure we can recommend some processors near you if you are interested.

Thanks for the comments BigWerm. I’m in the Duluth area and the Duluth News Tribune ran an article last week listing a lot of the processors in the area. I’ve got three different ones lined up that are within 10 min of my house/where I hunt. I’ve got a big garage with plenty of room to hang the deer so depending when/if I shoot a deer, the temps seem to be pretty ideal to let it hang for a while.

I agree with Werm, Gut as soon as your cards dealt allow.

This year was my first year bow hunting and also my first year processing my own deer. To be honest it was a pretty easy task. Id say the absolute worst part for me was trimming all the silver skin/Fat, aside from that id recommend giving it a go. Past years I always dropped them off at the meat market, which is convenient but costs money and takes time.

De-boning and packaging yourself will give you quality time with friends and family if you have help, and the satisfaction of saying you did it yourself. Bringing to the meat market will save you time, and usually will be done correctly.

Id say money wise it is a wash because by the time you add up Packaging costs and the time spent trimming, you are right around the $100.00 spent for the processor to do so.

Gutting depends on the weather, where we archery hunt we are 5 min away from a processes so if we are hunting when its hot out they prefer we clean the deer at the butcher. Any other time, right away its simpler before they hardener up.

I have two knifes, Gloves, towels, butt-out, pelvic saw. I also carry a mini how to gut card in case I forgot something lol.