Cleaning deer in the field

[kirk1978]

I have always been able to field dress my deer then quarter it up once I get them back to the house, until last weekend. The buck I shot of course died in the worst possible spot, 14ft deep dry creek bed about 60 yards from a spot I could drag him up the bank. So I took a little more time and quartered him up (in the pitch dark with a flashlight) right where he expired, so I could carry him out a piece at a time. To be honest it wasn't too bad and I may start doing them all that way, unless its a wall hanger of course. Just curious if others ever do the same?

 

[dennishoddy]

Nope. We are pretty flat out here, so it gets dragged out with a 4 wheeler, and loaded with the winch or a hydraulic hoist that fits in the receiver hitch.
Screwed up my back once 20 some years ago trying to hoist a field dressed buck into the bed of the pickup when I thought I was bad enough to wrassle a bear. Apparently, I wasn't with months of therapy and consultations afterward.
I applaud anyone that uses tech to put a deer in the truck.

 

[Camo]

We did this with Elk in Oregon. I’ve always been able to drag my deer out here.

 

[jackary]

I would rather haul to the house and gut and dress them hanging I have field dressed them in the woods before but I’m not good at it. It’s easier for me to hang them up.

 

[retrieverman]

I have always been able to field dress my deer then quarter it up once I get them back to the house, until last weekend. The buck I shot of course died in the worst possible spot, 14ft deep dry creek bed about 60 yards from a spot I could drag him up the bank. So I took a little more time and quartered him up (in the pitch dark with a flashlight) right where he expired, so I could carry him out a piece at a time. To be honest it wasn't too bad and I may start doing them all that way, unless its a wall hanger of course. Just curious if others ever do the same?

I call that method “poacher cleaning”, and yes, I’ve done it a lot here in east TX but only a couple times in OK.
One memorable time was on an evening hunt during muzzleloader season 2019 when I had to head home the next morning. I shot a buck then went after him too quick and jumped him. He made across the normally dry channel of the Salt Fork, and I shot him again as he tried to climb the bank on the other side. I waded the river, gutted him, drug him 50 yards across a sand bar, floated him 25 yards up river to get to a spot on the bank I could get him up, drug him up the 10 foot bank with my Ranger, and I cleaned him right there. All this was done in 30* weather in the wind and spitting rain. It was probably my most miserable hunt, but I still got my prize.

 

[BobbyV]

I would rather haul to the house and gut and dress them hanging I have field dressed them in the woods before but I’m not good at it. It’s easier for me to hang them up.

I usually hang them up and gut them too.

 

[Bocephus123]

Get to it as soon as possible if i see it drop i immediately get to it gut it out prop the chest cavity open with a stick to cool as fast as possible then worry about where I need to hang it. Think it makes the meat better also if it’s above 40 i fill it with a couple bags of ice

 

[GADadinOK]

Gut them where they lay in the field, finish the job when I get it home. If' it's going to be more than a few hours, I'll hang it, or if not cold out, I'll get a couple backs of ice into the body cavity to help it cool quicker.

I'm a firm believer that care for your deer in the few hours after the shot makes all the difference in the quality of the meat you take out of the freezer a few months later.

Luckily, I've never had to quarter and pack out a deer, although I've done that with a big hog, once.

 

[DRC458]

I have field dressed them where they fell, but usually haul them to the barn which is normally a mile or less depending on where I'm hunting. I much prefer hanging them in the barn and usually have a 4-wheeler and very low trailer with a winch to help with the job.

 

[osupoke]

For years and years I gutted them where they fell, then hung the carcass at home for skinning and processing. For my last few deer, I've gone "gutless."

I plop a cooler down beside the carcass and go to work. Skin one side, pull off quarters, backstrap, and tenderloin. Throw all those pieces in the cooler, then roll the carcass over and repeat.

It takes me a little bit longer in the field than my old method (maybe won't after I get better at it), but it saves time and mess at the house. My wife doesn't like a carcass hanging around, but she doesn't care about a cooler full of meat on ice sitting on the back porch. Gives me more flexibility in the final processing schedule.