This question is coming from someone who has only filleted blue gill and crappie, no land animals.

 

I was surprised how little blood there was. Do you cut the throat and drain the blood first?

 

I was also told be VERY careful near the bladder to prevent urine getting on the meat and around the colon/rectum area to prevent getting feces on the meat. He flew through those areas. Is it not as much of a worry as I was lead to believe.

If you don't hit the heart with your shot there usually isn't a huge amount if blood. Keep in mind any arteries you cut will spill some blood but with not pressure on pushing blood through them it won't be much. You also couldn't see how much blood was in the chest cavity and probably ended up on the floor when the guts came out.

They do that for a hand hold. I watched two guys do it this weekend. They grab the back leg and that rib slit, one on each side and carry the deer easily. Pretty neat but it puzzled me too until I saw what it was for.

Thanks, makes sense.

Actually we have a place we take them to field dress. Only time I have to drag is if it's in the woods. Otherwise we just drive up to it and load it up. I don't like to gut them where I hunt, see enough coyotes as it is.

 

All woods where I hunt. Typically have to drag at least to a trail so we always field dress. I have still never seen a coyote in the field while hunting.

They do that for a hand hold. I watched two guys do it this weekend. They grab the back leg and that rib slit, one on each side and carry the deer easily. Pretty neat but it puzzled me too until I saw what it was for.

 

This.

 

I learned to do it from an old feller the second time I ever went deer hunting. I've done it every time since.

I think my personal best is about 4 1/2 minutes to just field dress a dear. That dude's unreal good though.

When I shoot does, I shoot them in the earhole and never gut them. I cut out the hams and backstraps.

 

Sounds like a lot of wasted meat!

All woods where I hunt. Typically have to drag at least to a trail so we always field dress. I have still never seen a coyote in the field while hunting.

I saw 3 Saturday morning and 3 Sunday morning. See them just about everytime I go.

I think my personal best is about 4 1/2 minutes to just field dress a dear. That dude's unreal good though.

 

Spelling fail. :ohbrother:

I saw 3 Saturday morning and 3 Sunday morning. See them just about everytime I go.

 

Is there still a lot of small game in your woods? Or did Wiley and his buddies take care of them? Tough call not to shoot one when you are hunting deer. Don't want to mess up a big buck opportunity to get rid of a nuisance.

Is there still a lot of small game in your woods? Or did Wiley and his buddies take care of them? Tough call not to shoot one when you are hunting deer. Don't want to mess up a big buck opportunity to get rid of a nuisance.

 

Funny you should mention that because that would be my thinking, but one of my buddies got a very nice 10pt Saturday morning, he had shot a coyote about 45 minutes before he took his buck.

I field dress mine wherever they drop. I saw my first coyote while hunting Saturday morning but couldn't get a shot off. I've been in the woods alot for the last 35 years and can't believe I don't see coyotes more often. I have seen a few cross my yard while I'm sitting on my couch but never while in the woods until Saturday.

 

I can field dress one easily under 5 minutes but I take my time skinning and cutting up the meat so not sure how quick I could do it if I was trying to be fast and probably will never find out.

Is there still a lot of small game in your woods? Or did Wiley and his buddies take care of them? Tough call not to shoot one when you are hunting deer. Don't want to mess up a big buck opportunity to get rid of a nuisance.

 

I typically won't take one if it's still early. The closer to time for me to climb down the better chance for me to preform some population control. We generally take around 4 or 5 a year off of the farm we lease and could probably take double that. Two of them I saw Saturday ran to the other end of the corn field I was hunting and another guy I hunt with shot one. As far as small game yes, there are plenty. The neighboring property is a cow pasture and I'm sure they take some calves every year.

When I shoot does, I shoot them in the earhole and never gut them. I cut out the hams and backstraps.

 

:laugh: Laughed out loud on this one Doc.

When I shoot does, I shoot them in the earhole and never gut them. I cut out the hams and backstraps.

 

By hams you mean the top/bottom and i round along with the prime sirloin and inner tenderloins in addition to your backstraps, right? If not, you're wasting alot of meat, player.