Closing the loop - becoming a complete hunter

[bowhiker88]

Closing the loop - becoming a complete hunter that you are happy with when you look in the mirror.

I felt it was necessary to add that clarification since two people may have different beliefs beyond method of take, access, etc.

My question is where are the resources for EVERYTHING AFTER THE KILL. I have to say, I walked into this (archery, hunting, the outdoors) entirely from my own interest, there wasn't a family member or friend/s family to spark the interest, and there I am having a terribly difficult time finding the volume and quality of educational resources similar to the "arrow build" or "gear dump" videos I watch, that are focused on what is done after the kill.

This could be entirely my fault - I don't doubt that my YouTube algorithm isn't written that way.

But I need to get this gap filled in. Put a bow in my hand and it feels like home. Put me in the mountains and its getting closer to feeling like home. Put me atop an expired muley or hog and I'd be a lost duck.

Thankful for the friends that have helped me when I was successful. But it wasn't a terribly educational experience - it was hot and the arrow path made the field dressing quite messy. If I want to be complete I should know how to go from start to finish on my own. and I don't doubt that I can I just wanted to get some feedback on what resources have been helpful to you guys as you've become a complete hunter.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Randy Newberg and meat Eater have both done very detailed videos. Born and raised has some videos too, but I found them less helpful.

 

[IH8Cali]

I was in the same boat as you, learned from the school of hard knocks about 10 years ago on a pitch black mountainside in the Uintah's. The Randy Newberg video is good, I linked the one below as well because there's a tip in there about removing the hind quarters that's extremely helpful. I've done about 10 elk now between family and friends and it's incredibly easy. A mule deer is enjoyable now. I picked up a very nice boning knife and do most of the work with it as shown in the video.

Just like everything else in life; the first time is incredibly intimidating, and with more reps it becomes so much easier.

 

[Rich M]

Catchy title.

You need to research game processing and go from there.

Experience is the best teacher.

Get a cutting glove.

 

[5MilesBack]

I chose big game hunting on my own without any mentors over 4 decades ago. First year I could legally get a tag in CO my buddy and I went deer and elk hunting. Neither one of us had ever seen it done or done it ourselves, but within 5 minutes of the animals being down we had our knives out and we were breaking them down. There's a few tricks to making things easier, but it's not rocket science. It's taking an animal apart into pieces easier to carry, whether that's quartered or deboned. Google Fred Eichler's video "How to Quarter an Elk in Less Than 10 minutes".

 

[Dennis]

Not quite sure if you're asking about field dressing game or a larger question about now you have killed something just what to do? I'll go with the latter with some detail. First I would look at how prepared are you to process a kill and are you carrying the right equipment. Example might be if you shot a deer how do you plan on getting him out of the field? Before you make any cuts tag the animal, take and stage all pictures then are you planning on capping the animal and if so how. Next you will need to decide how to process the animal in the field which is more about how to get the animal out of the field and how far or how steep is the country to your vehicle and are you alone or do you have help?

 

[Customweld]

Nothing beats hands on experience. Watching videos and reading books will give you a good start but fundamentals come with actually doing it. It can be messy, but remember, those animals don't need those parts anymore. You eat an elephant one bite at a time, breaking an animal down is the same. I almost exclusively do gutless, even when I am closer to a road. I think you get more meat, and it's just a cleaner way to do things. My whole goal is to get things broken down, into bags and up off the ground to start cooling.
Home butchering is the same thing. Break down the meat by muscle groups, decide what is steak grade meat and what is going to be grind meat. It can be intimidating at first and you will screw some cuts up. But after 2 or 3 animals, you'll find yourself getting faster and being more decisive in your cuts.

 

[wesfromky]

In addition to what has already been mentioned, the bearded butchers on youtube have many videos on breaking things down. You might also check with your state fish and wildlife - they often have new hunter classes or field to fork programs that actually bring a deer in to be processed.

 

[rideold]

I've found learning more about butchering in general (not just wild game videos etc.) has helped a ton. There's a ton of hunting related stuff out there and some is good, others (most) is not. The information put out there by professional butchers is super useful.

Advice I'd give is:
- Take your time.
- Always be aware of where your non-knife hand is at all times.
- Think through what your are going to do before you make a cut. Think about the anatomy of the animal.

 

[MaddMatt]

If the meat isn't on one piece, its on another. If it's ugly or you don't know what it is, then its probably burger.

 

[WCB]

Give us a better idea of what you are looking for. I mean if you just look on YouTube "quartering deer" there are a ton of videos.

Experience is going to be king for the most part. Shoot a bunch of does and get after it and figure out what works for you. basically pull the hide off and start pulling quarters off don't over think it.

One thing I will agree on is 99% of hunting videos waste time on showing guys stopping at gas stations or driving around in there truck talking vs after the kill.

 

[rayporter]

back in the 60's i cut up my first whitetail with no knowledge of processing at all. i just made the pieces look like a picture of a cut up cow. the kind you see in a grocery meat department hanging on the wall.

elk--- i done the same, just on snow. had no problems at all. i have changed up some and have some short cuts but it aint rocket science.

 

[Crowmangler]

use the search here & get your kill kit in order. One thing that is overlooked is have a cut proof glove for your off hand (along with nitrile gloves). Especially important when you're processing an animal in cold & snow. Not just to help keep your fingers warmer but you don't wanna slice yourself open in the back country

 

[Yoder]

Steve Rinella has a pretty good book called Hunting butchering and cooking wild game. There are two books, big game and small game. I actually have the big game book and it is pretty detailed.

 

[Bluumoon]

Will reiterate cut proof and the grippy nitrile gloves (orange ones).

Also look at some blood tracking info while you are at it.

 

[Boarmaster]

Just get out hunt and kill stuff. Take your time cutting up your game animal. In the end its just cutting away what you dont want and keeping what you do want. If I was starting today I would watch some you tube videos. We didnt have such things When I got started.

I don't find theirs much difference in cutting up a hog or a deer. I can use the about every method of cutting up game as there is. But I started field dressing (gutting ) then skinning then quartering then deboning. Thats the long way of doing things but you learn how a game animal is put together that way.

I moved on to gutless and deboning but I think the long way at first helped me.

Same with processing and packaging your meat once your at home. I started with a hand crank grinder and some kitchen knives. LOL. I ate a lot of roasts, chops and steaks back then. Now I have everything I need to process in whatever I decide to do with my game.

Your first few might not be works of butchering art but you cant beat experience. It wont be the end of the world if you make a bad cut. Learning and refining your methods to become a proficient field to table hunter is progression of building skills. Dont sweat it.

 

[dancyr3]

Closing the loop - becoming a complete hunter that you are happy with when you look in the mirror.

I felt it was necessary to add that clarification since two people may have different beliefs beyond method of take, access, etc.

My question is where are the resources for EVERYTHING AFTER THE KILL. I have to say, I walked into this (archery, hunting, the outdoors) entirely from my own interest, there wasn't a family member or friend/s family to spark the interest, and there I am having a terribly difficult time finding the volume and quality of educational resources similar to the "arrow build" or "gear dump" videos I watch, that are focused on what is done after the kill.

This could be entirely my fault - I don't doubt that my YouTube algorithm isn't written that way.

But I need to get this gap filled in. Put a bow in my hand and it feels like home. Put me in the mountains and its getting closer to feeling like home. Put me atop an expired muley or hog and I'd be a lost duck.

Thankful for the friends that have helped me when I was successful. But it wasn't a terribly educational experience - it was hot and the arrow path made the field dressing quite messy. If I want to be complete I should know how to go from start to finish on my own. and I don't doubt that I can I just wanted to get some feedback on what resources have been helpful to you guys as you've become a complete hunter.

There are a few really good videos on YouTube for quartering. Are you hunting by yourself ? I could usually drag a deer out after getting the guts out, really depends on how far into the woods you are gonna go. Quartering would be the easiest.

 

[5MilesBack]

Several years ago, there was this one elk that picked the worst spot he could ever had picked to go down (they tend to do that at times). He went into a ravine and was almost laying on his back with his legs straddling vertically each side of a large blowdown, and his antlers were tightly twisted into the mess as well. What I really needed was a chain saw. I was solo, and that butcher job WAS a butcher job. It was all I could do just to get the meat off the body, what a mess. That was a frustrating experience. Count your blessings when they go down in an open spot on flat ground.

 

[bowhiker88]

Thank you for the responses.

The question was about everything after the kill so from field dressing and processing to when it’s on a dinner plate. Everything from field dressing methods to meal preparation.

 

[TaperPin]

Go to a game butcher with a dozen good doughnuts and ask if you can watch for a couple hours.. You’ll quickly see why a 6” curved flexible boning knife, probably a Forschner, works so well. In two hours you’ll learn more than a dozen seasons figuring it out on your own - game processing is mostly removing meat from bones, making the best into steaks and burger for the rest. You’ll also probably see them keep the knife razor sharp with a ceramic steel, but a diamond grit steel is also ok.

Now that you’ve seen it done a dozen times, have spent $20 on a proper Forschner boning knife, and have pillow cases for game bags, you my friend are ready for the big show.

With an elk on its side I’ll cut off the lower legs and carefully skin everything not touching the ground. Then it’s a simple matter of separating edible meat from everything else. No you don’t field dress an animal you’re boning out. Don’t forget the tenderloins. Roll him over as needed to bone out the rest.

Deer can fit in one pillow case. Average elk get 4 to 6 bags depending on how much weight you’re able to carry given the terrain and distance. I don’t ever pack out bones of any kind.

To hang your game bags, tie a knot in the open end to give a rope something to hold onto.

It‘s really pretty simple.

Good luck to you!