Do you gut birds in the field?

[Coach529]

I do with upland birds, but only if it is hot out. Pull the guts, throw some ice in the cavity and toss in a cooler. I finish the rest at home.

 

[johnnycake]

Tell me more about this?

I do the same thing, and it's really as simple as hanging the birds by their heads/necks somewhere with good airflow, out of the elements/sun, and where temperatures are young to be between 35-45°F.

I've got these ducks hanging in my shed from last weekend. I'll probably process them tomorrow or Saturday.

 

[H_histrionicus]

I don't. Never had a problem.

When it comes to ducks, I especially don't gut them because I age them whole for 7-10 days. If you gut them, you ask for more bacteria to be introduced. The meat is totally different and most any gamey taste is gone.

Curious about this. When it's cold later in the season I've hung whole birds in my carport for a couple days before plucking and it seemed to help with the feathers a little. When you say 7-10 days, is this only below certain ambient temps? Or do you have a walk in cooler you're keeping them in?

 

[73 Wood]

Like others have said - I'll pack grouse around whole until I get back to the truck. "Pants" them, keep a wing for the dog and drop off a wing/tail for the game department.

 

[johnnycake]

Curious about this. When it's cold later in the season I've hung whole birds in my carport for a couple days before plucking and it seemed to help with the feathers a little. When you say 7-10 days, is this only below certain ambient temps? Or do you have a walk in cooler you're keeping them in?

The temp range is in my post, 35-45°F (minus the autocorrect typo). Those birds were in an uninsulated shed until about an hour ago when I finished processing them.

So guts still in there, shot still in them, never even pulled a feather?

Yep.

 

[KurtR]

Already ran into a couple parking lot cleaners this year. Take them back to where ever and quit being pigs leaving a mess in the parking areas. It’s cold enough here there is absolutely no good reason to do it

 

[DeerCatcherUT/CO]

I never gut birds in the field; upland or waterfowl. I breast the ducks/ geese and step on the wings and pull on the legs for all upland birds when I get home

 

[Nosferatu]

I'm not a savage. I clean them at home.

 

[antmarvel]

Thanks for all the viewpoints. As a newer chukar hunter, I’m always happy to hear how others do it. If I ever kill one, I’ll let you know how I do it!

 

[rideold]

I pull the guts where I shoot them. I don't finish cleaning/plucking them at the truck unless it's a trip and I'm in a hotel. Then I'll finish the cleaning at the truck but I step into the field a bit so there aren't feathers where folks park.

 

[jmez]

Already ran into a couple parking lot cleaners this year. Take them back to where ever and quit being pigs leaving a mess in the parking areas. It’s cold enough here there is absolutely no good reason to do it

Pretty easy to clean them in the field and not leave a mess in the parking lot.

On the flip side, why take something biodegradable, put it ins a plastic bag and dispose of it in a landfill.

 

[WCB]

I haven't gutted a bird in 15 years or so...IMO zero reason to...never lost bird meat/ had one spoil because the guts were in it. I however clean the birds completely in a timeframe that the temps allow me to. Hot out cleaning for transport done right after the hunting is done. Cooler with a frozen milk jug or two for the birds to go in while hunting. Cold out done also asap so I don't have to deal with frozen fingers and frozen birds.

 

[KurtR]

Pretty easy to clean them in the field and not leave a mess in the parking lot.

On the flip side, why take something biodegradable, put it ins a plastic bag and dispose of it in a landfill.

It is but I can go to every parking lot right now and looks like a bomb went off.

 

[Blowdowner]

Only ever shot birds with my bow during deer season so never get more than 1-2. I remove the lower organs and keep the heart and gizzard and crop in place. Then pluck the whole bird at home and pan fry with skin on. Rib bones become completely edible. I eat the whole head eyes and brain too.

 

[Slinger911]

I don't gut the birds. I breast them out and take the legs. I usually do it back at the truck unless it is in an area where a lot of people park. The coyotes, ravens, and magpies usually eat everything left in a day or two.

 

[roosterdown]

No.

However I have done very little hot-weather hunting.

A few days ago I cleaned a bunch of pheasants that I'd been aging at temps in the 30's for eight days...whole, guns in, feathers on. I think they clean easier compared to fresh; the meat looked stellar on all of them.