Field Dressing

[Northshorelumber]

I hunt in MT and gut/field dress the same way I was taught by my father decades ago. I have a friend in WY and he describes a different, preferred method there. He doesn’t gut his kill, hang the carcass, etc. He just removes the prime meat and leaves the rest of the carcass. Supposedly this is better for scavengers and helps prevent Wasting Disease spread to leave the entrails intact. Does this make any sense to you?

 

[Erict]

Yes.

 

[Wapiti151]

I only use gutless method whenever I can, take all the main cuts, neck and any scraps...then get the tenderloins after I take the backstraps out. Far quicker IMO, and much cleaner.

 

[Short Track]

I helped someone do the gutless method. I was not impressed. Took a long time. Would have been far easier to gut the animal, throw it in the truck, and haul it over to the butcher. We drove the truck to the kill site regardless. We went to the butcher regardless. Literally served no purpose to spend another hour in the field.
Then we decided to take the heart, so we had to open the chest cavity regardless.
The coyotes got a free lunch either way.

 

[link]

I helped someone do the gutless method. I was not impressed. Took a long time. Would have been far easier to gut the animal, throw it in the truck, and haul it over to the butcher. We drove the truck to the kill site regardless. We went to the butcher regardless. Literally served no purpose to spend another hour in the field.
Then we decided to take the heart, so we had to open the chest cavity regardless.
The coyotes got a free lunch either way.

Well if you can drive to the kill site, I agree. I'm not sure who would do the gutless method right at the truck.

 

[Wapiti151]

I helped someone do the gutless method. I was not impressed. Took a long time. Would have been far easier to gut the animal, throw it in the truck, and haul it over to the butcher. We drove the truck to the kill site regardless. We went to the butcher regardless. Literally served no purpose to spend another hour in the field.
Then we decided to take the heart, so we had to open the chest cavity regardless.
The coyotes got a free lunch either way.

Well if you can drive to the kill site, I agree. I'm not sure who would do the gutless method right at the truck.

Haha I was going to say the same thing

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I gutted a deer this year for the first time in probably over 10 years. It was right next to the boat and we were in a hurry to get back to camp. I absolutely prefer the gutless method no matter what. I'm gonna skin and quarter it anyway so may as well get that over with.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Well if you can drive to the kill site, I agree. I'm not sure who would do the gutless method right at the truck.

I would and have, gonna quarter it anyway so may as well get it over with.

 

[spike camp]

The cwd part, makes no sense.

Gutless vs gutted, you’re still taking all the eatable (“prime??”) meat, so that doesn’t make sense, either.

And, the scavenger part doesn’t make sense as well.

 

[Ron.C]

done several elk solo (usually by headlamp) where the truck was km's away. Gutless method for me, no question. Far easier for one guy to handle and nothing is left behind that isn't thrown out when processing an entire carcass at home. Nothing to do with CWD and I do my best to minimize whats left, I'm not out there to feed scavengers.

now do my little blacktail bucks gutless as well.

 

[Jethro]

@Northshorelumber, so now you've learned its called the gutless method. Click on the search tab, type gutless, click the box that says search titles only, and read all about it. Then search gutless on youtube and you can see it being done.

As for your CWD, helping the scavengers........I don't know about that. But quartering and packing sure beats dragging if you have any distance/terrain to get the animal out.

 

[butcherboy]

I do one side gutless. Before I roll the elk over I will open it up and pull everything out. Remove both full tenderloins at that time and salvage the heart. Roll it over and do the other side. Every piece of meat I can get goes home, including between the ribs. That’s pulled out by doing a rib roll.

 

[Huntingfarandwide]

You can watch a variety of methods on Youtube. Even the PA Game Commission is pushing this method to stop the transfer of CWD.

 

[Wapiti151]

Thinking about it, I suppose it makes sense. CWD is spread through bodily fluids, and I know CWD can live in the soil for a LONG time. I’m still getting a decent amount of blood on the ground when doing gutless, but sure as hell a lot less bodily fluids than if I were to gut! I can see the CWD argument, just never thought about that until mentioned here.

 

[rayporter]

deer are usually just gutted but bigger game is done gutless.

when the need arises you will understand why!!

the first elk i shot was gutted and then skinned laying in the snow. then it had to be cut up to get the 10 miles to the truck. the second kill, i tried to eliminate a lot of work.

 

[MountainMan83]

I prefer to gut all my elk and deer. Makes it easier to get the heart and liver which are some of the most nutritious parts of the animal. I also grab the trachea for my dog.

 

[IdahoBeav]

The cwd part, makes no sense.

Gutless vs gutted, you’re still taking all the eatable (“prime??”) meat, so that doesn’t make sense, either.

And, the scavenger part doesn’t make sense as well.

Isn't CWD transferred by fluid or other contents found in the brain and spine? So, if you do gutless and skull cap, you would be taking no items capable of spreading CWD to another site?

Aging, cleanliness, and butchering are all much more effective/better/easier with a whole intact carcass IF you have the means to get the animal out whole, which is rare in western hunting.

 

[Ucsdryder]

I helped someone do the gutless method. I was not impressed. Took a long time. Would have been far easier to gut the animal, throw it in the truck, and haul it over to the butcher. We drove the truck to the kill site regardless. We went to the butcher regardless. Literally served no purpose to spend another hour in the field.
Then we decided to take the heart, so we had to open the chest cavity regardless.
The coyotes got a free lunch either way.

 

[IdahoBeav]

Thinking about it, I suppose it makes sense. CWD is spread through bodily fluids, and I know CWD can live in the soil for a LONG time. I’m still getting a decent amount of blood on the ground when doing gutless, but sure as hell a lot less bodily fluids than if I were to gut! I can see the CWD argument, just never thought about that until mentioned here.

I don't believe the worry is in contaminating the site of the kill. I think the issue is when a spine or head is dumped at another site after the animal is butchered.

 

[Wapiti151]

Isn't CWD transferred by fluid or other contents found in the brain and spine? So, if you do gutless and skull cap, you would be taking no items capable of spreading CWD to another site?

Aging, cleanliness, and butchering are all much more effective/better/easier with a whole intact carcass IF you have the means to get the animal out whole, which is rare in western hunting.

CWD can be transmitted by bodily fluids, not just brain matter or spinal fluid. Blood, feces, saliva, urine...all can transmit CWD (***they think). It can be infectious and spread in soil for 2, 3, 4 years. IDK if they know exactly how long...but it stays in the soil for a LONG time.