In depth tutorial on removing lower leg (butcher joint?) on Elk/Deer?

[shmcleod]

Howdy-

I've been an elk / deer hunter for about 15 years now, and killed my share over the years. However, I STILL get lost (and dull a lot of blades) trying to find the hind quarter, lower leg joint BELOW the knee. I have heard it called the "butcher's joint" but I am not sure if that is correct.

I have found two videos on it, one by Randy Newberg and one by Clff Gray. But, they aren't that helpful. In Randy's video all of the hide has been removed, so it is unclear to me if he is cutting at the knee or below it, and Cliff Gray's video is a YouTube "short," so it is too fast paced and has text all over the screen.

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A GOOD TUTORIAL TO TEACH THIS SO I CAN STOP FLOUNDERING AROUND EVERYTIME? Could be a video, could be book, could be a blog post, whatever.

THANKS!

 

[wytx]

Randy's vid is great, shows what you need to do. Just skin the leg down then get to cutting.

 

[Steve O]

Remi Warren has some good breakdown videos on YouTube

 

[huntcookwrite]

Randy’s is good, but I can see what you mean if you don’t know where to make the cut. Imagine if it were your own knee — you’re starting just below the kneecap/patella and working through those tendons until you can easily bend the joint down. Then you can work around the sides and back — after a bit, you can nearly just snap it off.

 

[Poser]

IMO, it helps to identify the individual muscle groups: hamstring, various quads etc. If you can see how the muscles are laid out and understand how the anatomy works together, its easier to not get lost in there. As @huntcookwrite mentioned above, visualize your leg muscles and knee and hip connective tissues and apply that to the elk leg. I think people tend to get lost in there because all they see is a singular leg vs. recognizes the various muscle groups. I've long maintained that we should be referring to eating various cuts as the identified muscle groups: hamstring, vastus medialis, tricep etc vs. sirloin, bottom round, top round etc. "bottom round" is a large area involving several different specific muscles where seeing these individual muscles for their specific tasks helps you to understand butchering as well as cooking.

 

[N.ID7803]

You might check out Stuck n The Rut's videos on YouTube. I believe they have a video of them doing the gutless method on a mule deer.

 

[Ucsdryder]

It’s not hard once you find the spot. Feel for the crease with your thumb nail. When you find it, that’s not the one. It’s about 1” lower and harder to feel. But it’s there. Score it with a knife all the way around. A deer you can then just pop it, but an elk you need to get in and cut it. If I remember I’ll do a video and post it up.

 

[wapitibob]

I cut at the end of the femur, shank hangs loose.

 

[Sccritterkiller]

 

[fmyth]

Skip to 1:28. Great demonstration of cutting through the knee joint.