Quote Originally Posted by Rifleshooter308 View Post
I was shown by a guide out west on how to do a complete field dress that is simple and easy and you don't even open the chest or abdomen. We have started using it exclusively. It works great if you can't get it back to where you can hang it.

First you remove the hide. Make cuts in the hide around all four legs just above the ankle. Slit the hide up the inside of the leg to the body. Cut the hide from the neck down to the anus just inside the hide not cutting any of the chest and abdomen. Cut the hide entirely off the carcass. Now that it's naked your going to section off and remove all 4 quarters. Cut off the head and then cut off the neck if you want the neck roast. Finally lay the carcass belly down and remove the backstraps by making long cuts from the spine in while pulling the backstraps away from the spine. It will cut out in one long strip. Now you have four full quarters, the neck roast and two long backstraps. We leave the rest for the coyotes. You only lose the inside tenderloins but they are small sometimes shot up anyway depending on shot placement. You get very little blood on you as you never open up the inside. You can now take the quarters home and part them out by muscle group for steaks, chops, roasts or whatever you fancy.

To answer the origional question by the OP I agree with others. Have fun and make a clean kill. If your not willing to try this or any other type of in the field dressing just load it up and take it home. If it's cold (less than 45 degrees) you have time. Many a hunter has shot a deer and did not find it until the next day. Not a problem. Better to wait and do it right then end up with a mess or worse cutting yourself in the dark. In our hunting camp we have a tradition with the kids. The first one we do while they watch. The second they do with help and the third they do alone. That and they have to take a bite out of the heart.

I also want to say it's a shame so many people don't like venison. The reason is usually the local butcher. Too many hunters take their deer to the local butcher for processing. These butchers do hundreds of deer so the way they do it is for speed not quality. They skin and hang them in the cooler then section them out and run them through the band saw cutting through the bones and leaving all the silver sinew which tastes horrible. I won't eat a venison steak with a circular bone piece in the middle. BLEECH! Buthering a deer is very easy. With a sharp knife separate all the muscle groups cutting out anything silver leaving just a nice piece of meat. Each muscle group can then be cut into steaks, medallions, chops or left as roasts. The last part is most way over cook their venison. Venison has NO fat in it. It should be cooked rare and marinated if possible. Remember that even after you take it out of the oven or off the grill it will still cook for awhile from the heat so take it off early while you think it is too rare. By the time it rests it will have cooked to perfection. Light pink to still red is what you want in the middle.

**** I just made myself hungry!
This all is great--thanks.