Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

The proper way to dress a deer is:

1) Hanging by the hocks?

2) Hanging by the head?

3) Laying flat on the ground?

When you post please say why the advantages of that way is better and also if you are from N or S of the Line or Mid Western. I hope to learn something.

Last edited by l.lyle on 12-15-2012 at 06:06 AM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2011
Location: rushville ohio
Posts: 131

i have always field dressed a deer laying down in the woods simply because it makes it easier to drag out. but the best way to do it is hang em up by there necks and then dress em because the bleed out better that way. then when it comes to skinnin em i hang em up by there hocks because it makes it easier to skin from the back legs to the head. i am from central ohio

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2009
Location: Floyd Co Va
Posts: 180

I like to hand them by there neck the guts come out better this way alot less messy

__________________
I can do all things through Christ Jesus who strenghtens me

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North GA
Posts: 14395

Well. Im from the SOUTH. I hang em by the hocks. That neck stuff is for the birds. I've tried it and it just takes me to long. Plus I de joint hams. Which is easier with weight on em. Hardly ever gut em at all. Still can get inner loins with em hanging by hocks and not gutted. Can't do that with em hanging by the neck lol.

__________________
Michael Ghorley

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2003
Location: Willard Oh.
Posts: 1255

Ga. Dawg, no bigger than your deer down that way i would just skin it out like a coon build a fire and eat it at one sitting, might even have a side dish to make sure i get my belly full!

__________________
no doubt!!
Nt.Ch. 2010 World Hunt Finalist Tug River Stylish PJ, Pkc Ch. Nt.Ch. Stylish Polly, Pkc Ch. Nt.Ch. Stylish Cheyenne, Gr.Nt.Ch. Frieds Thunder Crank, Gr.Nt.Ch. Major Dan , Nt.Ch. Lil Red Rat, Stylish Tanks Style

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2008
Location: HUNTERS HAVEN, WV
Posts: 3634

I have used all three methods. I always gut them in the woods. If it is a deer that I am wanting to have mounted weather it be full size or shoulder, head mount I hang'em by the hocks. If it is in a rough place to get out flat on the ground and back pack it out. Although I do perfer to hang from the neck it allows the blood to drain out better and for me it seems to be cleaner and easier. I perfer head shots or neck shots and sometimes leaves me no choice but to hang from the hocks. And another helpful tip for cleaner skinning is pull the hide down far enough to put a rock or block of wood etc. into hide wrap a rope around it and us my 4wheeler to pull the hide off... JMO...

__________________
"PROUD SPONSOR OF BREAST CANCER AWEARNESS"

"Tell the truth the first time and you won't have to remember what you said!!!"


"25 years and still breeding coonhound to coonhound. Our goal is to bred yesteryears hound back into today's hounds"

"Remember the next time you go hunting take a child"

HOME OF THE RED WHITE AND BLUES

Please visit our website at the following link..

http://plainenglishkennel.weebly.com/ [/url]

E-mail us...
plainenglishjr@yahoo.com

PLAIN ENGLISH KENNEL EST. 1989

Join us on Facebook click on link below

https://m.facebook.com/plainenglish.kennel

HOME OF OUR VERY OWN

UKC 'PR' PLAIN ENGLISH'S MADDY GEES OL' BLU

UKC 'PR' PLAIN ENGLISH'S MADDY GEES SUE

Our Co-Owned Hounds

UKC 'PR' Given's Plain English Lil' Blue w/Chad Given

AND REMEMBER "KEEP'EM ENGLISH"

*Proud Member of UEB&FA, SEA, BRAXTON CO.CHA, Mud River Coon Club Inc. Pocahontas Nicholas CHA*
Junior Cartwright (304) 575-4495 cell

We Use And Recommend BLAZER & TRI-TRONICS NIGHT RAZOR LIGHTS, TRI-TRONICS, OLT SQUALLERS, INNOTEK & GARMIN 320 TRACKING SYSTEMS & PURINA DOG FEED, MUCK BOOTS DAN CHAPS

OUR RED FERN GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN CHAMPIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS...

R.I.P. UKC NITECH PKC 'PR' PLAIN ENGLISH'S HARDTIME HANK 5/10/04 - 6/23/14

R.I.P. UKC GRCH NITECH & AKC CGCH RANSOM'S BAM 7/23/05 - 01/06/14

R.I.P.2011-2013 PERFORMANCE SIRE
UKC NITECH GRCH PKC,AKC 'PR' MADDY GEES ROOFUS W/1-win towards GRAND!!! 8/21/2006-12/31/2012

R.I.P. UKC NKC AKC (TRIPLE) NITE CH CH 'PR' HAFA ADAI GIN "GINGER"

R.I.P. UKC CH 'PR' HALL'S BIG WHEEL

R.I.P. UKC NITE CH 'PR' DARK MTN CRANKIN' ROCK

R.I.P. UKC NITECH AKC 'PR' HARD WOOD PEPPER

R.I.P. CH 'PR' DARK HOLLOW TREE SLAMIN' BETTY

R.I.P. UKC GRCH PKC,AKC 'PR' WELL KEPT SECRET

R.I.P. UKC CH 'PR' MAGNIFICENT MAGGIE

R.I.P UKC GRNITECH 'PR' BROWNS GAULEY RIVER DAN

"THEY ARE IN OUR THOUGHT'S AT EVERY TREE"

Last edited by cartwright on 12-15-2012 at 09:57 PM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: May 2009
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 134

Laying down to guy them and skin them hanging from their hocks. I usually just guy them where they fall so I don't have to drag them.

__________________
Kyle Burke
269-363-0551

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jan 2011
Location: MICHIGAN
Posts: 1309

in the woods i gut them flat on the ground..hard for 1 person to hang 200+ pounds dead weight up in woods!! then its easier/lighter to drag out.

at home{the real cleaning} i hang them by their rear hocks and skin.
wash out good with water hose.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Aug 2006
Location: Berlin Center,Oh
Posts: 2424

Gut them in the woods laying flat. Drag them out and bring'em home. Most deer if shot in the lung area are pretty much drained out of blood so hangin them doesn't matter much for me. When I start to skin on I have a bench made, nothing more than 2x4's made into an X. The top part of X frame has plywood screwed onto it so it can create a nice V carriage to hold the deer on its back. I start by skinning the hind quarters and then down both sides. Then up front to skin the front half down. Legs and chest area and neck. Then I hang them from the hocks and finish skinning as I raise them up on the pully gavel setup I have. One thing I've learned about skinning a deer. Only use a knife that will cut the hide but not sharp enough to cut the hair. Makes for a lot needed job when done!! When done,I quarter and hang in a cooler for a few days! Just how I do it!!

__________________
Danny G

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 103

gut them wherever they hit the ground...as well as splitting the pelvis and cuttin out the b-hole, take them home, wash them out with a hose, if weather permits hang them by back legs for 5 or 6 days. that will help lose a lot of the gamey taste

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Sep 2012
Location: WV
Posts: 197

when I shoot a deer I get on the walky talky, call my son or grandson, they come and gut the deer and drag it out for me. When we get home they skin it and take care of the meat. I then do my part and help eat it.lol God blessed me with 2 good boys there and getting old dose have some advantages.lol North Central WV.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

Thanks guys for the replies. Sounds like everybody has their system worked out. I am not much of a deer hunter. I shoot a few for meat and if I don't need meat i don't bother. I guessed some of the replies would be regional such as out west they might not have a tree to hang one in. I saw a picture one time with one hanging by the horns being cleaned, I thought if like here , the antlers might fall off before they get him cleaned if late in the season.

Hanging by the head, I wondered how do you get the saw started to split him down the back bone? while knowing hanging by the hocks you about to have to have somebody hold him to keep him from swinging starting the saw on the chest cavity. I'm kind of like Dick B. these days. I haul it to the processor and go buy my meat back for about $1.75 a pound if I don't get anything fancy.

I figured it might be regional as well because when I started hunting, deer hunting was a social thing. There might be 5 standers and one pack of dogs or 40 standers and 8 packs of dogs. You got put out on a spot in the road called a stand and you better stand there and not walk about for safety sake or not get invited back. Dragging these little deer out was not much of a problem because there was a driver or stander close by to help and we would load them up and take them to the shop for cleaning. Folks that wanted meat helped clean. The process was maybe on the ground to ring the yankles and start the skinning then gamboled and hung by the hocks to finnish skinning. Then the chest was sawed open saving the piece of cartliage at the diaphram so a knife could be inserted without punturing the guts and then he cartliage cut and the guts would fall in a tub. Washed, hosed off and further butchered. Then somebody in charge would ask who wants meat?. Two sets of numbers were written with one set going on the stacks of meat and the othe set going into the hat. You drew a number and that was your pile of meat.

Deer were always skinned completely before they were gutted. Processors do it that way here even now but they pull the hide off with a winch.

That was then and now evrybody is a still hunter. One person gets to mess with the whole deer , from dragging out to self butchering or to the processor. I have thought field dressing makes a lot of sence for one fellow since you don't have to be on guard for another deer coming by on a dog drive and it would sure be easier to drag out. Getting the guts out and letting it cool down makes alot of sense for this warm climate early in the season especially. I am confused on why hanging by the head would let more blood out, especially if you cut the juglar while it was still or nearly still kicking. And How do you start the bow saw to split the backbone?

Last edited by l.lyle on 12-16-2012 at 07:44 AM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2011
Location: rushville ohio
Posts: 131

if you hang it up by the head then gut it all the blood runs out through the stomache onto the ground. me myself i aint tough enough to get up to a kickin deer and cut the jugular. i just shoot em in the head and leave it at that if they aint dead when i get to em i split the pelvic bone while field dressing it and i dont fool with the back bone or the ribs. just the tenderloins and what meat i can get from the hams and shoulders and tenderloin and what i make a roast out of the neck while the rest gets ground up in hamburger. im 1 of them poor deer hunters that uses an 12 guage older than i am and if any bones need cut then i have to use a hacksaw and it all by hand. i even have a hand crank meat grinder. skinning probly would be simpler before you gut it because then you can just take it and pull it down to head and then get out the hacksaw. for instance today and tomorow is extended gun season in ohio and i shot a nice sized doe today and i had to drag her 3/4 mile back to the house so guttin em were they lay is easier for me. l.lyle i to hunt for the meat. i will fill all my tags which is 6 each year and catch some fish and some coons and opssums and some squirrels and rabbits and i aint got to go to the store to buy any meat

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

Just kidding , but how in the world can you make a roast out of a neckbone?. I ain;t a cheiff, but I am here to learn.

Last edited by l.lyle on 12-16-2012 at 07:37 AM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2011
Location: rushville ohio
Posts: 131

you take and cut the neck off right as it levels out with the back then take and cut the hide up as far as youd like and get the hack saw out. it aint a big roast but its good enough for me. boil it till its ready to fall off the bone and throw the meet in a roasting pan with your vegatables and whatever else you put in it and dump the broth from the meat in pan and put it in the oven and throw the bone to the dogs. it usually takes 2 necks to make a decent sized roast though.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

quote:

---

Originally posted by daniel cain
you take and cut the neck off right as it levels out with the back then take and cut the hide up as far as youd like and get the hack saw out. it aint a big roast but its good enough for me. boil it till its ready to fall off the bone and throw the meet in a roasting pan with your vegatables and whatever else you put in it and dump the broth from the meat in pan and put it in the oven and throw the bone to the dogs. it usually takes 2 necks to make a decent sized roast though.

---

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

quote:

---

Originally posted by daniel cain
you take and cut the neck off right as it levels out with the back then take and cut the hide up as far as youd like and get the hack saw out. it aint a big roast but its good enough for me. boil it till its ready to fall off the bone and throw the meet in a roasting pan with your vegatables and whatever else you put in it and dump the broth from the meat in pan and put it in the oven and throw the bone to the dogs. it usually takes 2 necks to make a decent sized roast though.

---

Last edited by l.lyle on 12-16-2012 at 08:35 AM

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North GA
Posts: 14395

Neck roast is what its called here to lol. Mostly all I kill is big ol giant bucks anyhow. They always rutted up and neck is swelled to a point of popping. Ain't real good then. Might could put it in a pot of turnip greens or something but I very seldom get it .

__________________
Michael Ghorley

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Nov 2011
Location: rushville ohio
Posts: 131

l.lyle i never fooled with the necks untill my uncle showed me how to do it. i never did mess with the ribs to much because there aint much meat there. i just give the ribs and all the fat and what not to the dog. ive never quarted up a deer just drug em back to my house and hang them in the garage and i like to leave em hang for a few days but the past 2 seasons has been to warm. but the 4 trips would make more since than 6 trips. but 1 trip with alot of breaks makes more since to me lol

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North GA
Posts: 14395

We can't hang em to age here. Its almost always warm. When I was younger. Opening day at deer camp. We'd always get the liver out of one and fry it up. I've not messed with ones liver in a loooooong time. May keep the next one and try it again?? Yall eat it?

__________________
Michael Ghorley

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 103

ive eaten the heart not liver. chicken liver is good. taste anything like that?

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2008
Location: Western N.Y.
Posts: 4005

I always hang em by the head, seems alot easier to get em cleaned out good between the legs, but this thread reminds me of a time i was huntin along this laneway and along came the neighbor boy draggin a deer by the back legs, I said son wouldnt that deer drag alot easier by the horns? he looked down at the deer and said yeah i suppose it would BUT i aint headed that way.

__________________
Everything that makes them a COONDOG is on the inside

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Jun 2003
Location: North GA
Posts: 14395

quote:

---

Originally posted by Griffith
ive eaten the heart not liver. chicken liver is good. taste anything like that?

---

__________________
Michael Ghorley

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Dec 2012
Location: ohio
Posts: 103

well i guess ill have to learn how to shoot the lungs instead of guts/liver. lead them runnin ones a little more from here on out

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged

Registered: Mar 2009
Location: s.c.
Posts: 6984

I never heard of a neck roast.LOL. Ever tried string meat hash?

One of the plantations here had a screened in shed they would hang quail and ducks by the neck untill they hit the floor. Then they were ripe. I never tried any.

Report this post to a moderator | IP: Logged