How to on "de-boning" a buck in the field
PhillyB
5/26/10 2:30pm
I am looking for a little help on this process... preferably a step by step sort of deal.
I have never done it, the deer I have taken are usually close enough to the road we just threw them in the truck...
This year I am packing in and wont have that option. Any help, tips, tricks are greatly appreciated
Thanks in advance
I have never done it, the deer I have taken are usually close enough to the road we just threw them in the truck...
This year I am packing in and wont have that option. Any help, tips, tricks are greatly appreciated
Thanks in advance
3,471
I haven't de-boned a deer before but if I were way out and had to pack one back in, what I'd do is start with the gutless method of quatering the deer. Split the hide down the back bone. (hopefully after you cape it because your kill is so huge that it will be mounted) Cut the back straps off by slicing along both sides of the spine and then filleting the backstraps off. pull each leg away from the deer's body and cut around each shoulder/hip joint until the quaters are free from the carcass, reach up under the pelvis bone and cut the tenderloins free from the carcass. Once the backstraps, tenderloins, and quarters are free you can get any neck/rib meat you want.
This is as far as I have gone. To me the next logical step would be to just cut away all the meat on the quarters free from the leg bones.
I would suggest having several plastic garbage bags in your pack to lay the meat on as you proceed with the de-boning process.
This is just what I would do as a novice. Hopefully some of the experienced guys like bohntr and others can fill in the blanks or give you better advice. I know I'll be reading the posts others post up to learn a better technique.
Best of luck... I hope you find yourself needing the advice you get :thumb
I debone all my "Out West" game animals at the kill site.
I do it this way whether field dressed or not.
Animal is laying on its side.
Make the cut at the base of the neck at the top of the body. Farther toward the head if you want neck meat. Go all the way to the tail.
Take the back strap. just go along the backbone down to the rib cage. Then where you feel ribs make the cut up to meet your other cut.
Lift the front leg up [I put it on my shoulder]. making the cut down the underside, then cut away the skin from the upper meaty part. It is very easy to cut through the muscle to remove the shoulder and makes it so much easier to bone.
Work the same way with the back leg only you won't meed to remove it unless you want to.
Half done, just roll the carcass over, repeat.
I do the process in about 15-20 minutes.
Very important to have very sharp knife and keep it sharp.
As you bone place the meat on a plastic sheet or something to cool.
Most of the time the weather is cool. After it's packed out I will again spread it out on plastic to cool more. Often overnight, and often will be partly frozen by morning. Then into the cooler and good for the trip home.
Warm weather, still cool the meat in the shade as much as possible, then ice with it in the cooler.
Most state require proof of sex left attached to a piece of the boned meat. Man ](*,) I'm telling you this is a pain! It's possible but as far as I'm concerned the hardest part of the process.
Having the meat neatly in a cooler is so much better then dealing with the carcass. At least when you on a hunting trip. :thumb
Thanks guys for the links...
Anybody come across the thread mentioned above from last year?
with removing the head, are you supposed to cut out everything down to the bone behind the throat or do you want to take the as much as possible for a realistic mount? i guess if you arent doing a full mount you can just take as little as possible??? how do you start with the removal? i saw in the one video how th cut the back of the head around the neck joint but where do you cut in the front? or do you just start in the back then cut all the way through till it comes off?