How to Clean Big Game

How to clean big game such as deer or elk. Big game should be dressed immediately after the kill since decay from intestinal bacteria begins within hours.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Field Dressing

1. Roll animal onto back, secure in place and make sure head is uphill.
2. Encircle anus with a knife cut about 2" deep, and tie it off to prevent any excreta from being emitted.
3. Clean hands thoroughly.
4. Make an abdominal incision forward from pelvic bone to sternum. Hold skin up and away from intestines, so you don't nick them.
5. Split pelvis and ribcage using a hatchet or bonesaw. Be extremely careful not to puncture intestines.
6. Cut viscera loose where it is attached at spine, and around the diaphragm, until the contents of the chest and abdominal cavity can be dragged out and pulled away from carcass.
7. Get carcass completely off ground if it is too late in day to quarter the animal.
8. Spread abdominal cavity open with pieces of wood, so that it is open to the air, even in direct sunlight.
9. Rub exposed flesh with fresh blood so that it hardens and forms a glaze. Use ground black pepper liberally on areas that won't dry such as the pelvic and forequarter regions.
10. Cover all exposed flesh with cheesecloth. Make sure there are no gaps that flies can get through.

Quartering

11. Remove the head at the base of neck. Be sure not to damage the hide if you are saving the trophy.
12. Split the carcass lengthwise along one side of the spine using a hatchet or bonesaw.
13. Split the halves into quarters at the third rear rib.
14. Sprinkle ground pepper over any exposed flesh, and cover it with cheesecloth.
15. Pull game bags up over the hung quarters and tie them off at the ankle.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are leaving the dressed carcass overnight, pull viscera well away to distract scavengers and birds from your kill.
• With bulls, tie off the genitalia with a short length of rope and cut the skin in a semicircle 8' around the area. Peel the skin and genitals backwards so they lay behind the animal.
• If you are taking a trophy, skin the cape away from the sternum and shoulders before splitting the ribcage and removing the viscera and gullet.
• Hang the quarters by the ankles in trees, where they will continue to get lots of air circulation, if you don't pack them out immediately.
• Scavengers, such as coyote and bear, are a threat when you leave the meat hanging overnight.
• The animal's own body heat and flies are the biggest source of spoilage. A large elk ham can take 48 hours to cool completely. Make sure you maintain air circulation around it.
• Cut away any gunshot damaged areas, and any areas where flies have gotten to the meat, as soon as possible.