How to Gut a Mule Deer

The most important thing you need to know about gutting a mule deer is that the quality of the meat is determined by how quickly and accurately you attend to the task. The process is fairly quick, but you must get down to business as soon after the kill as possible.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp knife
• Plastic bag for liver and heart
• Jug of water
• Latex or vinyl gloves

Instructions

1. Roll the mule deer over onto its back, rump side down, and part the hind legs. Keep dirt and debris away from the body and do not allow anything to contaminate your work area.

2. Cut a line from the sternum to the tail of the mule deer along the middle of the belly. Continue along this line, slicing carefully through the hide, skin and then through the stomach muscles, making sure not to penetrate the paunch or intestines.

3. Place the tip of your knife about 1/4 inch away from the anus and cut a ring around the anus. Pull the anus up into the body cavity and, with care, roll the stomach and intestines of the mule deer out of the lower body cavity.

4. Run another incision along the sternum up through the neck, progressing to the base of the chin in order to remove the windpipe. At the base of the cut, work your knife through the breast bone to open the chest cavity of the mule deer

5. Cut the windpipe and gullet just before the lungs. Working downward, pull the windpipe, heart and lungs of the mule deer from the chest cavity. Remove excess blood by rolling the mule deer carcass belly down, making sure to prevent any leaves or dirt from entering the carcass.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove all organs impacted by your bullet as soon as possible.

• Save the liver and the heart in the plastic bag.

• Use the jug of water to clean our the mule deer carcass and to clean your hands and arms after gutting.

• Properly tag the mule deer, placing the tag in the ear, or risk violating the hunting laws in your state.

• Do not skin or remove the head of the mule deer until it has passed through a check station, in order to follow the law.