How to Use a Whitetail Skinner Knife to Field Dress a Deer
Field dressing a recently killed deer is necessary to cool it off and keep it in the best possible condition so that the meat does not become tainted or go bad.
One useful tool is the Whitetail Skinner Knife, which has both a blade and a gut hook built in. The blade is for making definite cuts, while the gut hook is used for carefully cutting through the skin in the deer's abdomen.
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Things You'll Need
- Latex gloves
- Rope
- Whitetail Skinner Knife
- Small game saw
- Bags to save organ meats
- Paper towels
Instructions
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Put on gloves to protect yourself form blood-borne diseases such as Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).
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Tag your deer as required by your state's laws.
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Prop the deer on its back. It's helpful to tie off the legs to trees to thoroughly expose the belly.
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Make a vertical incision with the Whitetail Skinner Knife's blade at the top of the deer's sternum. Cut down to the bone and follow the sternum to the bottom of the sternum.
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Turn the knife upside down and slip the gut hook into the cut at the base of the sternum. Use your fingers to feel where to cut between the membrane and skin and the body cavity.
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Cut down the center of the deer's belly using the gut hook. You will see internal organs and intestines bowing out as you cut. Do not pierce the intestines or gut or you will risk tainting the meat.
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Cut around the mammaries (if a doe) or the penis and testicles (if a buck). Many states require you keep the sex organs attached for identification.
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Turn the knife over and cut around the anus.
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Using the saw, cut the ribcage on one side of the sternum so you can fully open up the chest. Push on the ribs outward so you can reach inside and cut the diaphragm from the ribcage with your blade.
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If your animal is a buck and you wish to cape it, reach in and cut the windpipe and esophagus (looks like a ribbed tube) and pull it straight out, while turning the animal on its side. If your animal is a doe, you can continue to cut from its sternum to throat and remove the windpipe and esophagus there, pulling it straight out while turning the animal on its side.
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Use your knife to remove any connective tissue that hold the organs in place.
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Locate the heart and the liver and bag it, if you wish to save them. Otherwise leave them with the gut pile.
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Remove the ropes that tie the legs and tip the deer over and let the blood drain from it. Be careful to not let the meat touch the dirt.
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Split the pelvic bone with the saw and push the legs apart.
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Clean out the body cavity and dry it with paper towels.
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Transport your deer home or to camp to skin.
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Tips & Warnings
Always field dress your game after shooting it to avoid spoilage.
Cool off your game after field dressing to be certain the meat doesn't become rancid.
If you pierce the intestine, clean up the meat immediately with water and dry with paper towels.
Take care handling your game because it directly affects the taste of the meat.
Be careful using any knife while field dressing or skinning. You can seriously injure yourself with a sharp knife.
Watch for predators while you field dress your game. Bears and mountain lions have been known to show up and attack hunters while dressing game.
