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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: snowplow on November 25, 2016, 11:37:00 PM
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Hey guys, this is a two part question.
So I grew up splitting the pelvis. It was never my favorite and I wanted to eliminate an axe or saw. So the last two I did was the method where you cut around the bung. It wasn't professional, but I could tell I liked it way more. It seemed so much simpler and cleaner.
So I was wondering how short of a blade can I get away with for cutting around the bung?
Also my dad got a sling blade knife. He ended up getting me one too because he loved his so much. I didn't really like it, but it was handy. I just didn't see adding a whole blade to make a 12 second process take 3 seconds. But this experience combined with the above gutting experience got me thinking about the knife I pictured working best. And I came to the conclusion that a spey blade would work really good for gutting and I bet almost as good as a sling blade (zipper blade).
So do you think I could use the spey blade for opening up the cavity and gutting and the clip point for bunging the deer? Do you think a trapper pocket knife would work good?
(https://media.midwayusa.com/productimages/880x660/Primary/315/315314.jpg)
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I like small blades on whitetail. Have a pelvic bone saw but haven't used it in years. Gut a doe last week with a leather man cause it was all I had in my truck and that little blade worked just fine.
Follow the same rule as broadheads: sharpness trumps size.
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I don't even gut large game any more except under special circumstances! Search YouTube with the keywords Eichler Gutless Method! But to your question, the knife you pictured should work perfect!
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got a knife just like that only diff is mine is a case xx works great all you need i actually skin my deer out with the above knife as well
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In my opinion that is the perfect knife. I always have a case mini trapper in my pocket and a full sized trapper in my pack. I couldn't tell you how many deer they have gutted and skinned for me. Perfect blade combination. The mini works great for small game.
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It doesn't take a lot of knife to field dress a deer well. Use what you got and learn what it takes. That is my best advice.
About the only reason I prefer a fixed blade is because that is what I carry every day and because I don't have to clean blood out of the folding parts then.
Your knife looks perfect, get it sharp, go gut a deer.
ChuckC
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The knife you pictured will work fine, but I would highly recommend a fixed or lock blade knife. I don't use anything that can fold up on me while I'm working with it. That's just me. Based on some of the injuries I have seen.
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I use my Havalon knife for everything. It only has about a 3" blade. And I agree with Warden609 about the lockblade. If you do not have a lockblade, you will eventually fold the knife onto your fingers and cut yourself.
Bisch
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Small knife is all you need. A lockable blade is preferred. But I also always carry a big Knife. With a small blade you can do what you "have" to do, With a big blade you can do "everything" you need to do......like split a pelvis.
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A few years ago, I did a complete Mule Deer (field dress, skinned, then completely deboned and put into coolers) with a simple Stanley drywall knife. I had other knives available, but my buddy Roger Norris wanted to see me attempt it. Yep, even surprised myself that day. With that said, I will NOT be doing it again. Just because something can be done, doesn't mean it should be done.
As for now, I carry a Havalon knife, and also a thicker blade knife to make disassembly easier. I recently did a 305# (live weight) hog with this setup. The only way to make it easier, is to have someone else do it. :biglaugh:
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My dad gutted a doe with a tin can lid once.
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I agree with Warden. I prefer a knife that's not going to fold while in use. A lock-blade feature would be nice.
As others have pointed out, you can do the job with that knife. I personally like a larger blade. Think it makes the task easier.
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I used to split the pelvis too.
..sure don't have to and it's a lot more work.
..so I don't anymore.
I wouldn't choose to gut a deer with any knife that doesn't at least lock.
Too many times working fast as light is fading away.
Reaching up into the the ribs to get the pipes..I can just see a blade folding in on my fingers..no thanks.
I do like a knife with a little more backbone than you show..but only for splitting the cartilage thru the ribs.
I use a Gerber folder..3.75" blade I think. I remember something about Gator grip or something. It does seem to be easily gripped when bloody.
It works just fine..as most knives would.
It's nothing fancy but it does the job and keeps an edge surprisingly well for stainless.
It has a nice tight lock too..no slop at all after around 10 deer or so. Not that a deer is big work..but that's all I use it for, so it's all I can say..lol
It's long enough for "bung" work too lol.
http://www.gerbergear.com/Knives/Folding/Gator-knife_46069
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I use my havalon for EVERYTHING! Elk, Hogs, deer, ducks...
If your familiar with your quarry's anatomy you never need to cut thru bone. Unless you want to.
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There are many ways to skin a cat...and a deer. My Case XX Trapper is with me always and I have processed many deer with it. The spey blade is one of my favorites...for some reason I can get that particular blade profile super sharp. I've been trying different ways to process deer...gutless method, split pelvis, cutting around the anus. When ya get used to doing it one way, other ways seem clumsy and ya only get so many chances a year to practice to get proficient. Anyway, to answer your question...yes, that knife will work just fine to gut and skin a deer. As mentioned just be aware of the non-locking blade.
Bill-
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I use a fixed blade for 2 reasons
1. Like said before they don't close up on you.
2. You don't get meat, fat or parts stuck up inside the knife. Which makes it harder to clean.
I also don't use a saw or hatchet anymore. I can take a deer apart with only a knife. I just cut through the joints to remove the lower legs and head.
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Havalon for me also. I never split the pelvis anymore. To much chance of getting dirt around. You don't need anything special to cut around the A hole but it needs to be sharp.
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Have you tried the "gutless" method? Several youtube clips on it, most pretty similar. I really like and can do it in the field now in Illinois. I've also been carrying this guthook and find it a great tool that weighs next to nothing and takes up about that much space.
http://www.buckknives.com/product/paklite-guthook/0499FAM02/
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My boy just hangs them up skins them and bones the carcass out . When he gets done he has a skeleton with guts in it hanging on a gambel. I have cut myself on a big folder that didn't lock , I went to a small knife for several years and now I'm back to using a larger fixed blade with a 4 1/2" or 5 " blade its easier and faster to skin and gut with a larger knife .
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Sharpness and a fixed or locking blade is what I've always used. I do not split the pelvic bone.
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I have gutted a bunch of deer with a single blade Case Sod Buster. I now prefer a locking knife, even though I have never had a problem. A sharp knife used deftly doesn't really need a lock blade, but I tend to be a bit clumsy. I used to split the pelvis but haven't done so for quite a while.
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I use my old barlow for everything these days.... but I am a little traditional LOL
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I use one just like the picture in the opening post. Only use the smaller, trapper blade. Sure wouldn't want anything bigger for the bung hole procedure. Ha!
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Like most everyone here, I have dressed many animals, and love using a small blade, for control. Years ago I bought and carried and Esee Izula2 on my neck. I have dressed countless deer, turkey, squirrel and hogs with this little knife. It is fixed, stays sharp and can be carried around my neck or slip in my pocket. For the major incision I have used outdoor edge zip blade and swiss army hunter knife, both work awesome, but can do the same with my esse just takes few seconds longer.
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I gave up splitting the pelvis AND cutting out the bung, years ago. I reach up inside of the pelvis and pull any fecal matter back up the colon so there is just gut. I grab the gut and the urethra TIGHT and just cut it loose as far up as I can and pull it all out. DO NOT slacken your grip on the urethra or you might dump urine all over the inside of the gut cavity. I have also used the "gutless" method many times. And as to knife size, I have completely gutted, skinned, and quartered more moose than I can remember with nothing more than a swiss army knife (farmer model).
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Gutless and Havalon for me also.
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Man that Butt Out tool works great for what you want to do. I always have mine along.
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A fish fillet knife can go along way towards hiney reaming without splitting the pelvis.
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I'm with Newhouse, just pull & cut... Been doing it that way for over 40 years!!!
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Originally posted by Bisch:
I use my Havalon knife for everything. It only has about a 3" blade. And I agree with Warden609 about the lockblade. If you do not have a lockblade, you will eventually fold the knife onto your fingers and cut yourself.
Bisch
Yep, me too, Great little lite weight setup that doesn't get in the way. And amazing what you can do with that little scalpel!
If you haven't done many bung holes this way though, i would say maybe a bit bigger sturdier knife than the Havalon or the knife pictured. it will make it a bit easier until you have it down sweet.
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I have a Havalon or two and and Outdoor Edge, I prefer the heavier blade of the Outdoor Edge for elk and the Havalon for deer... but... gutting is a waste of time imo. For instance, I was on a cow elk hunt this year with a friend and both of us shot a cow on the same ridge, rifles, and they went down within 50 yards of each other. He gutted his and by the time he was done I had my cow 3/4 of the way boned out and bagged. I split the ribs about where the heart would be and reached in and pulled it out, my family doesn't like the liver, which would be a good reason to gut em if you do. I do the same with deer, which only takes about 30 minutes.
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I use a cheap 4" fixed blade I picked up for about $15 on Amazon. It's light for backpacking and gets the job done. If I lose it or break it, it's nothing to cry about. I sharpen it once in the middle of quartering with the gutless method. A good knife is like a good walking stick -- it should be fairly light, easy to grip, easy to use, sturdy enough to handle a little bit of abuse and easily discarded the moment it is inconvenient.
I emptied the guts one time after quartering so I could remove more meat scraps. By that time, most of the prime meat was gone so I wasn't too concerned about spoiling it all that much. As others have said, just pull it all and cut it off rather than trying to do surgery. Saves time, energy & a heck of a lot of frustration.
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Originally posted by David Mitchell:
Man that Butt Out tool works great for what you want to do. I always have mine along.
For a "gimic" it works super well, I always use mine.
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I like the old edge mark knives with the long 5" blades that are 3/4 wide with a slight drop point ... I core out the bung also by putting my knife into the side of the anus, pushing thru then core cutting around the bowel,,,, works like a charm. I tried gutting a deer with my ,(self taught) method a while ago using a small knife with 3" blade and it was a disaster... plus the longer blade knives sit right in my muck boot just fine :goldtooth: .
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Have used many different knives over the years on an awful lot of animals. I always have a Buck 112 on hand, out of tradition, since I grew up with that knife. Sometimes it is my primary and sometimes it is back-up. I have never been disappointed with it or wanted for more blade. I like knives, so I tend to rotate them.
Relative to the gutless method, it is a great way to go but in many states it causes a dilemma. In Michigan, for example, while it isn't illegal to do this, you can be given a ticket for littering or dumping by leaving the carcass behind. I'm doing some research on this twisted logic because I don't understand it. Given the Coyote population in Michigan I would think a carcass would be taken care of pretty quickly.
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Gutted a late season doe one year in frigid temps ( 0 F degrees) with a small knife. Any blood or fat I got on the knife handle froze immediately and made it very dangerous using it. Now I carry one, usually a fixed blade, with a decent size handle and finger guard. Another vote for a locking blade on a folder.
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I have used a Buck 110 for the last 45 years and it still works well.