So I was playing Pepper with some good friends the other night and half of us say we just cut of that what makes a buck a buck and the other half all went nuts... sorry could not help it.

But for real what it the best way to do this.  I have always been told to just cut it right off but to do it first so there isn't any way for the urine to get to the meet.

What do you think?

I usually do not cut off the rack first.  Not sure why cutting off the rack would taint the meat with urine!    

When you clean and cook trout, you leave the head on.  Deer are no different.

Bowmania

Actually, the first cut should be around the anus.  When it is cut free, pull it out a few inches, and tie it off.  This will keep you from getting feces in the cavity later.  Then cut around the genitals and follow the stem back to near the anus and cut it off.  Next step is to slit the stomach about where the genitals were, and open the body cavity up to the sternum.  Do this without cutting the underlying intestines.   Cut the diaphram from the body wall and then cut the wind pipe as far forward as you can reach.  At that point, most of the innards will just roll out of the body cavity with a little pulling and a few knife strokes.  Pull the lower intestine back into the body cavity and out.  Neat job and no meat ruined.  QED.

i am confused, I thought urine was in the bladder.

I've never fooled around with a deer's private parts, and I've never had tainted meat. I gut them quickly. Just get the guts out, string it up and let it drain and cool. If you have acess to cold water, wash out the cavity.

I wasn't taught that way. I was taught as a kid how to do it exactly right, like surgery. I found out 40 years ago, you don't need to be all that careful. The only thing that matters is to get the guts out ASAP, hang it up.

IMO, gutting sloppily or perfectly, the biggest mistake is heading for the vehicle too soon. A deer won't cool down in a vehicle like it would hanging, draining, and propped open with a stick.

But, I don't hunt where it's warm, so maybe there are better ways.

Two more points: learned these from experience. If you kill a deer that has been running hard, chased by dogs or whatever, the blood is hot throughout the body. Regardless of preecautions to cool it, it won't taste right.

The other thing: If you butcher in the woods like me, don't pile the meat in one pile for transport, like in a garbage bag. Spread it out so each piece can cool.

Don't gut them unless you have to...The gutless method works great.

Leave the guts in it.  Hang it by the back legs. Case skin it like a coon.  Then cut the meat off the bones as you go.  After all the meat is bones out, cut into the abd to get the inside tenderloins out. You do not get hair and gut all over the meat.

I do it like Orion, whether it's a buck or a doe. Either way, if you cut the genitals off, you are cutting through the urethra, and urine can spill onto the meat or your hands. Yuck. I also rinse the inside of the carcass thoroughly with water, no matter how well I've done the field dressing, to get the coagulated blood off. I've never had a problem with tainted meat, after doing this with a hundred or so deer.

I ALWAYS core out the anus when I field dress, and cut off the windpipe as high as I can reach.  I cut the neck open all the way up to get the windpipe out. If the anus or windpipe is left in, and circumstances keep you from getting the rest of the processing done quickly, they spoil first and smell things up in a hurry. Double yuck. If the deer is going to hang for a while, it's even more important to get those parts out.

Down South, where most of my hunting is done, spoilage happens before you can turn around twice.

Some states don't allow boning the deer in the field and require a whole intact (field dressed) carcass to be turned in or checked in.  Wisconsin is one of those.

You pretty much have to remove the guts in the field, hopefully just like Orion described.

Now, as to removing the horns . . .
ChuckC

My buddy brought this up,except he said when you get a bear he heard you have to cut off the p--- otherwise it will urinate all over it self.I said think about it...if you cut it off,won't it do that anyway..    :rolleyes:          

Just do the normal gut job and all is good.  

I do autopsy's for a living, and I do not cut the genitals off it is not necessary. And if you cut the bladder (that holds the urine) you will contaminate meat if you do not rinse it immediately the bacteria in the urine can carry any number of things.Animal starts to decompose the minute his heart stops bacteria in the blood start to take over and multiply,Then rigor will set in.The reason you get the "guts" out is to cool the temperature of the animal as to slow the bacteria growth and to help have a controlled decomposition ( AKA aging the meat)evenly throughout the animal.So let the buck go to heaven with his manhood attached so he gets a good seat in the big woods in the sky.

Just for a little clarity.

I do everything that has been said to do except for the one point we were all arguing about which is to remove or to not remove.  

So far on here it is 4 to 4.

Don,t remove you could possibly contaminate meat.MO

Uh, maybe I'm stupid but if you don't remove the genitals, where exactly do they end up????  Don't remove them from what?  From the hide?  Or from the carcass?  I'd hate to end up with a steak that had something extra attached.....  

I cut down as far as possible and leave it hanging then gut like Orion describes.  Quick, clean, urine never a problem.  Retired Texas Game Warden showed me this way over 20yrs ago.  Good enough for me. Back to 5/5

QuoteOriginally posted by Dave Bulla:
Uh, maybe I'm stupid but if you don't remove the genitals, where exactly do they end up????  Don't remove them from what?  From the hide?  Or from the carcass?  I'd hate to end up with a steak that had something extra attached.....      

I'm with you on this one Dave! The genitals go with the rest of the innards...bladder included...in a pile of guts that feeds the grinners, the crows, and the coyotes.

I am with Dave and 30, they gotta go.  I just do it at the end.

There's no reason to cut a urethra or colon if you have the time. They will come out whole.

cut the entire area off the skin; and don't cut the urethra in the process. Then the bladder and sex organs stay intact- no urine is spilled. Check your regulations; some states require 'proof of sex' is required- so you lift the bladder by the tube leading out of it; pinching it as you do; and then cut it and toss the bladder away.
 And yes I am bleeding from biting my lip while typing this.....   :rolleyes: