Field butchering pack out?

[ultramag]

I have the late nov hunt I have read and want more info on boning out a deer in the field? I always carried them out whole or cut in half, I have decided that there has to be a better way. The last one almost killed me, Looking for the how to and tools needed. Thanks for the info.

[ultramag]

Sorry I found a sticky above. Duh

[Petey7215]

After taking pics and everything lay the deer on its side and make your regular skinning cuts down the legs to the center and stem to sturnum. then skin the deer all the way up and over until the side facing up is completely skinned and exposed then began cutting and butchering ( carrying a 5' square sheet of 10ml or 20ml plastic is nice to lay the meat on the ground as it comes off). I start with the back straps then the front and rear quaters then the neck. then when you get all the meat off of that side roll the deer back onto the skin you already removed and do the same. Once both sides have been cut and the hide removed you can remove the last to ribs and cut the tenderloins out on each side. If you want to save even more wait you can remove the bones from the front and rear quaters by laying it on the plastic so that the inside of the quater is up then find the ball of the socket and make a cut from there straight down to the bone and follow the bone all the way down then just cut around the bone until the thing just falls off. I just carry a Havalon and I bought extra baldes but i am still working on the pack that came with the knife. so far i have taken care of 2 deer, 1 pig, 1 mountain lion, and a handful of birds on less then 12 blades and that incudes the butchering when back at camp. they are $34 at sportsmans warehouse and extra are $12 for 50 i believe, hope this was of help. and did you notice, GUT FREE ! there are some good links on jayscottoutdoors.blogspot as well as Lance Crowther of TLO he is the one I learned from with my dads buffalo a few years back.

[ultramag]

Thanks for the info. I just bought a havalon knife looks kinda cheap it did come with 12 blades. I am not sold on it yet to bad I already own it. Lol.

 

 

[Petey7215]

Thanks for the info. I just bought a havalon knife looks kinda cheap it did come with 12 blades. I am not sold on it yet to bad I already own it. Lol.

 

The blades do break sometimes but at $12 for 50 im in for as sharp as they are and (considering they dont break) as long as they last. plus its light weight and and there is no need to carry shapening implements of any kind just snap a blade off and snap a blade on. but be very careful with it cause it is sharp, my buddy was skinning his father-in-laws elk, slipped, and stabbed himself in the forearm through three layers of clothing. He got lucky !

[cbryant11]

I have seen many elk quartered with the gutless skinning method using a havalon knife get extra blades and toss em when they get dull or break

[AZLance]

+1000 for the gutless method...

[prowlerMan]

+10000 on havalon knifes! One word.....awesome!

[Flatlander]

Havalon + Gutless + Bone Out = Easy Walking. We have adopted the policy that if you are willing to shoot it you better be willing to pack it, so the guy who pulls the trigger ends up packing a complete, boned out coues while the rest of us divide up his gear and carry that. It adds to the experience and builds character. I haven't had anyone decide not to shoot despite glassing up deer in some pretty messed up spots.

[ultramag]

Thanks guys. Sounds like the havalon knife is a keeper. I have never butchered anything before. I don't want ruin anything if I can help it. Seems like the hard part is keeping the meat clean. Other than than is just cutting meat from bone. That simple.

[jim]

The only time I break a blade is when boning out the meat and hit bone to hard. I will never go back to any other type knife.

[DesertBull]

The havalons are so sharp that they scare me. Seriously. Cutting yourself with one of those is a whole different situation than cutting yourself with a old Buck knife. It will cut to the bone and right through tendons without any resistance. You might not even feel it.

[AZLance]

Keeping it clean is simple... Just buy several cotton zippered pillow protectors, these are small and breath easily...

[CouesWhitetail]

Love the gutless method!! But just dont forget to reach in to get the tendorloins....and the liver, heart and kidneys for those that like organ meat!!

 

Also, for those looking for havalon knives....support coueswhitetail.com and buy them here!

http://store.coueswhitetail.com

 

[hunter4life]

The havalon piranta is a great knife and a single blade can easily skin, quarter and bone out a whole deer. No other tools are needed than the knife and a game bag. You can easily go through all the joints with the knife once you learn where they are at. I am also a fan of the gutless method.

 

I usually hang quarters from a nearby tree and then bone out meat on a clean flat rock. If one isn't available I have a large plastic trash bag to lay out. I then put the meat in game bags. The best game bags I have found are made by this company:

http://www.dicksonindustries.com/sport-game-bag.php

I had some of their bags for years and they truly are reusable and machine washable. I found them again this year at Sportsman's here in Albuquerque, NM and just bought some new ones a few weeks ago. Once the meat is boned out, pop it in the bag and hang it in a tree to cool off in the breeze.