- Field Dressing
Large Game
- If the head is to be
mounted, do not cut throat!!!! or put any holes
in the ears.
- Removing the games
entrails is not difficult , but it is the most
important step
- to good meat. Just
roll up your sleeves and go to it . The principle
is the same as
- with small game . The
important things are to keep the carcass clean
and to cool
- the meat quickly. You
will need a sharp sturdy hunting knife. Place the
game on
- its back. Starting at
the anus , cut through the skin and body wall
along the center
- line. Use your
fingers to guide the knife and keep the blade
away from the stomach
- and intestines. Make
the first cut by keeping the knife at a low angle
and cutting
- only deep enough to
slice through the skin. Cut the length of the
carcass, opening
- the chest cavity by
cutting through the breast bone. Cut deeply
around the anus
- to loosen the
intestine. Split the pelvic bone by slicing
through its center with a
- sturdy knife or
cutting through with a small saw or hand ax. The
diaphragm
- separates the chest
and body cavity and loosen the heart and liver
from connective
- tissues. Take along a
plastic bag to put the heart and liver in if you
wish to keep
- them. Loosen the
windpipe and gullet by cutting through them as
far forward into
- the neck area as far
as you can reach. Roll the carcass on its side so
you can remove the entrails.
- Most of the entrails
will pull away easily. Carefully cut and loosen
any
- connective tissues.
Prop the body cavity open by inserting a stick in
the rib cage.
- Keep your game clean
and cool if possible, don't haul it atop your
vehicle.
- Keep it away from
engine fumes,heat and dirt.* Skinning is easiest
when the game
- is hanging by its
back legs if possible. First , cut the skin
around the lower part
- of the back legs and
slit them on the inside , down to the pelvis.
Peel the hide by
- pulling with one hand
and cutting the difficult places with a knife in
the other
- hand. Using a balled
fist between hide and carcass helps separate skin
without
- tearing. Take care
not to let the hair touch the meat . When you
reach the front
- legs , cut and skin
them the same as the rear legs.* If you want to
have your trophy
- mounted , take extra
care when you skin your game. If possible leave
the head and
- hide intact. Let the
taxidermist do the rest of the work.
