My next hunting question(s)....

[solar]

I’m glad I found the G&G forum b/c it’s been an invaluable source of information and very welcoming to the new hunter. I’m planning on going deer hunting this season up in Vermont at a friend’s orchard near Brandon/Rutland. A couple questions-

1) What is the best way to find a local butcher, and what can I expect to pay for services? I’ve been reading a lot on field dressing, and will have a more experienced hunter with me, but still planning on having a 3rd party butcher the deal.

2) While I have a vague idea of what to bring into the field, what are some of the most valuable items you’ve brought? What are the items the books fails to mention?

3) Finally, after field dressing a deer, what’s the best way to pack it out? I’ve read dragging, but doesn’t that run a much higher risk of getting dirt and debris in the cavity of the deer?

I’m sure I’ll think of more questions as time goes on, but thanks for all the help!!

M

[jerry]

1) Ask a butcher to find a butcher. Some small groceries buy their meat from smaller butcher houses. They usually know people in the business. A good sporting goods store may know too, usually not the big guys. Keep in mind some laws prohibit processing game with same equipment as domestic stock. Usualy 50~75 bucks mabe up to 100

2)The books are pretty close on what to bring. I like 2 or 3 good knives. something to drink, something to eat, rope/string. Binoculars, hand warmers (depending on weather) extra ammo, flashlight, compass, blaze orange tracking tape, pen, paper, tags, whistle, matches & dryer lint (to start fire), cell phone (turned off) xtra vehicle and house key, xtra gloves, socks, carcass cover. Any thing else you feel you may need.

3) dragging has been done forever. Most guys hunt not too far from the vehicle. Take a plastic snow sled. Go back to get it after hanging the deer with the rope and covering. 4-wheelers are handy where allowed as well as trucks. Be in shape, I'm not bad off but thought I'd have a heart attack dragging a couple out. Never pick them up and carry them. Tie a few pieces of that orange tracking tape to the critters tale and antlers if a buck. (a lot of stupid people out there)

[lefty o]

for after the shot, you need a rope, rubber gloves (not necessary but darned nice to have), and a decent knife for cutting. the first one you gut will probably be a little messy, but after 2 or 3 it gets pretty fast and easy. phone book should find you a local butcher, or word of mouth.

[Sav .250]

#1....... call around
#2........check the internet, great source of information.
#3.......Been dragging-um out for years. Gloves, doctor type, very good idea.
#4......... good luck.
" The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

[maarten221]

Solar,

I'm in the same boat as you. I've hunted in Africa for years, but it is a completely different style of hunting - a LOT of walking and stalking, so I have to start fomr the bottom up again. Even the weapons are different!

The books are generally correct, as far as I can see. Make sure you have at least 2 knives, one of them large enough and with a curved blade, extra ammo, good walking/hiking boots - and a canteen of water. Those new bladder thingys seem best.

[lefty o]

whitetail deer do not require a very large knife.

[solar]

Awesome info guys (I'm printing it all out) - thanks. Any ideas on what to expect the butcher's services to cost? Or for a full head mount?

Jerry- sorry, just re-read and saw you est of $50-100 for butchering.

[jerry]

no probelm, the average mount may go 200~250

[solar]

Very general question, but is it easier to find a taxidermist in Vermont, or bring the cape back to the Boston area? And if salting the cape, is there one type of salt in particular that works best?

Thanks for helping with all my rookie-questions! :-)

[auspighunter]

SKinnning knife
Axe or hatchet
hacksaw
sharp knife
KNIFE SHARPENER IS VERY IMPORTANT
gloves are good specially when butchering at night

Does it really matter how much of a hack job u do its really going to be u using it

oh yeah check ur meat for like lumps and !!!! and kidneys and liver for spots or abnormalities cause u could get sick

oh yeah dont cut the interstines and gut it willl spoil the meat and u will get food poisoning from the ecoli bacteria and it will taste crapppy

[Copper]

When packing for the deer woods, follow the old philosophy "It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it." I carry a small pack back with just the basic needs to last a day. Water bottle, MRE, socks, rope, hatchet, multi-tool, ammo, and extra clothes as needed. A good sharp knife is a must. When field dressing, I cut from stem to stern. I split the pelvis with a hatchet, start cutting at the anus, and go all the way up through the sturnum and the pull out the wind pipe. Once you do it a couple times, you'll be a pro. Just be very carefull not to puncture any intestines.

I don't normally take my deer to a processer, but around here, depending on what you want done, it'll cost you about $75 - $100. It seems to go up a little each year. It usually takes me about an hour or so to butcher a deer and get it into the freezer, and I get the meat cut exactly how I want it.

One more thing to take in your day pack is toilet paper, 'cause dry leaves hurt.

[SilverRun]

Originally Posted by Copper

One more thing to take in your day pack is toilet paper, 'cause dry leaves hurt.

Defiantly don't forget this.

I would also recomend one of the new LED flashlights. The batteries last for a long time. I got left in the dark once with a regular flashlight looking for a deer. Not pleasent.

[Otter]

Good advise above, Try butchering the animal yourself, you'll be suprised how easy it is, the animal comes apart without much difficulty. A few things I didn't see above would be Plastic trash bags, some wipes, some zip lock gallon size bags. If you're going very far from your vehicle take a GPS with fresh batteries, or compass and map if you know how to navigate. In Vermont you can use a handgun, no carry permit. Cellular coverage leaves much to be desired, radio is better. Travel plan, tell someone where you'll be and where your vehicle will be, where you plan to go and when you plan to return. Cancel your travel plan when you get out so no-one starts looking for you. We have many people get misplaced while hunting in Vermont. Anything I can do for you ahead of time, please ask.

"Life is too important to be taken seriously."

[Copper]

As far as good flashlights go, StreamLight makes a good "hands free" LED light. It has an adjustable head on it and three different light intensities on it. 1 green LED, (so you won't lose your night vision) 2 white LED and a bright xenon light. They're handy to have around, if you've ever tried to climb into a stand with a flash light in one hand and using the other to climb the ladder, you know what I'm talking about.

Baby wipes are a good thing to have in the field also. If you're camping out, at the end of the day you can use them to wipe your self down. As an infantry grunt, we lovingly called this " taking a whore bath". After a long day in the field, it's nice to be able to clean up a bit.

[OldTimer]

Solar,

All kinds of good advice given here. Hear-hear for the baby wipes, even if you're not camping, cleaning up after gutting is easier! One thing I did'nt see mentioned: GALLON ZIPLOX. These are great for carrying-out the heart/liver/"kidney-steaks" in your game pouch or pockets.
Don't be afraid to dress/ butcher the deer yourself, it's easier than it sounds. If you've hunted small game: rabbits and tree-rats (squirrels), they gut/skin just the same. I use the same folding Case knife with a 2-1/4" blade for deer as for squirrel.
For butchering, I use 3-4 other knives: that same Case, a 6" utility, 8" fillet, and (rarely) a cleaver. As noted above, I get the cuts I want.

[drinks]

Two items I have not seen mentioned,a razor knife, just a plain old Stanley retractable, with the roofer's hook blades, best skin slitting and abdomen opener I have ever used.
Then, a piece of 3/4" metal cutting bandsaw blade, punched for a handle, mounted so the teeth cut on pull, not push, really good for bones, even the pelvis.
Leave about 5-6" exposed, replaces a hatchet, so saving about 3 lbs.

[wirehunt]

Don't know why you would take a hatchet or a saw, you can do the lot with a couple of good knives. and I've never dragged a deer out. Always on a light pack frame or make the animal into a pack. Easy as.
Take the wind pipe out first then the butt hole then the stomach (being very careful not to put a hole in the paunch) whip the stomach out then open up into the lungs. After that hang in a tree to drain and cool. To get it up the tree should take 5-10 minutes then cool as long as possible as heat is what stuffs the meat

Stephen

[Oxford]

drinks...I liked the idea you posted about making a special purpose knife out of a band saw blade. :nod:

Fact is I just happened to have an old 1" power hack saw blade around my shop so I've ground down the front end to nearly a point and then ground the other end of the eight inch length for the tang.

One hole was already there so I'll need to anneal the tang with a propane torch fire and then punch or drill the second hole to attach the grips. I'm making them out of solid oak. Just started the grips by turning a 1 3/4" Dia. x 6" length on which I'll do a lot of hand rasping and sanding to form better finger grips.

Then I'll mount it and apply a linseed oil finish. I'll let you know how the finished special purpose bone sawing knife comes out when it's finished.

Thanks for the motivation and idea. :right:

[Oxford]

Ok...I've finished the custom "bone cutting knife" that I started yesterday. Used an eight inch length piece of an old 1 1/4" power hack saw blade.

Ground the point down but not too pointed. Didn't want to have it accidentally poke a hole in something unintentionally.

Ground the tang about three inches long.

On a wood lathe (or use another round piece of wood about five inches long) I turned an oak piece that would receive the knife tang.

The tang had one existing hole so it's location was marked on the oak handle before installing the blade.

Then I drilled an 1/8" hole through the wood aligning it through the metal tang hole.

Had an existing section of 1" round aluminum tubing so I used a pipe cutter to cut off a three inch length to use as a ferral.

After turning the oak handle I cut a 1/16" wide kerf in the end that will receive the knife tang. Had to widen the slot slightly by resawing carefully to slightly widen the kerf.

Then I slipped the ferral over the shoulder of the handle.

After lubricating the knife tang with bees wax, I drove the handle into the kerf of the handle using a rubber mallet, being very careful not to flex or break the blade.

Finally, I inserted a phillips head screw through the wooden handle to lock the handle in place. (Actually, the tang was so tight that the screw probably wasn't necessary. But to ensure that the blade didn't pull out I put in one screw.)

Job finished...and it's now ready for a white tail deer to field dress. :right:

(This knife looks somewhat similar to a "sheet rock saw" except that the saw teeth point in the opposite direction. On the bone cutting saw have the teeth point toward your hand so that you pull the saw towards you.)

[Copper]

You oughta get a patent on that "bone cutting knife". That's a good idea.