Skinning lessons - The Firearms Forum

kravi · 04-12-2004, 11:01 AM

Gentlemen,
I was wondering if any of you could recommend where to learn basic deer hunting techniques (such as field dressing the deer). I've been hunting a couple of times, but always with more experienced people (who seemed quite comfortable with the slicing and dicing aspects). I've never been initiated.
The hiding, stalking, and shooting I'm comfortable with (thought tips are always welcome). It is more the technical aspects of what to do with the carcass that escape me.

Thanks,
Kravi

bigboom338 · 04-14-2004, 01:23 PM

Best place to learn is with an expierienced hunter ,you do the work and have them guide you.

kravi · 04-14-2004, 02:36 PM

I would normally agree. Sadly, I don't know any experienced deer hunters. Sadly, I don't know any deer hunters at all. My previous hunting experience was through "friends of friends". Doesn't help much.

-Kravi

inplanotx · 04-14-2004, 02:49 PM

Here ya go:

Field dressing deer

Another:

Dressing large game

kravi · 04-15-2004, 08:50 AM

Inplanotx. You da man! Thanks!

-Kravi

inplanotx · 04-15-2004, 09:06 AM

Glad to be able to help out! If you want to find more, go to the google search at the bottom of this page and type in

"field dressing deer"

exactly as shown with quotes and you will see many more as I did. Enjoy!

Here's one complete with pictures online:

How to field dress a deer

Marlin · 04-15-2004, 09:32 AM

Good information, Plano.

I found the latter useful and a good background lesson.

280freak · 04-15-2004, 05:03 PM

I kinda like the way an old gentleman explained the process to me when I was just starting out - "Well, my boy, ya open 'er up, ya see, and everthin' what's inside of 'er, well, ya wants ta get all that out of 'er, don't ya see."

Country101 · 04-16-2004, 07:15 AM

Kravi, I was looking at the last link IPT gave ya and I'd like to add one comment. We usually do it very similar to this, but we hang the deer from it's hind legs. We have a triangular rack that hooks into its tendons and hoists it over a tree limb. This make skinning ang gutting a lot easier since you dont have to bend over. Plus, if you get set up right, you can hook onto the skin with a 4-wheeler of truck and take the skin off really quickly. Hanging them also helps to drain the blood out of the meat. Some people dont do that, but I recommend it. It can help the taste of the meat just as much as doing all your butchering quickly after the kill, so I cut thier throats regardless whether they need it or not so they can drain.

Gunfyter · 04-16-2004, 09:03 AM

don't forget to shoot the deer first.

Just funnin' ya. With the Maryland DNR trying to reduce the ever expanding deer herd, you can shoot around 36 deer this year if you hunt all of the zones and the various weapons.

kravi · 04-16-2004, 01:34 PM

Don't think I want to shoot much more than I can eat. Which is probably only a deer. I think I'd like doing more, but I can't imagine myself just wasting something that tasty.

As for the hanging it up after slitting it's throat. That's kinda funny, because that is how you kill animals to make them Kosher :-). Can't have any blood in the meat.

What's this about a truck? What, you just hook a chain onto the chest of the deer and rip it's skin off? How does that work. It sounds really $@&#ing amusing. I'd need to bring my digital camera to witness that one

-Kravi

Gunfyter · 04-16-2004, 01:52 PM

I know that you were interested in the whole process, but believe me, the easiest way is to field dress the animal, get it out of the woods and take it to a processor. Out here in the country, you can get one butchered and ready to wrap for about $30. If you don't want all of the meat you can donate it to Hunters for The Hungry and take, say, the loins and it won't cost you a dime.

In order to skin and cut one up, you need a hoist, grambel, meat saw and a place to do it. Our laws now say that the animal must be covered while in-transit so the bambiists won'y be offended.

kravi · 04-16-2004, 02:03 PM

I didn't know that there was such a thing as Hunters for the Hungry. I'm glad to hear there is (I should have expected it, of course).

I have to hide the carcass during transport so as not to offend the bambiists? Fair 'nuff. I got a cheap plastic tarp that should do the job just fine. Now I just gotta find out the Hunters for the Hungry headquarters and find out where they are. And wait until next season, of course. :-(

Thanks,

- Kravi

Gunfyter · 04-16-2004, 02:18 PM

was started by a long-time friend of mine. It has grown to being nationwide. If you check with a local gunshop they should be able to tell what deer processing butchers work with the program.

Country101 · 04-16-2004, 03:24 PM

Kravi, taking the skin off the deer with the truck is real simple, as long as you have a good limb that wont break. When you've got the beer hanging up, cut the skin away from the legs and a little ways bown the back(a liitle of the butt should be showing and nothint left connected, the front legs should also be cut away.) Take a tennis ball or something and wrap the skin around it. Then take your rope and tie a slip-knot to go around the tennis ball. This should make a good hold for the skin. Hook on to your truck and take off slowly. The skin should just pull off the deer(given that you made the correct cuts). You may need to cut some of the fat and muscle off as it's being pulled. Sometimes the skin is attached so firmly, it will take chunks out of the top part of the meat. You'll be left with the skin attached only at the neck. If you want it to come all the way off, just cut a ring around the neck and make the appropriate cuts to allow it to pull off. Anyway, it's generally easier than pulling on it by hand.

I hope that was worded well enough so you understand what I'm talking about.

Yeah, takin it to get processed is a LOT easier. I might start gettin mine done. I made some FINE jerky this year though. Wish I had several more deer to cut up. I dont like how most processors do jerky. it's too thin usually. I made some that was perfect. Woulda been a lot easier with a meat slicer though. Doin it by hand is a pain.

kravi · 04-16-2004, 03:30 PM

Oh my G-d. You were serious...

If I owned a truck (please don't kick me out of the Man club for that) I would be so ready to try that right now!

As it is, I'll make sure I rent a truck when I go out hunting next season

I'm really pleased to hear about Hunters for the Hungry. I'll definately contribute to them.

-Kravi

Country101 · 04-16-2004, 03:44 PM

I hope ya cant get kicked out for not having a truck, I just sold mine last night.

Now I got a 96 tercel.

A four-wheeler would work. Or just tie it to the axle or anywhere else that's stout on your car.

JohnK3 · 04-16-2004, 09:51 PM

4WD Suburban

[grin]

Sackett · 04-16-2004, 10:25 PM

After getting the deer out of the woods, I decide how much work I'm willing to do on it. Depends on the time of day and temp.
If its too cold for me and getting dark, I just lay it on the ground, carefully split it open, and remove the insides from esophogus to groin. I leave the skin on because it only costs $10 to remove it. I wash it out with a hose. Throw it back in the truck and take it to the processor which is not too far. I've had deer at the processors within an hour of being shot.
In our county, processors will do the deer for free if the meat is for a local charity, such as the Children's Home. I'm sure other locales have the same procedure.
Some processors will do the whole business for you. All you do is show up with the deer fresh from the woods. Course it costs a little more that way.
As was said before, it really helps to have someone show you how the first time or two. Maybe someone will turn up for you.
Yol Bolsun.

AlleninAlaska · 05-02-2004, 09:47 PM

Send me your address. I have a video that is required watching for non-resident hunters in some Game Management Units up here. It shows how to do a moose, but a moose is nothing more than a 1200 pound deer. I make copies of this video and send it to friends that are coming up this way hunting.

sluggermn · 05-24-2004, 10:37 PM

for skinning the deer we do it head up. start by cutting around the skull in front of the ears all the way around. then cut around all 4 legs at the half way point between the knee and hoof. then skin back the hide on the skull enough to get a good lump of hide and the ears ( this is our version of the tennis ball).about 3 to 4 inches is usually enough. then we wrap a log chain around the ear/skull lump of hide, hook the other end to any vehicle and drive like its stolen ( just kidding ) pull slowly and it peels down like the prom queens pantys on homecoming night.

good luck on your up coming hunt.

btw have you started scouting areas yet? I am sure all of us have tips on what to look for and where to look and go to.

Slugger

goebel32 · 06-10-2004, 09:19 AM

go over to the Firearmsenthusiast and click on The Hunters Lounge. In the archives there is an old boy who has killed and dressed over 600 big game animals and helped dress out that many more. It is explained in detail and I seem to recall some pictures of him dressing a couple of elk on a snowy hillside.

04-12-2004, 11:01 AM	#1
kravi V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 135	Skinning lessons Gentlemen, I was wondering if any of you could recommend where to learn basic deer hunting techniques (such as field dressing the deer). I've been hunting a couple of times, but always with more experienced people (who seemed quite comfortable with the slicing and dicing aspects). I've never been initiated. The hiding, stalking, and shooting I'm comfortable with (thought tips are always welcome). It is more the technical aspects of what to do with the carcass that escape me. Thanks, Kravi -->

04-14-2004, 01:23 PM	#2
bigboom338 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: South Dakota Posts: 399	Best place to learn is with an expierienced hunter ,you do the work and have them guide you. __________________ "Aim Small Miss Small" Last edited by bigboom338; 04-14-2004 at 01:23 PM..

04-14-2004, 02:49 PM	#4
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	Here ya go: Field dressing deer Another: Dressing large game __________________

04-15-2004, 09:06 AM	#6
inplanotx Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 8,897	Glad to be able to help out! If you want to find more, go to the google search at the bottom of this page and type in "field dressing deer" exactly as shown with quotes and you will see many more as I did. Enjoy! Here's one complete with pictures online: How to field dress a deer __________________ Last edited by inplanotx; 04-15-2004 at 09:08 AM..

04-15-2004, 09:32 AM	#7
Marlin TFF Admin Staff Chief Counselor Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: At SouthernMoss' side forever! Contributor Posts: 13,854	Good information, Plano. I found the latter useful and a good background lesson. __________________ *The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing.* *The only criminal class native to the United States is Congress.*

04-14-2004, 02:36 PM	#3
kravi V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 135	I would normally agree. Sadly, I don't know any experienced deer hunters. Sadly, I don't know any deer hunters at all. My previous hunting experience was through "friends of friends". Doesn't help much. -Kravi

04-15-2004, 08:50 AM	#5
kravi V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 135	Inplanotx. You da man! Thanks! -Kravi

04-15-2004, 05:03 PM	#8
280freak Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Sitting at my computer Posts: 1,581	I kinda like the way an old gentleman explained the process to me when I was just starting out - "Well, my boy, ya open 'er up, ya see, and everthin' what's inside of 'er, well, ya wants ta get all that out of 'er, don't ya see."

04-16-2004, 07:15 AM	#9
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,045	Kravi, I was looking at the last link IPT gave ya and I'd like to add one comment. We usually do it very similar to this, but we hang the deer from it's hind legs. We have a triangular rack that hooks into its tendons and hoists it over a tree limb. This make skinning ang gutting a lot easier since you dont have to bend over. Plus, if you get set up right, you can hook onto the skin with a 4-wheeler of truck and take the skin off really quickly. Hanging them also helps to drain the blood out of the meat. Some people dont do that, but I recommend it. It can help the taste of the meat just as much as doing all your butchering quickly after the kill, so I cut thier throats regardless whether they need it or not so they can drain. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

04-16-2004, 09:03 AM	#10
Gunfyter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Western Maryland Posts: 1,956	Kravi... don't forget to shoot the deer first. Just funnin' ya. With the Maryland DNR trying to reduce the ever expanding deer herd, you can shoot around 36 deer this year if you hunt all of the zones and the various weapons. __________________ Anything worth shooting once, is worth shooting again. If it ain't broke, break it. Someone needs the work

04-16-2004, 01:34 PM	#11
kravi V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 135	Don't think I want to shoot much more than I can eat. Which is probably only a deer. I think I'd like doing more, but I can't imagine myself just wasting something that tasty. As for the hanging it up after slitting it's throat. That's kinda funny, because that is how you kill animals to make them Kosher :-). Can't have any blood in the meat. What's this about a truck? What, you just hook a chain onto the chest of the deer and rip it's skin off? How does that work. It sounds really $@&#ing amusing. I'd need to bring my digital camera to witness that one -Kravi

04-16-2004, 01:52 PM	#12
Gunfyter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Western Maryland Posts: 1,956	I know that you were interested in the whole process, but believe me, the easiest way is to field dress the animal, get it out of the woods and take it to a processor. Out here in the country, you can get one butchered and ready to wrap for about $30. If you don't want all of the meat you can donate it to Hunters for The Hungry and take, say, the loins and it won't cost you a dime. In order to skin and cut one up, you need a hoist, grambel, meat saw and a place to do it. Our laws now say that the animal must be covered while in-transit so the bambiists won'y be offended. __________________ Anything worth shooting once, is worth shooting again. If it ain't broke, break it. Someone needs the work

04-16-2004, 02:03 PM	#13
kravi V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 135	I didn't know that there was such a thing as Hunters for the Hungry. I'm glad to hear there is (I should have expected it, of course). I have to hide the carcass during transport so as not to offend the bambiists? Fair 'nuff. I got a cheap plastic tarp that should do the job just fine. Now I just gotta find out the Hunters for the Hungry headquarters and find out where they are. And wait until next season, of course. :-( Thanks, - Kravi

04-16-2004, 02:18 PM	#14
Gunfyter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Western Maryland Posts: 1,956	Hunter for The Hungry was started by a long-time friend of mine. It has grown to being nationwide. If you check with a local gunshop they should be able to tell what deer processing butchers work with the program. __________________ Anything worth shooting once, is worth shooting again. If it ain't broke, break it. Someone needs the work

04-16-2004, 03:24 PM	#15
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,045	deer pull Kravi, taking the skin off the deer with the truck is real simple, as long as you have a good limb that wont break. When you've got the beer hanging up, cut the skin away from the legs and a little ways bown the back(a liitle of the butt should be showing and nothint left connected, the front legs should also be cut away.) Take a tennis ball or something and wrap the skin around it. Then take your rope and tie a slip-knot to go around the tennis ball. This should make a good hold for the skin. Hook on to your truck and take off slowly. The skin should just pull off the deer(given that you made the correct cuts). You may need to cut some of the fat and muscle off as it's being pulled. Sometimes the skin is attached so firmly, it will take chunks out of the top part of the meat. You'll be left with the skin attached only at the neck. If you want it to come all the way off, just cut a ring around the neck and make the appropriate cuts to allow it to pull off. Anyway, it's generally easier than pulling on it by hand. I hope that was worded well enough so you understand what I'm talking about. Yeah, takin it to get processed is a LOT easier. I might start gettin mine done. I made some FINE jerky this year though. Wish I had several more deer to cut up. I dont like how most processors do jerky. it's too thin usually. I made some that was perfect. Woulda been a lot easier with a meat slicer though. Doin it by hand is a pain. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

04-16-2004, 03:30 PM	#16
kravi V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 135	Oh my G-d. You were serious... If I owned a truck (please don't kick me out of the Man club for that) I would be so ready to try that right now! As it is, I'll make sure I rent a truck when I go out hunting next season I'm really pleased to hear about Hunters for the Hungry. I'll definately contribute to them. -Kravi

04-16-2004, 03:44 PM	#17
Country101 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Dardanelle, AR Contributor Posts: 2,045	I hope ya cant get kicked out for not having a truck, I just sold mine last night. Now I got a 96 tercel. A four-wheeler would work. Or just tie it to the axle or anywhere else that's stout on your car. __________________ Gainfully employed= shooting somebody elses bullets and getting paid for it Country101

04-16-2004, 09:51 PM	#18
JohnK3 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 1,636	4WD Suburban [grin]

04-16-2004, 10:25 PM	#19
Sackett V.I.P. Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: SW Mississippi Posts: 266	After getting the deer out of the woods, I decide how much work I'm willing to do on it. Depends on the time of day and temp. If its too cold for me and getting dark, I just lay it on the ground, carefully split it open, and remove the insides from esophogus to groin. I leave the skin on because it only costs $10 to remove it. I wash it out with a hose. Throw it back in the truck and take it to the processor which is not too far. I've had deer at the processors within an hour of being shot. In our county, processors will do the deer for free if the meat is for a local charity, such as the Children's Home. I'm sure other locales have the same procedure. Some processors will do the whole business for you. All you do is show up with the deer fresh from the woods. Course it costs a little more that way. As was said before, it really helps to have someone show you how the first time or two. Maybe someone will turn up for you. Yol Bolsun.

05-02-2004, 09:47 PM	#20
AlleninAlaska V.I.P. Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bethel, Alaska Posts: 252	Send me your address. I have a video that is required watching for non-resident hunters in some Game Management Units up here. It shows how to do a moose, but a moose is nothing more than a 1200 pound deer. I make copies of this video and send it to friends that are coming up this way hunting. __________________ Allen Glore Delta Firearms & Supply P.O. Box 1228 Bethel, Alaska 99559 (907)543-2080 aglore@gci.net

05-24-2004, 10:37 PM	#21
sluggermn V.I.P. Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: nw minnesota Posts: 467	for skinning the deer we do it head up. start by cutting around the skull in front of the ears all the way around. then cut around all 4 legs at the half way point between the knee and hoof. then skin back the hide on the skull enough to get a good lump of hide and the ears ( this is our version of the tennis ball).about 3 to 4 inches is usually enough. then we wrap a log chain around the ear/skull lump of hide, hook the other end to any vehicle and drive like its stolen ( just kidding ) pull slowly and it peels down like the prom queens pantys on homecoming night. good luck on your up coming hunt. btw have you started scouting areas yet? I am sure all of us have tips on what to look for and where to look and go to. Slugger

06-10-2004, 09:19 AM	#22
goebel32 Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Eastern Oregon Posts: 3	go over to the Firearmsenthusiast and click on The Hunters Lounge. In the archives there is an old boy who has killed and dressed over 600 big game animals and helped dress out that many more. It is explained in detail and I seem to recall some pictures of him dressing a couple of elk on a snowy hillside.