How To Gut / Field Dress a Deer using only a knife

[MichyMuncher]

Why isn't it bleeding a lot? and when you kill a deer does it bleed a lot?

[budstaxidermy]

@MichyMuncher They only bleed if the heart beats. Once it's dead there is no heartbeat. When you shoot there will be bleeding, also blood will collect inside the body. That's why there was blood inside, but no bleeding.

I've heard that a 150 lb deer has about 8 pints of blood (humans have 8-10 pints).

[MrJoeyBoombotz]

Excellent video and excellent technique. The rectum and diaphram are always the the most challenging and you showed, very well the easiest way to do it. Thank you for aking the time and sharing your skill. I've never used a pocket knife for a job like that.

[LibertyorDeath777]

Great video man. This knowledge is lost in our culture. The way things are headed, we might all need to know how to do this. Thank you for the info, and in the words of Hank Jr. " a country boy can survive"! lol Take Care.

[DeludedManiac]

@budstaxidermy Ahh after scrolling through the comments I found you answered my question already. Never mind! I would have never believed this was a $4 knife lol great work man and I love the fact you are teaching the daughter your skills, that is a beautiful invaluable thing to do =) Cheers from Australia

[DeludedManiac]

@budstaxidermy Hey great video really informative thank you for posting! Slippery stuff, heh. Just wondering what knife that is, looks like a Spyderco? Seems razor sharp to cut through the bone like that. What kind of sharpening stone do you use? Thanks again =)

[richer4poorer]

How do you guys do it if you don't take your time with a sharp knife just like this? Thanks for clearing it up Bud. To many folks think they have to have a saw or hatchet.  Clean and well done. A well placed shot helps keep the mess down too. You must have put a nice shot on this one.

[midcal01]

Wow! I seen alot of "how to" field dress a deer... And I gotta say this is the BEST and CLEANEST one I seen and with just a knife is awesome. Have you guys consider doing a skinning and deboning and processing the meat of a deer? But anyway Great Vid thanks!

[neilgphoto72]

Great video. Thanks for doing it. How old, in your opinion, should a child be before experiencing this. My son is 11 and wants us to go with his uncle. I think he's old enough, but other family members think otherwise.

[budstaxidermy]

@neilgphoto72 My daughter is 6 now. She's helped skin squirrels and rabbits since she was about 4,and was always around while we gutted them. Kids can handle a lot more than you'd think. Like your son,she's old enough now to ask lots of good questions. With an 11 year old (assuming gun safety already covered) make sure the hunters he is with are legal, ethical, and respectful of the animal (squirrel,deer, etc). Taking only clean shots, etc. You know your son,but I think he can and should do it.

[budstaxidermy]

@neilgphoto72 It comes down to maturity, not age. I assume he'll be shooting. Another good way to break in kids is to have them along in the blind/stand/etc while an adult is doing the shooting. I know of lots of people who started taking their kids along very early. They would make sure they were warm, had snacks, books, video games, and other things to keep them from getting bored. That's a good way to practice being quiet/patient. It's also a good time to talk to your kid. Good luck!

[kushedup313]

@neilgphoto72 good to go

[ChildofPendragon]

i was wondering, is it better or easier to do it hanging it up by the hind legs or on the ground like ur doing it? just i've never done anything like it before and i might like the knowlege in the near future. thanks

[budstaxidermy]

@ChildofPendragon I've done it both ways, I prefer on the ground and in the field so there is less weight to drag. The way I do it is from the throat on down, if you hang it I suggest hanging does by their necks and bucks by their antlers so that gravity helps you. Hanging them up is easier on the back. Either way you decide works, you'll just have to do one each way and choose after that. Good Luck!

[allthederpina]

very informative, this is the first time I see what it's like and I learned a lot. ty.

[WheepingWillow2]

@budstaxidermy what do you make with the liver and heart? Does the liver taste similar to eating beef live with onions? I've heard about some vein, you don't want to cut into, what is it and why not? I think it's on its hind quarters. Excellant video, thanks so much.

[budstaxidermy]

Yes it tastes the same as beef liver. See my other comments & look up recipes on the net. There are viens/ducts you remove when cleaning the heart/liver because they are too tough to chew. There are lymph nodes in the hind quarters and neck. You should avoid these. They are about the size of a marble, they are always in between different muscles along with fat, and look like a gray mushroom if you cut them open. If you remove the fat/veins from between muscle groups, you remove them as well.

[WheepingWillow2]

@budstaxidermy thanks for responding, but from what you said, I think I'll avoid the liver and neck AND heart, lol. I didn't see you take all that out. lol 'Don't want to eat the wrong things. lol thanks again.

[edmonds1710]

i hear that u can just eat the heart raw is it true or false

[budstaxidermy]

@edmonds1710 I've seen Bear Grylls (Man vs Wild) eat a lot of stuff raw. I've eaten some raw loin on occasion to celebrate, never tried raw heart. I say go for it and let us all know how it is.

Keep hunting.

[tasteyman2311234]

@edmonds1710 true i took a bite of the hear of my first deer

[kimlit08]

Excellent video! Thanks so much...first time dressing a deer and followed this vid play by play...and what a success!

[jayp269112]

and that is how you dull your knife cutting through the bone like that. we usually just use a sawzall for it

[budstaxidermy]

I can gut, skin, and quarter 2-3 deer like this before I have to resharpen my knife. I don't like to carry much with me when I hunt, so I found a way to do it all with a little pocket knife. Using a hand saw in the sternum usually cuts up the heart. And a saw in the pelvis, you need to be careful to avoid cutting into the rectum. The only time I use a saw is when I cut the racks of ribs off. A fine toothed blade does a good job. It's all in your preference, it all tastes the same.

[TheJessward]

nice vid man i usually heep the heart if its not shreeded

[coolwhip197]

no need to do all that save time juss to the chest then take your hand and pull it all out what i do to mine

[budstaxidermy]

@coolwhip197 That works too, did it just the other day.

[nuclearthreat545]

Nope, Not Chuck Testa!

[genome02]

excellent video, informational and you showed respect for the animal. Thank you for posting and keep them coming!

[DantheAuthor]

Never hunted before because my parents and I are from the bay area of CA

Im turning 18 in a few days so I'm going to pick up hunting with my friend and his dad (Who are expirienced)

Any advice for the green hunter?

[budstaxidermy]

@DantheAuthor Lots of shooting practice! Good clothes to stay warm, have fun, ask your friend and his dad lots of questions.

[androidandre]

did you tie the bung?

[budstaxidermy]

@androidandre no

[countrymusic881]

gloves r for pussys

[iagorincon]

@countrymusic881 Whatever man... his is by far the cleanest job i seen in youtube so far.

[budstaxidermy]

@countrymusic881 as I said before, it keeps blood off the truck. Only reason they're on

[cselsmeyer]

@countrymusic881 and people who make dumbass comments that insult someone, who is just trying to help people learn, are just annoying and theres no need for that.

[ramob16]

i like how i was sharping my knife while i was watching this

[pmat94]

Out of the vids I watched o found yours to be the most helpful thank you

[adventuresofagirl]

(I apologize in advance; I wasn't paying attention to the last part of the video where you cut out the heart and liver!) So my revised question is, would there be any concern in eating the heart or liver? I've heard that it can be parasitic, and I've been told that it's just better to leave it with the gut pile. But people sell beef heart and liver, so I don't see the difference.

[budstaxidermy]

@adventuresofagirl There is no difference between deer and beef, as far as the heart and liver taste or preparation. Please read some earliler comments I made about the heart and liver.

As far as smell while field dressing, it's not too bad. It gets worse if you accidently tear open the stomach or intestines. I think the worst smelling animals to dress are rabbits and chickens.

[adventuresofagirl]

@budstaxidermy Huh, I'd imagine chicken and rabbits would smell better! But that's probably because all of my encounters with said foods have always been with cuts of meat that have already been prepared. Hmmm. Have you ever eaten the lungs before? I've heard of people who have. And this is much appreciated; I'll take a look at some of the previous comments. Thanks!

[budstaxidermy]

@adventuresofagirl Never tried lungs, I guess I would if someone (who knew what they were doing) made them for me.

[adventuresofagirl]

This was a really fascinating video! I have a couple questions for you, if you don't mind. First, what does it smell like when you're dressing a deer? I'm not a hunter at all; never had the opportunity yet. And number two, would you say it's safe to eat some of the organs, like the heart and liver?

[lakesidegreg1]

One of the best vids i've seen. after watching you i'm going to keep my organ meats...

[ladyfuschia]

This is important information for just about everyone to know. We might have to go back to being "hunter-gatherers" someday!!

[HellHound60248]

Now show me how to make a coat with the fur and skin.

[ladyfuschia]

@HellHound60248 There are a lot of other parts of some animals you can use. Read "The Clan of The Cave Bear" series, 6 books by Jean Auel. Absolutely fascinating AND educational!!

[cheez4me333]

It's great to get kids used to looking at this kinda stuff so that they can support for their family like this too without getting squeemish. i wish my father had done this for me.

[arineido]

O.o the intestines look creepy

[steelersaretheshit1]

Ohhhhhhhhh thats the heart. hahah pretty funny



[sheps78]

Great video. Like other commenters, I'm a new hunter with no hunting family to guide me. This has been very helpful.

[desert1cop]

Great video, I was wondering how to get the whole insides out without using a butt plug , good job thanks.

[conradpilapil]

Thanks for showing me this.. I did not know how to do it.. my next step to is actually do it for myself..

[Edwardgbe]

Awesome job dude! I do it the exact same way except I use a pelvic saw that folds into my gutting knife. I did not know that u could split the pelvic with just a knife! Very cool! Will try that with my next deer. Happy hunting!

[marazillard]

I didn't see you cut out the rectum. I may be wierd ot i may be normal, but arent you supposed to do that first as to not taint the meat?

[budstaxidermy]

@marazillard Start watching at abou 5:30 into the video, you'll see the rectum being cut out.

[JManTheGuitarist]

is it weird that im vegitarian and i love to hunt

[flawlzingrock]

@JManTheGuitarist what do you do if you shoot something then?



[JManTheGuitarist]

@flawlzingrock easy...hunt1. deer---2.????---3.profit

[JManTheGuitarist]

@flawlzingrock easy...hunt deer1. ---2.????--- 3.profit

[flawlzingrock]

@JManTheGuitarist wtf what do you do just sell the meat?

[budstaxidermy]

@JManTheGuitarist There are a lot of people that shoot deer but don't eat them. Plenty of people will be happy to take the meat. If you don't know of anyone, contact your DNR or Sherrif. In Iowa, you can have the Sherrif put you on a list, and when someone hits a deer with a vehicle and doesn't want to keep it, they call someone on the list to come and get it. I'm glad you like to hunt, but please make sure the meat doesn't go to waste.

[JManTheGuitarist]

@budstaxidermy well i just cook it for some friends....yes i like to cook...i choose to not eat meat because its healther in my opinion.But it might be difrent for others

also if meat was all i had to survive.. I would eat it, but considering i can eat most grass of the ground...i doubt it will come to that.

[SemperFi92]

Thank you for the great vid. This was my third year hunting and I gutted or helped gut 3 deer. but we were having major problems mostley with the pelvis and chest cavity. This will help alot for the deer to come.

[A320PYLT]

That is by far one of the BEST field dress vids I have seen on here. GOOD SHOW!!!

I was worried for you there for a minute with how fast you were moving in there around those endtrails but you really pulled it off!!!!

[7300Matt]

Well done! Thank you for the info, I'm heading out tomorrow, hope I can put your advice to use!

[fishinhuntinman]

Nice deer where are you at?

[budstaxidermy]

@fishinhuntinman Iowa, it was a pretty nice doe. Good eatin'.

[MissIriee]

very nice vid ty for this...i plan to down my first deer this year :)

[NarutoFreak8980]

Man, now I have a craving for some venison roast...

[GrayStroke01]

good job! I'm shopping for a Remington 700 308 and can't wait for my first hunt!

[TOPGUN758]

Liked your video and how you dressed the deer. My husband will be taking me for my first hunt hopefully this year.... I'm from hawaii and all other videos gross me out but yours wasn't that bad at all! and my husband wants to know WHAT KIND OF KNIFE AND WHAT DID YOU USE TO SHARPEN THAT WITH????

[budstaxidermy]

@TOPGUN758 Just a cheap knife from Menard's...I paid less than $4 for it. I use Gatco Sharpening system. It holds the knife and you can choose whatever angle you want to use. I sharpen at 22 degrees.

Glad you liked it!!

[Dmajorproductions]

@budstaxidermy did you save big money?

[borgyoh]

Excellent. Very Professional. Hope it tasted good!

[casey197930]

Nice vid bro! Ive been doing it the hard way apparently.

[mooselipsify]

Great Video! This is the same way that I field dress both Moose and deer. Good job!!!!

[Bnatts90]

Hey I appreciate the video im a new hunter and nobody I knows can gut lol. Ty learned alot

[knivzta93Sback]

Really good video also could you show how to gut other mammals like rabbit or moose?

[marcusorilius]

Great video - really good instruction. Thumbs up!

[danthedark96]

how easy is it pop the guts like by touching them???

[budstaxidermy]

@danthedark96 No, you'd have to poke them with something sharp. I have tore them in the past by pulling too hard, but that's the exception and not the rule.

[danthedark96]

why you wearing gloves???

[budstaxidermy]

@danthedark96 When my wife shot it, she called me. I drove the truck to her, and I remembered that if I didn't want to get the door, steering wheel, etc all bloody.....I better bring gloves. I've made that mistake a few times!

[Pooshooter5k]

@danthedark96 You should all ways wear gloves many animals carry various blood borne pathogens like hepatitis B and other diseases. Not that its a huge risk but putting on gloves is easy so why take the chance plus you just stay cleaner.

[amitp2]

You really are a skilled butcher.

[TheWhiskeyHero]

did a good job, iv cleaned many deer in my 22 yrs of life, but u 4got 2 mention removing the scent gland in bucks, it can cause alot of the meat to taste like piss

[glasseverywhere]

What time a knife u using?

Great vid 10/10

[budstaxidermy]

@cheez4me333 Same way for bucks or does. Just cut along one side of the male parts and treat them like they weren't even there.

[1LonePuma]

Well done and very professional! I hope those who need a one on one lesson commit this video to memory.

[metalmulisha27]

great video, just what i wanted. I am13 but i look forward to hunting with my friend and his dad. Now i know hot to quarter a deer. Thanks.

[littlesqueakersrats]

Great vid, thanks for shareing. I ay have to field drss my first deer this season and I'm so excited, even for a Doe, I wanna try those backstraps!

[MrShankspony]

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this (for whatever reason). I feel ahead of the game now (no pun intended). Lazyweb: can you tell me if cleaning a buck is as simple (e.g. Pelvis)?

[budstaxidermy]

@MrShankspony : Cleaning a buck is the same. Some older deer (does or bucks) can take a little more force to cut thru the pelvis, but it works every time.

[budstaxidermy]

@Lund2008Rebel : the guthooks work, they do a good job of making the initial cut from the neck to the 'vent' without puncturing thru the guts and making a mess. you use that if you're going to skin the deer before you gut it. or if you peel some of the skin away before you gut the deer so that you get less blood on the hide when you gut it. guthooks can be a help for beginners or those with experience. then again, I don't like to carry much with me, so I get by with a plain old sharp knife.

[peteraltas]

Great video and a very simple technique. Just what I've been trying to find. Thanks.

[MrRadaikon]

I've only ever done something like that on a animal specimen..in a lab... with a scalpel It's different when the animal is freshly caught and edible and really big. I guess the knife is the scalpel in this case.

[SnkyCyanTurtle]

good hunting and gutting

[thebakuman77]

ohhh thats the heart lol thats was cute ive never got to hunt im 13 -_- my dads not a hunting fan anymore but i plan on going with my freinds great vid btw dude

[rescul2418]

you split that one open buddy lol. nice job and clean :)

[Aasinp]

I may need to do this to a goat. Is it a similar process?

[budstaxidermy]

Yes, it will work for goats, pigs, elk, etc.

[Mareon365]

great deer what you shoot that with?

[budstaxidermy]

It was a 50cal CVA muzzleloader. (my wife shot it)

[txmalcontent]

Great video, not many out there as detailed as this one.

[cheez4me333]

lol, 8:01 "its pretty much already clea- *drops on ground* n "

[budstaxidermy]

@TheRossBeast

I have the squirrell video you requested on my channel now.

youtube.com/watch?v=Br4_6VbMaB­w

BudsTaxidermy

[jbird4h30]

Exactly the efficient, articulate "How To" video I was looking for. Thank you.

[bkreynoso]

FINALLY a good "HOW TO" video!!!!

[TheLastGuyStanding00]

Now what if I did not have a sharp knife?

Say I'm stranded in the wilderness. Would it make a significant different if I had to improvise one of rock or wood?

[usnavysss]

as in eat it freshly cooked,there should be no bacteria in it?

[budstaxidermy]

The heart is very good to eat. Cut it open and clean the membranes and veins from it first. Then:

1 grind it and mix it with other burger, or:

2 cut it up small and bread and deep fry for snack, or

3 slice and fry, or

4 line with bacon, roll like a rolled roast, and bake.

There is a lot you can do with it depending how you cut it. Just make sure you cut off the membranes/veins....or it will feel like you're trying to chew on rubber bands.

[budstaxidermy]

If you're a liver guy, you can eat the deer liver just as you would any beef liver. Cut it and clean it just like a beef liver.  It's very good too.

[usnavysss]

you could eat the heart rite?

[budstaxidermy]

That shouldn't be a problem, I'll see what I can do.

[SAR0311]

Easily the best dressing video I have seen on youtube.

[budstaxidermy]

Thanks to all for the kind words, I'm glad you liked the video. Please spread the word so that everyone else can see it.

[gomerismyhero]

Nicely done. Possibly the cleanest field dressing I've ever seen.

[MrLorenzotrigueros]

oh ok thanks for repleying me your awsome make more vids of you skinning deer i like them

[budstaxidermy]

Just a cheap pocket knife I got from Menard's for a few bucks. Keep it sharp, you won't need anything expensive.

[MrLorenzotrigueros]

what knife u useing