Went for a long time not gutting them. I gut mine now mostly to lessen the weight and make them easier to deal with.

LO wants us bringing them back and skinning/cleaning them at the house. He believes it causes less attraction for predators in his pastures. (But It's a field day at the dump, let me tell you!)

I'm gonna try not gutting next season, or maybe this year with a guest's deer. I'll have to watch a YouTube video for how to get the hind quarters off without causing a mess.

There's three other pastures leased, with one skinning station, with mostly worn out winches, cables, etc. Some other hunters love to roar up there on their stupid UTV,that seems to be running 24/7, when they see anyone else and see what's been killed. I understand the attraction, but don't show up and kibitz dammit.

We lay em on their back, unzip from anus to chin (no shoulder mount of course). Cut through the hams, right in the center, then put the point of the knife on the suture of cartilage connecting the pelvis, and pound on the heel of the knife the palm of the other hand, and get it cut from north to south. Open the deer's back legs, stand on em, squat down, grap the tail, and stand up. Boom, rectum has a place to come out. Go back up to the chin, grab trachea, and esophagus in one hand, cut them loose, and start pulling toward the tail. A few cuts of fascia along the way, and every organ comes out in one piece. Deer just lost several pounds, making it easier to handle.

Back at camp, we skin head up, hanging from an old swingset frame, leaving the back legs touching the ground. Once the hide is peeled back to just above the tail, hold in both hands raise a foot onto it, and step down. The legs are way stronger than the arms.

To go the gutless method, hang the deer by the hind quarters, cut the head off, skin the deer, remove the shoulders, then backstraps. Cut the guts down and let them fall into the rib cage until you can grab the tenders. After that cut the spine right below the hams with a saw or sawzaw and you are left with just the hams hanging together. Separate the pelvis and you are done. It really is that simple.

That's how we do it too, except use a saw for the pelvis and brisket. It can be done quick fast and in a hurry. Then with the guts out I can let it hang for an hour to cool while I go inside where my momma has coffee and a breakfast fit for a king ready.

Plus the gutless is a no go for me because we save the ribs flank etc. for sausage/burger grind.

Boom.

The eye bolts in the concrete are to attach a short cable to the hide so when winching up the deer it pulls the hide off. You can see the shadow of the a'frame the electric winch is tied on. Only picture I still have of the contraption.

That's how we always did it before we started hanging them to gut, but used a roofing hatchet and hammer instead of the saw. I always have a hammer and roofing hatchet in the bed of the truck during deer season, just for that. I cant ever hit the same spot twice with a hatchet, so that's what the hammer is for. haha Put the blade on the pelvis then smack with a hammer a few times and done. Smaller deer we do like Fireman said.. big knife and the heel of your hand.

That's what we use at this lease. Works. Most of the time. The hide can break when you're almost through (with the head and forelegs cut off); then, it's a PITA.

I still like to winch the skin off. At least it seems to take less time. Good idea on the I bolt.

Does no one simply cut the meat from the bone around the pelvis and then pop the ball out of the socket??? It may take a few deer to learn the curve, but you probably couldn't fill a taco with the amount of meat left once you get the hang of it! I always butcher my own deer, and taking the hindquarters all the way down to the femur when quartering saves a good bit of time later when cutting steaks or separating the muscles prior to grinding. And no need for a hatchet or pruning shears....

Get one of these makes quick cuts on legs and down the center. deer will peel like a banana.

"Well, I guess everybody does it a little differn't,"

Link?

Cheap too,
https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/game-winner-skinning-tool

After skinning with the winch I do it like that. My uncle was a butcher and showed me how to pop the ball joints and cut the tendons on the ankle joints and never need an ax or saw.

Yes, after gutting and skinning.

Same as the knees, and the hocks. Cut around the joints, cut the ligaments, bend/ break sideways, legs come off. I only need a sharp knife, no saws or hatchets.

just a knife here too for legs & splitting the pelvis ... unless a pretty good buck that I can't it the cartilage to split the pelvis to pull the tail end of the guts to rectum out.

always remove the hind quarter by tracing the pelvis to back bone to hit the ball/socket with little wasted meat left on the carcass.

If you are going to be a bear be a grizzly.

Get the Raptor-razor trust me.


Becareful not for those with ADD.

That's how I do it. Father in law and brother in law use the battery powered sawzall to cut pelvis, but I hate having to trim out the damn bone chips afterwards. Wastes less meat to trim the bone to the joint.

Exactly how I remove the rear quarter.

My method is to skin, remove the quarters, trim the neck and brisket. Make a small slit along the lower spine to remove the tenderloins as the last step.

No need to gut anything. Take the remaining carcass to the field for the critters.

I have skinned and quartered a bunch, but discovered about 5 years ago the processor I take them to will do it for $20 - plus will come up and meet me up till 10 PM. Sooo....I just gut them and part with the $20 these days.

We do a similar thing to the first part, but we hang em upside down. Stepping on the hide thing is one of the best things I've learned.

Also, the reason why we gut/skin our deer in their entirety is because we eat just about all of it. Neck, ribs, brain/tongue sometimes. I understand that many people don't, but we do, hence throwing away a carcass save the quarters, loins, and backstraps does not sit well with me. But again, your tag, your deer, your choice. I'm just explaining why I hold the opinions I have.

That is how we do it, once you figure out the joints it only takes a second.
My brother would use a pair of tree loppers to cut the bones, they were sharp and would poke through a zip lock bag like a knife. He now separates them at the joint too.

Telling you guys, check out Rapor Razor. Been super happy with mine