Gloves when cleaning game

The brucellosis thread in the hog hunting forum got me thinking. Who wears gloves when cleaning game?

I started a few years ago when I found it’s easier to clean up when back in the woods when wearing gloves. When water is limited gloves make a lot of sense.

I don’t wear them because if any fear of catching a disease

None of the above.....

I wear them if I'm at home more often the in the field. A lot of it depends more on what I am cleaning and where I am cleaning it.

First reason, easier cleanup.
2nd, hands don't get too cold in cold windy weather.
Not for the other reasons.

I think I will

Never did for the first 40 years of my hunting. They are so cheap and easy now, I don't hardly ever gut them without using em. They give a lot better grip with these new super-sharp knives too! I get the ones from an auto paint supply; they are twice as durable. Plus, I don't get flea bites and mites on my hands, when doing hogs.

Keep a box in the RV by the sewer cleanup, a box in the shop by my acetone and thinner/paint, and another out in the garden shed.

This exactly

I went for decades without using gloves, but after health issues shot my immune system to hell, I started using gloves. Now I wonder why I did not start earlier, they are comfortable, keep my hands and most of my arms clean. In the winter with wind blowing they are warmer than exposed hands. I got some from a butcher friend that I had asked about what to get.

This^^^^

No running water at our lease so every drop of blood I can keep off of me is less water it takes to clean up.

For about the last 10 years I have been using the heavy long dishwashing gloves you can get at Dollar Tree. They dont puncture near as easy as the surgical type gloves and they cover dang near all the way to your elbow so reaching all the way into the chest cavity to pull everything out is not an issue. I usually just toss them after each animal but if you wanted you could wash and reuse. Sometimes you can get them in twin packs for the same price so I usually buy several when I find them.

" They give a lot better grip" - my main reason.

Been using them for 15+ years and like them. When done dressing the animal slip em off and leave in the gut pile.
Don't have blood and other stuff under my fingernails.

Don’t think I have ever gutted an animal with gloves on.

Neither have I. But the brucellosis thread had page after page of people touting gloves. I was beginning to wonder if I was the only one not wearing gloves.

Never used them till about 30 yrs ago now. I started using gloves back in 1990 or 1991 after having to clean so many deer every hunting season. My hands would dry out and crack badly from the blood and lower humidity. The blood would stain into my hands...making it difficult to get my hands clean. I started using gloves and have every since that time. I keep a full box of them in my cleaning bag to use on deer, hogs and turkey.

We wear them if possible.
Spouse knows a guy that caught and had brucellosis from wild game, mostly likely a bison but could have been an elk. You do not want that diseases. he had affects for months.

The used gloves get picked up as they do not breakdown in nature very fast.

This^^^^^^^^^ and I don't touch those nasty hogs anymore.

They've recommended gloves while cleaning rabbits for years. I don't know if any rabbit diseases are found in larger game.

I carry them and try to use them every time, but I forget a lot.

For years i never used them but started wearing them the last ten years or so. Cheap, easier cleanup, not a down side to them for me.

Usually not... if i have a cut or sore on my hand i would. just wash them real good in hot soapy water when im done.

This is the ones I use when I use them at all. Thick and durable....

I wish I always had a pair of gloves every time I killed something. That is the way to go.

Had a Soldier once who had a small scratch on his hand. He cleaned the main gun on our Bradley and a few days later was in the hospital with an infection in his hand. HE ALMOST LOST HIS HAND. After his surgeon told me how close he came to losing his hand, I remember helping him pull dead skin off his hand with tweezers AFTER HIS SURGERY. I know there's a perception out there that you're not a man unless you clean a wild animal with your bare hands, but that's BS. Cleaning a deer bare-handed isn't worth your hand. Do what you're comfortable with, but I'm wearing gloves...and couldn't care less what some people thought about it. YMMV.

It's stupid NOT to wear gloves.

Uh...Yes on the gloves

I' agree. Have a box in my hunting "bag" Several pair in my back pack with all my tagging stuff.

Always wear them while breasting everyone's doves. Trash bag, shears, bucket of water, Ziploc Freezer bags with everyone's name, number of breasts and the date written on it with Sharpie. I watch too many Game Warden shows on TV.

I've begun using the shoulder length gloves out now mainly to keep blood off shirt sleeves. Also use a heavy pair over everything.

Please don't leave your gloves in the gut pile, always dispose of them properly. If its your personal property, do whatever you want to.

I started long ago. I reached in to snatch out the tender loin, my hands being wet the connective tissue easily cut deep into 3 of my fingers. When cleaning lots of deer and washing up frequently it can prune up your hands and soften the skin, making it easy for the connective tissue to cut into you. I where thick latex gloves for that reason.

Never used 'em for 40 years, never had a problem. I will use them if they're around, but I'm not going to wait on them if they're not around.

Yes on gloves for deer/hogs, but I clean birds bare handed

Gloves are a must. I have found some cleaning gloves at Home Depot that work great. Long cuffs, thick and you can rinse them off to reuse numerous times. Way better than the cheaper dish washing gloves that I've used in the past. An inexpensive way to prevent a possible infection. Found in the paint department at Home Depot.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/SM-MD-Orange-Nitrile-Long-Cuff-Gloves-HDXGNGOMD1/312207723

The cleanup after using gloves is the best part about using gloves. Pull one glove off with it now inside out and then pull the other glove off over the top of the first one. Now all dirty parts of the glove are on the inside and packed tightly. You can now put them in your pocket or bag and not worry about getting other stuff dirty. ZERO cleanup. On rare occasion I’ll have to wipe a little blood off my upper forearm but usually I an gut an animal (deer or elk) and not have a spot of blood on me after I am done. It’s simply a convenience. The added protection from infection is a bonus but not the main reason I always wear gloves.

Is grease that gets me. I remember when I cleaned my dads bear back in the day that fat stuck to my skin. I seldom gut a deer/elk/bear etc any more.

You ready for NM draw results

I have a question about the glove wearing.

Is it just a preventative for gutting? I know many don't partake in any other aspects of processing than gutting, but what about deboning? Handling while grinding/mixing seasoning for sausage, which we do by hand also?

Is it safe after its frozen? If it is not safe to handle at what temp is it safe to eat? I eat a lot of very rare venison.

I can't speak for everyone - but I only wear gloves for gutting deer/pigs or cleaning fish and ducks. Not really worried about diseases - it's just a heck of a lot easier to clean up. My hands get dry as heck in the winter time - already bad enough from just duck hunting/fishing - add in blood or fish slime and it makes it infinitely worse. I'm sure my wife appreciates my hands not feeling like coarse sand paper if they touch her lady parts. Gloves = little to no mess and no blood stained hands.

I'll wear gloves grinding/mixing sausage because - again- easier clean-up from the fat. I don't wear gloves when deboning or cutting any kind of meat. I also eat pretty much any kind of meat raw...diseases aren't really a big worry for me personally.

The ends of my fingers crack at the drop of a hat, especially in the cooler months. The ends of exposed nerves tend to get your attention, when you try to do anything. Hence, I'm kinda obsessed about gloves. I'll admit it, I wear gloves to wash dishes. And, no matter what the War Department says, I wash dishes more than the average husband! I too have found the Home Depot grouting gloves okay, but the best I've ever found was at Lowe's and they're called "refinishing" gloves. they slip on and off easily. But, I haven't been able to find them again. I put on the purple XL surgical gloves usually when I'm gutting something. As stated, it makes clean up a whole lot easier.




A good friend of mine told me that cleaning an elk by himself was the hardest he'd ever worked in his life. 'Hard to believe he only had a spot or two of blood on his elbow.

I don’t but I probably should. Just like I don’t wear ear protection while hunting but probably should too (I do at the range).

That friend most likely cleaned that elk via the good ole “GUTLESS” method. 😬. Increases your odds of not getting any blood on you by 1,000 %.

We wear gloves for gutting, skinning, deboning, processing, etc. Got to were i wear them at home when getting stuff ready to go on the smoker.
So use to wearing them now it is a normal part of the process.

Gloves are preferred when I clean a deer but an absolute must when cleaning a feral hog. Too many potential diseases in those critters.

Even gutless is a bloody endeavor. Lots of blood vessels near the hip socket where cuts have to be made.

I always wear gloves!

I wear palpating sleeves and nitrile gloves. The sleeves allow me to keep blood from getting on my coat sleeves.

Seems like my hands are always cut up to some degree, due to work around the ranch. Because of that, I have gone to wearing gloves.

I have abrasions and small cuts all the time on my hands from work. Ill wear the gloves thanks. Risking infection for machismo is not worth it.

Always if just for staying clean

Never wore gloves to clean game. I have nothing against it, but just never do.

I always wear gloves. As other have stated, my hands always nicks, cuts or abrasions so risk an infection.

Years ago, a friend was helping the Boy Scouts skin deer at a check station and unknown to him, he had a small scratch on his thumb. By monday morning his hand was a little sore and by monday afternoon he was in the hospital with blood poisoning. He spent about 10 days in intensive care before he finally overcame the infection that ravaged his whole body. I won't even touch a hog's legs to attach a drag without gloves on.

Wore them for years during my career dealing with people and their germs. That being said I've never worn them cleaning game. Once got blood poisoning from a manhole cover that split my knuckle open. Few days of antibiotics and it was knocked out. I have nicked and cut myself multiple times skinning game and never had any complications.

I try to use gloves, but I do not always remember or have them.
I buy a few boxes a year, no one else wants to use them. But they are always gone when I have an animal to clean.
I have the same problem with my guys and tools.

All the time. I have a couple of boxes in my camper that I use for pigs and when I drain the tanks.

Me too. Even the heavy ones tear cleaning dove

Always try to. If I don't have them, I am real careful. I have still cut myself thru them though somehow!?! I ain't cleaning a hog without them ever. Which is never as buzzards have to eat!!

I guess if one does not fear getting covid there is no reason to do so.

Buzz the gloves I wear are biodegradable. So I leave them in the gut pile.