Skinning deer

Does everyone in Texas skin their deer right away after field dressing. Last deer I shot was in 20 degrees and 4 inches of snow in Nebraska. We field dressed and hang out our deer for a week or two.l before skinning and processing. With the heat here I've seen many skin their deer right away. Or do some just take it to the processor right away if they don't have a way to cool it down.

I never field dress a deer I take it back skin, quarter, debone, process all at once

I hang, cut hide back. Take a filet knife and cut the meat off the bone on site. Trash bag it. Haul the whole carcass to the creek bottom for the dogs and coyotes. I always leave the guts in. I do it immediately as its always too hot here.

I've done both. If we have a bunch to clean, I'll just gut and hang in the walk-in for a couple days. Then quarter before heading home. If only a couple, I'll skin, remove quarters, backstrap and trimmings and put on ice. Never have to gut the deer this way. They're much easier to skin and quarter when warm, as opposed to pulling them out of the walk-in and doing so. We never gut deer in the field. Everything comes back to the headquarters and is processed there. One gut pile (bulldozed pit) for all carcasses.

I will gut the deer in the field, then depending on how cold or not it is, will skin and process it the next day or two after the kill.

How hot are yall hunting in? Iv left guts in deer for a few hours while its 70-80degrees? they can sit much longer

I've always gutted mine right after the kill. Regardless if its 90 or 20.

I've always gutted after kill, but I've hunted colder temps. But left skin on while it hung for a week in freezing temps. For people that don't process their own which I am likely not going to die to apartment living, do you just bring in whole deer or just the quarters and back straps

Most processors will take a deer either way, but I always quarter mine myself and then take the quarters into the processor. It should save you a little money and isn't all that hard to do.

Skin on or off

They will take it either way.

I field dress right after the kill. Usually hang it and finish the job that night. If it's cold enough i'll let it hang until after the next day.

I don't field dress.

I will skin, quarter, onto ice all at the same time. Either process myself or drop the quarters with a buddy for grind/sausage/jerky.

field dress and then quarter, put on ice and let it rest for a day or so. Changing the ice once before taking it to the processor.

I field dress every deer I kill. All go into a walk-in cooler when it is available and a few are skinned and quartered, then put on ice.

I don't gut my deer if I can make it home quick and I find it quick. If I don't have to take the chance of cutting intestines, I'm not going to. The tenderloins are the only thing I miss. I skin it, get the quarters and backstraps and leave the guts inside the ribs untouched.

Yeah but if your a mile back in the thicket and have to drag it out on your own your going wanna gut it...unless your the Hulk with a fresh new young back!!

Spill the guts where they fall immediately. Then skin,quarter and on ice as fast as possible. Process everything myself.

My son worked for a processor last year while in highschool.

I WOULD NEVER BRING A DEER TO A PROCESSOR AFTER TALKING TO HIM...PERIOD.

Folks actually bring un gutted deer in for processing. Blew my mind. Gut shot, etc. All the sausage meat is mixed, etc.

No thanks.

I skin and gut usually within the hour. If it's cold enough I let it hang as long as possible (up to a few days) if not I wet age the meat in the cooler, keep the drain plug open and add ice as it melts. Don't know if this actually does anything but its tradition..

After the shot, we load up the deer and bring it immediately back to camp. Skin, gut, quarter and throw it on ice. Usually takes about 30 min to an hour for everything depending on stand location of the shot. Process the deer ourselves. It's a lot of work, but the end product is definitely worth it.

depends on temps....if its warm...gutted in the field and taken to processor immediately...if it's below 40 degrees...i'll gut it in the field and may let it hang overnight but it will be in the processor by noon the next day...either way, I leave the skin on.

Why don't yall gut your deer?? You're losing a lot of good meat just taking the quarters.. Particularly the tenderloins! I keep all the scrap meat (neck, ribs, flank, etc) for grinding and.. Call me crazy but the heart is one of the best parts! Slice it thin, season with Tony's and pepper, dust in flour and fry it up!

i strive to get mine apart and in the cooler a.s.a.p.
they skin and cut up way easier before they get stiff.
if it's cold it's also easier on the hands to work with
a fresh carcass instead of a block of ice.

Well, i guess here in texas most of time is not cool where you can hang a deer that night,
though at times yes you can. but our exierence has been its easier to get the hide off
the animal when its somewhat warm, rather than days later from a cooler! easier on the
hands and knuckles in my book! Never had a walk in cooler to hang the meat for days like
curing or aging beef, so for us hide off, knifes out and quarter it to the cooler til we get back
to house for final cleaning.

As for the guts, we save the heart, lungs here if its not gut shot, makes great gravy or catfish
for the following spring, if you fish! holds well in the freezer if you zip loc the bags tight with no
air!

Ready for some fresh jerky in couple weeks!


hunt safe.....

I like to gut,skin,and quarter in camp and haul everything to the gut pile when done. If its below 40 will I will let it hang over night. Let it set on ice in the cooler for 3-4 days then proccess myself. Would like to make an old fridge into a meat locker one day.

When many people use the term "quarter a deer" they mean more than just the four shoulders. Using the no-gut method I get the quarters, straps, tenderloins, neck meat, etc. I can even get the heart and liver if I want. Only meat I don't get is the rib meat, which I didn't take even when I used to field dress.

I've gutted, skinned and quartered the deer I kill but the last few years I just skin'em and quarter and get them on ice.

I just quarter my deer and don't gut them. I leave the carcass for the coyotes. I don't take the tenderloins or any neck meet. Just the front shoulders, the hind quarters and the back straps.

If I understand the TPWD rules correctly, you can only legally transport a quartered deer or a gutted deer. Under the quartered deer definition it doesn't include the tenderloins.

Meaning you can't de-bone cube or grind the meat before transport. They don't require you take the tenderloins but why anyone wouldn't take them is what I'm confused about.

As I understand it, if you are processing on-site you can do whatever you want with the deer before you transport.

But if you aren't, you can only legally transport a gutted deer or a quartered deer, as I previously posted. This is my understanding of the TPWD rules. I just want to comply with the rules in case I get stopped by the game warden.

Others can chime in if they read the rules differently. TIA

You can't do whatever you want before transport. You can process in camp IF camp qualifies as final destination. If it doesn't, you can quarter, but cannot de-bone, cube, grind, etc. and proof of sex is required. Processing in Camp

Field dress only if unable to skin and quarter right away. Is it unlawful to debone the quarters at the lease if you do have refrigeration?

Field dress immediately after killing and take to local processer. If it after hours put in their cooler. They do a much better job than I ever could or would.

You can only process a deer further than 4 quarters for immediate consumption in camp. Otherwise it must remain quartered with proof of sex as well.

I take everything but the ribs... and still don't gut the animal... ribs are just not worth it imo.. the flank is kept, tenders, strap.. neck meat, shoulders, hams... I usually got a big hole in the heart so its no good anyway

you guys wanting to process and transport you can fill out a W.R.D.

Are ya'll saying you can't transport the deer whole?

you can transport whole but you have to keep it edible.

I do the same.. it helps rid it of that game flavour that at times can be super strong.


Soaking it in ice water for a few days.

You can debone a deer in camp only if you have an on site walk in cooler or equivilent and have the TPW cold storage log book.

Newbie question, for proof of sex do you have to bring the head of the doe or buck with you to the processor?

We used to do a lot more. I didn't even know til 2 years ago that you could take a gutted, unskined deer to the processor. I'll let them do the dirty work now. I just gut them in the field, and cut the head off it I want to make a European mount. Take both with me to the processor and drop it off.

For the newbie, yes, take the head the head of the deer to the processor for proof of sex.

I get the deer skinned and the meat on ice as soon as possible. If practical I skin before I gut. If I have to handle him by myself, I gut him where he falls and skin him later. For those who don't keep the neck meat let me share this. Cook the neck in the pressure cooker with potatoes, carrots, and onions and it is a great tasting roast (the neck meat has more flavor than any other meat on the deer). Now the neck has become one of my favorite parts. The neck is also excellent for making tamales.Once again cook it in the pressure cooker then "string" the meat out for carne desebrada.