# Field dressing & butchering tools?



## Philbee (Jul 5, 2004)

I would like to know what knives, saws & other tools that you all recommend for field dressing and butchering deer and elk. I have seen ads for the "Wyoming Knife" and all sorts of Field Dressing Kits. What do you all use. Your information will be appreciated.

Philbee


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## poorboy (Apr 15, 2006)

Field dressed two this last season with my Gyver knife (swiss army). cut em up with my green river butcher. used a hatchet on one to split the pevic bone, on the other I cut through it with my old timer large folder.


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## foxtrapper (Dec 23, 2003)

I use a little paring knife when I dress deer. 

When I split the belly I don't need or want much blade because I don't like puncturing gut organs. With a sharp thin blade I can slice right up through the rib cage along side the breast bone to open that up fully for cooling. With the blade under my finger, I can slide right up through the neck and slice the pipes and anything else I need to slice quite neatly, without cutting other things accidently.

Long ago I learned the wisdom of not splitting the pevis. Makes things much easier to carry if it's not split. Take that same little paring knife and just cut around the anus. Pull it out, tie it off, and pull it back through. 

It's not cool or macho to use a little paring knife or tiny folding knife, but it sure does work well for me.


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## travlnusa (Dec 12, 2004)

I use a short blade skinning knife, and then a filet knife.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=WWR182

http://www.knifecenter.com/knifecenter/western/images/wr182.jpg

I use this, along with deep throated hacksaw I got at Lowe's for about $8. The gut hook on the wider knife does great, and the smaller knife is good for tighter spots. They come SHARP from the factory, and hold an edge very well


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## Guest (Jan 6, 2007)

For field dressing out in the woods all I use is my trusty old timer pocket knife (sharpened before I go hunting) and a folding saw that I carry in my back pack. I use it to split the pelvic and trim limbs off around my treestand. Also, I take along a few wet wipes to try and get as much blood off my hands and arms as possible. 

In my opinion, never use a gutting knife blade to cut the deers belly open, unless you like a lot of deer hair in your meat. I just use my largest blade on my pocket knife and cut a little slit open at the bottom of the deer's abdoman. Then insert the knife under the skin and rip up in a upwards motion toward the splin. This prevents cutting the hair and helps keep hair to minumum when processing. 

I also carry a gallon size ziploc bag (which is usually what I keep the wet wipes in) to place the deers liver in. I don't eat the liver but I use it for catfish bait.

As for the butchering part. I use the same pocket knife to skin the deer out. A 8" fillet knife and my pocket knife to remove the muscles from the bone while the deer is hanging. A sawzall to cut the head and feet off. Also to split the pelvic and hip bone down the middle. I use a electric table meat saw to make 1" thick round steaks, or 2" thick round roast out of the hindquarters. A Torrey M12 meat grinder (commercial type) that quickly grinds all the trimmings up and does an excellent job at it. A 17 pound sausage stuffer to make my own sausages. Also, a meat mixer to mix ingredients in the sausage. It does a lot better then using your hands, especially if your mixing large quantities. A 10 shelf food dehydrater for making jerky. 

The reason why I have most of this equipment is cause I periodically process deer for people to make extra money.


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

My buck folding hunter, and a comercial quality boning knife.


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## Clifford (Aug 14, 2004)

When dressing out in the woods I use my small folding lock back Buck knife.

I also a bread bag, or a gallon zip-loc bag to but the heart and liver in. We slice and fry the heart with onions, muchrooms and garlic with fried potatoes. Don't eat the liver but use it for making our own trapping bait.

When butchering, we use a reciprocating saw with a wood blade to cut off legs, head and to quarter the carcass. I also have a bandsaw for meat that we use. A regular boning knide helps to make the right cuts to ready the meats for the bandsaw (chops, steaks, roasts, etc). We make our own sausage with an electric grinder with stuffer attachments. We never make regular groiund venison as it's all made into summer sausage or bratwurst.


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## Philbee (Jul 5, 2004)

Thank you for the information. I learned a few new ideas that I will certainly use in the future.

Thanks, ------------- Philbee


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