Do you gut your own deer?

[joe-nwt]

The hunt camp rules thread got me wondering what the deal is with the "designated gutter". I've never heard of this, everyone I hunt with/around guts what they shoot. At the end of the day, everyone usually pitches in with skinning whatever was harvested that day.

So is "designated gutter" some kind of penalty for not doing the dishes in camp the night before, or what?

Or are people nervous about doing it while others are watching? Or scared they may make a mistake?

I think gutting your own kills is an invaluable learning experience with regards to the effects of shot placement and terminal ballistics.

I can recall only two instances where I didn't clean my own animal. The first was when my dad showed me how to do it when I was 14yo, the other when my brother volunteered because his hands were already bloody and someone had to walk back to get the truck. He was likely finished before I was out of sight.

What do you do?

(Ok, I got cut off as I was creating the poll, how do I add one?) (ok, figured it out.)

 

[Scott_N]

I gut my own because no one else is going to do it for me. I don't hunt out of a hunting camp though.

 

[bootz]

The two people I hunt with are extremely good at it. My brother in law and father in law. Typically us younger bucks do the work. My father in law insists on paying for fuel, food, etc so that is the least we can do. He doesn't have a problem doing it, just we feel it is a small thing we can do for him. As for our own deer, usually do our own but sometimes offer it up.

I agree with your point but when you hunt with the same crew we are all observing the details, who gets their hands dirty is irrelevant in my mind. If I am guttin', then usually someone else is cleaning up knives and the other is helping hold legs. Team effort all around. That's what I like about hunting.

 

['Boo]

I gut my own animals as well as the ones my daughter kills. (She does help though.)

I occasionally gut other peoples deer, especially if they want to get out of the job so badly they are willing to mangle their hand by falling on the Wyoming knife they had dropped in the grass ................... LoL

 

[WCTHEMI]

I do my own, however, when at our camp, a couple guys help with hanging and skinning, which is nice.

 

[saskgunowner101]

Being a new deer hunter this year, I had the option of "me" when it came to gutting my deer. I'd gutted grouse, ducks, bunnies before, but this was something else. Watching videos and YouTube only goes so far! Next deer will be a much quicker affair for sure.

 

[lister]

I always gut my own 'cause I'm not hauling a un-gutted deer through the bush! Any weight drop when dragging is good.

 

[Rotaxpower]

It aint that hard really, what is in the inside, goes on the outside

 

[BC Bigbore]

My first deer was gutted by myself while alone on a mountainside at 15yrs old (helping butcher steers while growing up makes a deer seem pretty easy) As for moose, help is nice but I've shot, gutted, loaded and skinned most of my bulls alone. You learn when not to pull the trigger pretty damn quick

 

[sheephunter]

Sometimes but other times prefer the gutless method....

 

[beefman]

If your deer hunting...you had better be prepared to gut your own. I've had to instruct a few people
on the what "to do" or "not to do", by far one of the funnier things I have witnessed.
Some folks just don't have the stomach for it, and its some funny sh*t watching them gag and spit all over the place.

And these guys that use rubber gloves...J.C. are you afraid to get your hands dirty.

But I will gut someones deer if they are physically unable to do it.
Or its them city folk that hit deer with their cars, then I get 1/2

 

[KODIAK BEAR]

If hunting solo then I obviously do my own but if there are a group of us, it is usually a team effort, two skinning and the rest just assisting where they can.
As for the glove thing, I don't mind getting covered in blood but blood and rifle bluing don't mix, unless of course you don't mind a bit of rust.

 

[gth]

I bet most people would be surprised how many hunters either dont want to or dont know how to gut their own game.


I was talking with a guy who does wild game cutting this year in southern Ontario. He had to train his wife to gut and skin deer because he couldnt keep up with the number of deer he had coming in with the entrail still intact.

He was charging $25 per deer just to gut and skin it............he just laughed and said his wife could almost do 10 an hour. (she had an electric winch)

What kind of a fancy-pants maroon doesnt even attempt to gut their own deer.

 

[Jordan]

I gut my own and uasually do the kids for them as well. They know how to I just volunteer to do the dirty work. I help the boys hang the animals and they do all the skinning. Lets me have a whiskey at the end of the day instead of standing around in the garage skinning deer.

 

[Ruffed Grouse]

I've gutted my own. Only exception is the last one that my wife gutted for me (ain't she great)? Actually, I'm not that big a jerk, she's always helped, but wanted to actually do it her self once with me around so that she'll be more confident hunting alone. Ain't she great?

RG

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[Hookturn]

What is the smell people talk about I just started hunting this year I helped gut one deer and did one by myself both whitetail. I didn't notice any bad smell do some stink more than others?

 

[woodchopper]

odd question..

I thought everyone gutted their own kills.

Now with the young guys in training they get help untill they know how to do it themselves. But after being shown a few time they are on their own, I will wonder by if I know they have a deer down to check on their progress after about 45min, really they should be done by then.

 

[lister]

Hookturn-

If you nick the bowel it'll be a bit rank.

 

[brotherjack]

Being a new deer hunter this year, I had the option of "me" when it came to gutting my deer. I'd gutted grouse, ducks, bunnies before, but this was something else. Watching videos and YouTube only goes so far! Next deer will be a much quicker affair for sure.

Yep, my first one took me probably 30 minutes to an hour. Many years and many deer later, it now takes me about 3 minutes (including a coffee break) - goes about like this:

Flip deer on back, and split the belly open from ribcage to pelvis (30 seconds, maybe less if I have a gut-hook handy).

Flip deer on to side, cut through diaphragm, and carefully reach up into chest cavity with both arms (and a knife), grab windpipe with one hand, cut wind-pipe up above that hand with kinfe (30 seconds)

Use now severed windpipe for a handle and pull hard on innards, using knife to cut loose any spots that hang up and don't tear loose with vigorous pulling/yanking until guts are all laying on the ground beside the deer (30 seconds).

Stop and sip coffee, wipe blood off of hands, observe results of bullet performance on innards, and make celebratory comments to hunting partner(s) (if any) (60 seconds)

Reach down and cut entrails off so about 10 inches of poop tube hangs out of the body cavity. Tie off poop tube so poop doesn't get on critter during trip home. (30 seconds).

Done - one field dressed deer, ready for hauling/dragging to a more convenient place to string him up for skinning and final preperation of the meat before hanging it to age a bit.

 

[sheephunter]

odd question..

I thought everyone gutted their own kills.

Now with the young guys in training they get help untill they know how to do it themselves. But after being shown a few time they are on their own, I will wonder by if I know they have a deer down to check on their progress after about 45min, really they should be done by then.

Ya, I have to admit that I never thought much about any of this until the deer camp rules thread popped up. Never knew that deer hunting in Ontario was that different but it is kinda cool to learn about what goes on in other parts of the country.......it's been a very educational couple threads! Always a good day when you learn something!