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.
My methods almost identical except for two things:
1/I cut out the scent glands behind the rear 'knees.'
2/I cut around the butt-hole and use bread bag twist tires, the wire type or cotton string, and tie it off, to prevent the pooper from messing up the insides.
Once this is done, I then start the long belly to rib cage cut, and continue pretty much like you do, Brother Jack.
PS: I did not read every post here, but I hesitate to use any kind of saw blade unless absolutely required. If you miss any bone bits during clean up, these bone fragments, Gary D, if missed, contribute to early spoiling of the meat while in the freezer. In the pelvic area, are very close to the best cuts of meat, and I wish not to miss bone fragments/dust there.
If I need a bigger cutting tool, it's a heavy knife or hatchet utilized,(pelvic area) preferably with a single clean blow. I am talking deer here, not elk/moose.
I will say though I do use a saw on the ribs, and I am very careful to prevent particles from dropping into the cavity. (average deer, this is four rib sections, handy BBQ size, ready for the marinade)Also these deer ribs are cooked very soon, usually before the backstraps or tenderloins, so long term frozen storage is not an issue.
