Splitting a big game carcass with an electric chain saw question?

[AlbertaJohn]

So we've always used a handsaw to split a deer/elk/moose carcass but that is hard work and time consuming and there has to be a better way.
I've heard of guys using an electric chainsaw to split a carcass and would love to read some reviews on the matter.
So what would be the Pro's.. Con's.. and the Ugly on this question?

 

[Can-down]

You can get meat blades for reciprocating saws and there are some pretty handy and compact cordless recip's

 

[keith mokry]

Recip saw is more handy and easier to clean up. Chainsaw leaves more bone sawdust on meat that will have too be removed

 

[350tracker]

I would think the chainsaw route would be messy as mentioned above and not fun to clean. I have used the reciprocating saw for some time now and has worked well. Also have stainless steel blades that do the job.

 

[Northern Shooter]

Make sure you pack a spare battery or two.

 

[jparent]

I have been using a reciprocating saw for years, minimal kerf waste, no bone chunks, easy clean up. A chainsaw seems unnecessarily ... messy.

 

[inthehizzy]

Bone dust, or worse, bone splinters in your meat. No thanks.

 

[hunter5425]

Chainsaws oil the bar so the bar oil would have to be removed, the oil tank cleaned, and the bar itself as well as chain cleaned. Most as mentioned use a reciprocating saw with a pruning blade. I'm old school and use a handsaw of some type ( batteries never die on these.)

 

[waldo54]

Chainsaw NO NO and NO lots of mess to clean up, bone splinters in meat, recipricating saw with a fine tooth blade or an old fashioned meat saw like I have from my dad, some horse power needed for that but it does a very nice job

 

[Bustercluck]

I use the longest and coarsest blade I can find. Splitting stuff like the rib cage you just have to trim the skin back and make a slice through the meat down to the bone or it seems to hang up. Split between rib 4 and 5 up to the spine with a knife and cut that with your sawzall and then follow the spine.

 

[Js4fn]

Use a battery saws all put it in a garbage bag stick blade out through bottom of bag saws all remains spotless wood blade

 

[MRP]

Make sure you pack a spare battery or two.

A 75 or 150 watt cigarette plug-in inverter run just about any battery charger. I carry one in truck and atv.

 

[gordonlbyrne]

Some good info here ,saws all for sure and a corse blade

 

[OkayShooter]

I found a saw all way more practical than a chain saw. I have both and the chain saw leaves more chunks. Then you need to worry about bone and flesh jamming up the chain.

 

[hawk-i]

If you're cutting with a chainsaw its best to cut from the inside to out before you skin it.

1st cut the animal in half (front and back) then half these by placing hide down, legs up, with the chainsaw from the inside follow the backbone. Use the tip of the bar with light pressure and shave the backbone slowly until you cut through it but stop once you're through the bone without cutting the hide.

Finish the hide cut with knife and wipe the bone dust off. Easy peasy

 

[Lefty Dick]

Been using a cordless “Sawzall” and a 9 inch pruning blade for years.
An inverter and charger in the truck keep the batteries topped up and ready to go…….

 

[remlin]

No chainsaw.
Instead reciprocating saw with these:

https://a.co/d/9gFkmV9

 

[JJ-65]

Given the amount of CWD in the game these days, the last thing I would do is saw up the spinal cord.

 

[starvin]

^^^
Everything done gutless now.

 

[homslice]

You can get meat blades for reciprocating saws and there are some pretty handy and compact cordless recip's

Next door to me is a butcher. He uses a reciprocating saw.
I've seen him do dozens of animals and he is no slouch he's been at it for 40+ years.
Just make sure you wash off the surrounding meat as the bone dust can give you faster spoiling and mess with the taste.