Could you field dress a deer with a Case Peanut if you had to?

While deer hunting in Virginia back in the 1970s a fellow in the next camp got a nice deer. While he was skinning it with a skinning knife, someone asked if he thought he could skin it with a pocket knife. As an answer, he picked up a pull-tab from a beer can and skinned out part of the deer with it.

I've hunted and skinned animals for years and think I could do it with a peanut but as Halfneck said; it wouldn't be nice or pretty.
 
I "field-dressed" and skinned a steer with a peanut (well, Western 292) one day, so I'm sure a deer with a Case would be no problem. I know several people who use scalpels to field-dress game.

For field-dressing, it isn't the size of the blade that really matters as long as it is long enough to make the needed incisions (maybe 3/4" minimum?). Handle length is more important: you have to have enough to hold on to.
 
Not a deer put once helped a neighbor skin and quarter a 2500 lb bull that lost a fight with a pu. Tools used one schrade shrpfinger and a steel for touch up. Not a peanut but still damn small for this size of animal would have sold my soul for a bone saw. But after fishing for the joint and separating it it did do the job. Its not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog type mentality to do this. Messy slow etc etc but can be done.
 
I prefer a short 3" knife for field dressing whitetails. I could do it with the peanut but prefer a fixed blade.
 
Over the years I've read posts from fellas who said they actually had field dressed a deer with a peanut. I have no reason to doubt them.
 
Here is photo of my buddy teaching his cousin and son how to gut a cow elk. As a point he is using a Buck 303 Stockman. I thought I had a photo of him sticking his arm way up inside cutting the lung wall out but can't find it easily. Skinning occurred back at camp with larger knives. 300

 
I'm positive it could be done, and I may just have to try this coming winter. I know one guy that uses a folding box cutter for most of his hunting tasks, and that has a shorter edge length than a peanut (I think).
 
I helped my neighbor butcher a hog once.he used a box cutter for all the skinning. I think that the blade length is plenty for field dressing, actual butchering would be better with something bigger. I've never owned a peanut, or used something smaller than my large stockman for dressing out butchering any animal larger than a rabbit. But as others have pointed out, it is more likely the handle size that will make it suck for that job. My hand cramps up using my 110.
 
I wasn't there to witness the act, but my brother told me he gutted out a deer with the small (3/4") blade of a Rough Rider small sunfish I sent him a couple months before. Just to see if he could do it. Not sure I could, but he has a lot more experience field dressing than I do. He did say reaching up inside to cut everything loose behind the rib cage was kind of messy.
 
Disclaimer: I know nothing about field dressing a deer, and I'm no hunter. :)
Yet, I assume that anything can be cut, providing you know what you're doing and have a sharp object at hand.
Whether it's comfortable or not, or if it makes any sense (aside from "unpredicted" situations) that's another story... :rolleyes:

Fausto
:cool:
 
I field dressed an 8 point Whitetail in 2008 with a small Case stockman. I might have to give my Peanut a go at it this fall.
 
I can and have done so. Or, as others have said, with another brand of knife of the same size. Just last year I skinned and butchered a buck with an old Imperial Topsy miniature knife. Pictures are here on the forum somewhere but I forget where and I am not on my home computer where they are stored. Yes, it takes a bit longer. Gripping the tiny knife is not a huge deal and a blade 1" +/- long will work though I prefer a larger knife handle and blade given the choice. My grip on the Topsey was forefinger along the spine of the blade with thumb and second finger gripping/pinching the tiny handle. Maybe someone remembers the post and can bring the two photos here.
 
I remember seeing some 'topsys' in an antique store, and I can't fathom using one for field-dressing
Codger_64 said:
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And the Imperial Topsys and Midgets.

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Click to expand...
 
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