norcalblacktail
Gold Member
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2008
- Messages
- 2,422
Ive never cut the breastbone but everybody has there own technique. There are many saws and other tools that would do the job though.
What type knife do you use or recommend? Thanks.
Skin it...quarter it...bone it...and then pack it out.
In order to better clean out the body cavity, it's necessary to open the rib cage by cutting the breast bone. It takes a sharp knife and some effort. Be sure you have a good hold on the knife handle as slipping could be disastrous. I prefer to use some older leather gloves when I reach this point.
I'm probably going to start using some type of small saw to make this cut just to be on the safe side.
Watch the first part of this video to see what I'm talking about. Click here.
Guys,
It is not necessary to cut the breastbone to clean out the body cavity. It is also not necessary to cut the pelvis on most big game.
If you are talking about BIG GAME like ELK and MOOSE it is possible to take most of the meat without opening the body cavity except you can't take out the tender morsels...liver,heart and straps without doing it.
As far as cooling the meat goes....once the animal has the quarters off...and the meat on the outside of the backbone is harvested...there is very little left to take ...just what I mentioned previously.
Too many folks reading too many books....and believing that is the only way things can be done.
A lot of deer in some parts of the country are about the size of a big dog. In others they run way big 200 PLUS. Nevertheless, a lot of guys do a lot more cutting than is actually NEEDED. Funny, even skinning doesn't take a lot of cutting unless you are wanting to keep the skin for a trophy mount..and even then it might be best to get it to the taxidermy and let the experts earn their money.
Just like the books that tell you to cut a whole bunch of poles to build a shelter when you can use deadfalls and blowdowns to do the same thing with half the time and effort.
Don't buy all the baloney on the shelf. Think it through.
Anybody who has downed a Big Muley buck at the bottom of Pete's Hole will tell you...
Skin it...quarter it...bone it...and then pack it out. Don't get cute...just get it done. A man can skin any animal on the ground, no need for a tree....
If you get these steps wrong...you are in for a long day, Amigo.
Shane
and an animal can be skinned without doing so either.
I have always wondered why so many hunters/outdoorsman talk about things like this.
Sometimes discussion
I don't cut THROUGH the breastbone, I cut the cartilage around it where the ribs attach. I doesn't take much effort at all and it opens things up so it's much easier. You can do this with something like a Mora clipper with no problem--you don't need a saw at all.
I did accidentally cut right through the sternum once--that took a lot more effort than I'm used to. If you stay to the side it's much easier.
Why gut the deer at all , just take it home and cut it up.
Why gut the deer at all , just take it home and cut it up.