Arizona Outdoorsman / AZOD

Field Dressing 101

by Andy Kohly Assistant Hunting Editor

Ask any group of hunters if they know how to field dress and properly care for a downed game animal and you’ll no doubt hear a loud, resounding YES. If this were truly the case though, there would be a lot less people out there claiming they don’t eat wild game because of the alleged “gamey” taste.

In reality, field dressing is probably one of the most misunderstood and least appreciated tasks associated with hunting. The thing is though, that if game is not cared for properly and quickly, the meat can become tainted and that magnificent animal has just died for nothing…

Make Sure It’s Down:

The first rule of field dressing any animal is to first make sure that it is in fact dead. Every hunting camp I’ve ever visited has more than a few tales of that monster buck, bull or bear that suddenly came to life just as the hunter began the process of field dressing. It’s easy enough to do, but perhaps difficult in application.

After the shot, do not approach the downed animal right away but rather position yourself such that you can observe the animal yet remain concealed. Wait 10-15 minutes and then approach the animal. Doing so allows you to determine the effect of your shot and if a follow up shot is needed you’re in perfect position to do so. In addition, if the animal was only wounded, waiting that 10-15 minutes can allow the full effect of the shot to take place, whereby the animal is less apt to run.

Beginning The Process

After verifying that the animal is down, position the animal with its hindquarters oriented lower than the upper body. The reason behind this is that most large game animals bleed and drain better with the lower regions of the body pointed downhill. To make this task manageable, split it into two parts:

· Lower Body

· Upper Body

Lower Body:

Always start with the lower body first. The reason behind this is that the organs in this region are the ones that can do the most damage to the meat. Therefore, they should be removed first. Begin with a short bladed knife and cut down the center of the abdomen from the breastbone to the base of the tail by first cutting through the hide and then the abdominal muscles. While cutting through the abdominal muscles take great care to avoid cutting or puncturing the stomach, intestines, bladder or any other organs as doing so can ruin good meat.

Cut around the anus and pull it into the body cavity so it can be removed with the intestines. Roll the animal onto its side and loosen and remove the stomach, intestines and any other organs present. Once again, do not puncture or cut any organs, as doing so will spoil the meat. Also, if the liver is to be kept, it can be removed at this time. If saving the liver, clean it in cool water immediately.

Upper Body:

With the lower regions of the body now cleaned it’s time to move to the upper body. Cut around the diaphragm, and reach into the chest cavity. Cut the gullet and windpipe just in front of the lungs and pull the heart and lungs from the chest cavity. Drain any excess blood and wipe clean with paper towels.

Cleaning / Rinsing:

If water is available, rinse out the carcass and pay special attention to the areas impacted by the shot. Remove hemorrhaged tissue around any bullet holes and check to make sure no bile or intestinal fluid has come in contact with the meat.

Pelvic Bone / Breastbone:

Cutting the pelvic and breastbones can make field dressing easier. However, if you have to pack the animal back to camp before heading home for final processing, it may be a good idea to leave them intact. Why? Because leaving the pelvic and breastbones intact can help protect the meat, especially if the carcass is to be dragged back to camp.

Ready For Processing:

Once the animal has been field dressed it is ready for processing. Keep in mind though that it is essential to get the meat cool as soon as possible as the gamey taste people may experience is not because the meat is bad, but rather poorly handled. I believe my father summed it up very nicely when he said to me many years ago, “You’ve just taken this animal’s life. The least you can do is show the proper respect and make sure that its body does not go to waste.”