Field Dressing: Split the pelvis or not? - Page 2

nosualc · August 1, 2007, 10:44 PM

I've always split the pelvis (I use a very small, very sharp hatchet) but that's the only way I've ever seen it done.

I've learned something new! I take it you open the abdominal cavity just like normal (from just forward of the pelvic bone to the throat), but make a separate (more or less circular) cut around the anus. This makes it so that when the guts are pulled, it pulls what normally runs inside the pelvic cavity in and then out with the rest of the guts. Right?

I'll have to get myself a "special" knife and try it next time.

Up here in MN, it's often cold enough that cooling the body, isn't hard to do. Some years we can just pack the body cavity with snow and hang them for the night. Often, the whole thing will be frozen by morning.

-nosualc

stinger · August 1, 2007, 11:02 PM

Gutting the deer without breaking out a hacksaw shows a certain degree of skill, IMO. I don't have many other skills, so that is one I like to show off. And when nobody is watching, you can put it in your pocket

Was that out loud?

Yithian · August 2, 2007, 03:22 AM

http://www.hunterspec.com/indexVideo...&vidHeight=240

LOL
Watch at your own risk of sanity and anal-retentiveness.

We sell this in my Dept at Walmart.
Great fun indexing the vid to this clip on our TV display.
Everyone who watches it walks away a tad taller.

Fremmer · August 2, 2007, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Cut around the anus area and grab hold of that thing then tie it off with the always present piece of bailing twine and Voila no poo in the meat.

O.k., that's the answer I was looking for. Thanks!

ZeroJunk · August 2, 2007, 10:05 AM

This is worse than 30/06 vs 308.It's all personal preference.

rantingredneck · August 2, 2007, 11:00 AM

Indeed it is all preference. It seems to be influenced by the way each of us was taught to do it the first time. Either way gets the job done and I've tried it once the other way (splitting). I didn't have good results

.

I showed that "butt out" tool to my father in law in Walmart a couple weeks ago. We both got a good laugh out of it. I like gadgets as much as the next hunter/shooter and have tried many of them. My conclusion is that most of them are more ideas on how to separate us from our money than anything else.

I mostly started the poll to see how many pelvis splitters there were vs. how many hemmorhoid surgeons. Looks pretty even so far.

Art Eatman · August 3, 2007, 09:53 AM

For me, splitting the pelvis is just another one of those things my father taught me.

So, I just set the blade of my pocket knife on the pelvis and carefully go tap, tap, tap with a handy rock until it splits. Spread Ol' Bucky open and out comes all that rear-end stuff.

No big deal...

Art

dbgun · August 3, 2007, 10:52 AM

Quote:

I split the bone then cut the skin around the opening to cleanly remove all the guts without making a huge mess.

+1

I tap on small sharp hatchet at the top of the pelvis. You don't need to swing at it, at all. like most things, "there's more than one way to skin a cat" or deer in this case. Just my $.02

Jseime · August 3, 2007, 11:46 PM

Im a splitter because it's fast and easy. I use a hammer and a hatchet put the hatchet up to the bone and use the hammer to knock it through it gives you a nice clean cut and you can just grab hold of the esophagus and yank it all out in one fell swoop.

Shoestring · August 10, 2007, 08:47 PM

I am also a splitter. I have noticed that most of the south Texas fellas do the same. Maybe all our Dad's were taught by the same guy?

Quote:

Just put two fingers inside the hole and you will feel a ridge. Put the ridge between your fingers, put your knife between your two fingers on the ridge, which is cartilage, and pull up. You can do it with a dull pocket knife. No saw, no axe, and it cuts easy.

I showed this trick to a guy last year and he had never seen it before. He was from the North though, poor fella. Just kidding Northern guys

Quote:

This is worse than 30/06 vs 308.It's all personal preference.

My vote is for the .30-06

Gbro · August 10, 2007, 10:03 PM

No i don't split, but i do have a story.
And a 220 + dressed deer isn't easy to split!

One of the guys in camp shot nice buck, and then discovered he forgot his knife. Back at camp was Arnie's new custom made hunting knife, that Arnie didn't dare take with him that morning, as it was just to pretty.
Well Skip grabbed it and a hatchet and commenced to beat the hell out of the knife trying to split it from the top down, you get the picture, just the way it would be easiest to clobber it.
Arnie didn't sleep well that night, kept thinking how satisfying it would be to gut Skip with his beat up knife.
Arnie passed on 2 months ago, but dose that knife bring back memories.
His Grandson has it now.

castnblast · August 12, 2007, 04:25 PM

I do both...the decision to split the pelvis largely depends on how full the bladder is. If it is full, I ALWAYS TRY to split...provided I have the right tools...

(90% of the time). Last year I used a set of tree loppers (sp???) for the first time...If you have never used them before, they make the split EASY EASY EASY!...I keep a set in my tool box, and I'll never go hunting w/out them. There's nothing worse than piss in your meat...Might as well throw it out if it gets on it.

WhitSpurzon · August 12, 2007, 05:15 PM

For those that tie off the anus and then pull through, try a zip tie next time. Quick and easy even with freezing cold hands.

Gbro · August 12, 2007, 10:15 PM

make absolute sure your zip ties are small, as a good friend almost lost a child when he had one put around his neck by a sibling. They were 3 & 4 years old, he was able to cut it with his leatherman just in time!

fisherman66 · August 13, 2007, 07:01 AM

That's a terrifying thought. And to think I'm still worried about the dolphins and six pack rings.

FirstFreedom · August 13, 2007, 08:18 AM

I am missing something. What's the bladder or butt-out device have to do with splitting the pelvis? Whether you split the pelvis or not - either way you just remove the bladder......

fisherman66 · August 13, 2007, 08:46 AM

I've been wondering the same question FF. I split the pelvis to quarter my deer, not to get the piss bag/poop chute out. Good thing I fergot to vote. I would have skewed the whole poll. I'm gonna have ta try your version of boning out the hams next. Last year I used a sawzall to cut the pelvis, knees, backbone and neck. It took maybe 5 seconds a cut.

Anyone try one of these contraptions? Hehe

I hear it's easy to get it out of the deer, butt* ya have to chew it off if you ever want to use it again.

EDIT: Oops, I see I have been beaten to the paunch* line. Forgive me father for I have skinned.

Sorry, too much coffee

KEN K · August 14, 2007, 05:52 PM

No need to split it just use a slender blade like a filet knife and cut around the rectum and pull it out no muss no fuss never had a problem with the bladder or gut contence.

Fat White Boy · August 15, 2007, 12:42 AM

For field dressing pigs, I cut just under the skin down the side of the penis, scrotum then around the anus, taking care to not cut any of the intestine, urethra, etc. Then I cut just under the skin up to the breastbone then under the breastbone up to the throat area, under the chin. I reach in and grab all the tubes, veins, arteries and cut them. Then, I just pull everything out. It all comes out connected, in one big pile and you are left with the empty carcass. I wash it out with a gallon of water I have remembered to bring along. Then, when I get the pig back to camp, I hang it, take a Sawzall, quarter it, then put it in a large cooler with ice.

I only keep the loins whole. The rest I take to a processor to be ground up into bulk sausage. I have a stuffer to make my own links.

Fat White Boy · August 15, 2007, 12:44 AM

For field dressing pigs, I cut just under the skin down the side of the penis, scrotum then around the anus, taking care to not cut any of the intestine, urethra, etc. Then I cut just under the skin up to the breastbone then under the breastbone up to the throat area, under the chin. I reach in and grab all the tubes, veins, arteries and cut them. Then, I just pull everything out. It all comes out connected, in one big pile and you are left with the empty carcass. I wash it out with a gallon of water I have remembered to bring along. Then, when I get the pig back to camp, I hang it, skin it, take a Sawzall, quarter it, then put it in a large cooler with ice.

I only keep the loins whole. The rest I take to a processor to be ground up into bulk sausage. I have a stuffer to make my own links.

KFDiesel · August 18, 2007, 09:50 PM

I field dress at my house where I hunt. I slit the deer and loosen everything up. When I get down to the pelvis bone I put a hatchet against the pelvis bone facing the anus and tap it a few times with a hammer. Bone splits very easily with no mess. Then I raise the deer up with a pulley and everything just falls right out. I dont have to rake out all the guts by hand.This is just how i do it since i am able to at my home. If I didnt have that luxury I would probably not want to shlep the hammer and hatchet to the field and cut around like was said before.
Kirk

gordon29 · August 21, 2007, 05:33 PM

im no expert be far, i do enjoy deer hunting though and i was always told to split the pelvis to insure there were no pockets for the bacteria from the digestive system to stay in if im not mistaken sometimes the bodyheat left over from the kill can stay in those pockets for a longer period of time and could potentialy be a breeding ground for the bacteria in the digestive track and on the interior a and exterior of the anis.

MeekAndMild · August 21, 2007, 07:37 PM

This is the wrong end of a ruminent's digestive system to really lose a lot of sleep over. Deer poop is a lot less noxious than that of carnivores. In fact there were a lot of native people who used it to thicken their stews.

On the other hand there is some really nasty green gooey stuff in those four stomachs which can totally ruin a carcass if it is allowed to percolate more than a few minutes. I don't split the pelvis because I'm interested in removing the guts, especially the rumen as quickly as is feasible.

Bezoar · August 23, 2007, 10:52 PM

you dont need to remove the rectal opening in the field to properly gut the deer.

All you need to do is:
-remove genitals if a buck
-make an incision at bottom of the belly near the pelvis, insert some fingers under skin to make a small seperated pocket,
-use gut hook to cut the skin all the way up to the jawbone
-repeat with diaprhagm to rib cage
-el cheapo heavy duty serated pocket knife (menards has them all the time) to saw through the rib cage and up to the base of the jaw
-reach around inside with your hands and a small knife and cut away the diaphragm holding everything inside the body, dont hurt the tenderloins please.
-reach in and cut the esophogaus and windpipe as high up as you can.
-reach into the body cavity again and find the uerethra, hold the cord tight and pull down onit a bit and then cut so that the cut is NOT between finger and bladder. At that point pull bladder out of body for saving if you use urine for lure.
-repeat that process with the rectum, always make sure you grap the anal canal at the anuse inside the deer, and pull the content back into the critter for about 8 inches, then make a cut so that the finger pinches the anal canal shut and keeps the fecal matter contained inside.
-holding onto anal canal, grab the esophagus with other hand and just pick the interior parts up and out of body.
-now inspect for lesions inside the deers body.
-spread the rib cage open with a bit of tree branch, pull away from gut pile, and tip so everything can drain out of body.
-when you have the deer hung up, you can bung and get the a@@hole out.

it doesnt take long once youve done it a few times. Best when you have a budy or two with hi powered flashlights helping you. In the dark by feel it can take me an hour and a half being careful.

hunterjoe21 · August 24, 2007, 09:04 PM

I was taught at an early age that the bone had to be split in order to remove the remaining intestines. I've used the all the "rocks, hammers, axes, and saws" ever devised. A friend showed me about five years ago how to find the "weak" spot in the bone. I've not used a rock, saw, hatchet, dynamite, or any other means since.

Simply stick your finger on the "underside" of the pelvic bone (between the bone and the stuff you wanna remove). Identify a small "bump" on the underside of the bone. Align the point of your knife with this bump, and , If it's aligned properly, your knife will slice through the bone easily. There are exceptions to this, sometimes the "bump" is difficult to identify, and on occasion you will have trouble getting the knife to penetrate, but overall, you should be able to split the bone with just your knife. 4 years ago I hit a doe with a work van, and was able to split her pelvic bone with a utility knife using this method.

View Poll Results: Field dressing: split the pelvis yes or no?
Yes	18	40.91%
No	26	59.09%
Voters: 44. You may not vote on this poll

August 2, 2007, 03:22 AM	#28
Yithian Senior Member Join Date: June 7, 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 719	http://www.hunterspec.com/indexVideo...&vidHeight=240 LOL Watch at your own risk of sanity and anal-retentiveness. We sell this in my Dept at Walmart. Great fun indexing the vid to this clip on our TV display. Everyone who watches it walks away a tad taller. __________________ Pondering the differences, terminally, between the V-Max and the A-Max.

August 3, 2007, 11:46 PM	#34
Jseime Senior Member Join Date: December 31, 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 1,775	Im a splitter because it's fast and easy. I use a hammer and a hatchet put the hatchet up to the bone and use the hammer to knock it through it gives you a nice clean cut and you can just grab hold of the esophagus and yank it all out in one fell swoop. __________________ I love the smell of fresh shotgun in the morning.

August 10, 2007, 10:03 PM	#36
Gbro Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,084	No i don't split, but i do have a story. And a 220 + dressed deer isn't easy to split! One of the guys in camp shot nice buck, and then discovered he forgot his knife. Back at camp was Arnie's new custom made hunting knife, that Arnie didn't dare take with him that morning, as it was just to pretty. Well Skip grabbed it and a hatchet and commenced to beat the hell out of the knife trying to split it from the top down, you get the picture, just the way it would be easiest to clobber it. Arnie didn't sleep well that night, kept thinking how satisfying it would be to gut Skip with his beat up knife. Arnie passed on 2 months ago, but dose that knife bring back memories. His Grandson has it now. __________________ Gbro CGVS For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, But to us who are being saved, It Is The Power Of God. 1Corinthians 1-18

August 12, 2007, 04:25 PM	#37
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	I do both...the decision to split the pelvis largely depends on how full the bladder is. If it is full, I ALWAYS TRY to split...provided I have the right tools...(90% of the time). Last year I used a set of tree loppers (sp???) for the first time...If you have never used them before, they make the split EASY EASY EASY!...I keep a set in my tool box, and I'll never go hunting w/out them. There's nothing worse than piss in your meat...Might as well throw it out if it gets on it. __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

August 1, 2007, 10:44 PM	#26
nosualc Member Join Date: June 15, 2006 Location: land of sky blue waters Posts: 51	I've always split the pelvis (I use a very small, very sharp hatchet) but that's the only way I've ever seen it done. I've learned something new! I take it you open the abdominal cavity just like normal (from just forward of the pelvic bone to the throat), but make a separate (more or less circular) cut around the anus. This makes it so that when the guts are pulled, it pulls what normally runs inside the pelvic cavity in and then out with the rest of the guts. Right? I'll have to get myself a "special" knife and try it next time. Up here in MN, it's often cold enough that cooling the body, isn't hard to do. Some years we can just pack the body cavity with snow and hang them for the night. Often, the whole thing will be frozen by morning. -nosualc

August 1, 2007, 11:02 PM	#27
stinger Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Location: west texas Posts: 772	Gutting the deer without breaking out a hacksaw shows a certain degree of skill, IMO. I don't have many other skills, so that is one I like to show off. And when nobody is watching, you can put it in your pocket Was that out loud?

August 2, 2007, 10:05 AM	#30
ZeroJunk Senior Member Join Date: August 14, 2006 Location: Browns Summit NC Posts: 2,589	This is worse than 30/06 vs 308.It's all personal preference.

August 2, 2007, 11:00 AM	#31
rantingredneck Senior Member Join Date: January 12, 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 4,728	Indeed it is all preference. It seems to be influenced by the way each of us was taught to do it the first time. Either way gets the job done and I've tried it once the other way (splitting). I didn't have good results . I showed that "butt out" tool to my father in law in Walmart a couple weeks ago. We both got a good laugh out of it. I like gadgets as much as the next hunter/shooter and have tried many of them. My conclusion is that most of them are more ideas on how to separate us from our money than anything else. I mostly started the poll to see how many pelvis splitters there were vs. how many hemmorhoid surgeons. Looks pretty even so far.

August 3, 2007, 09:53 AM	#32
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	For me, splitting the pelvis is just another one of those things my father taught me. So, I just set the blade of my pocket knife on the pelvis and carefully go tap, tap, tap with a handy rock until it splits. Spread Ol' Bucky open and out comes all that rear-end stuff. No big deal... Art

August 12, 2007, 05:15 PM	#38
WhitSpurzon Senior Member Join Date: November 25, 2005 Location: WETstern Washington Posts: 108	For those that tie off the anus and then pull through, try a zip tie next time. Quick and easy even with freezing cold hands.

August 12, 2007, 10:15 PM	#39
Gbro Senior Member Join Date: February 20, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,084	make absolute sure your zip ties are small, as a good friend almost lost a child when he had one put around his neck by a sibling. They were 3 & 4 years old, he was able to cut it with his leatherman just in time! __________________ Gbro CGVS For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, But to us who are being saved, It Is The Power Of God. 1Corinthians 1-18

August 13, 2007, 07:01 AM	#40
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	That's a terrifying thought. And to think I'm still worried about the dolphins and six pack rings. __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

August 13, 2007, 08:18 AM	#41
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	I am missing something. What's the bladder or butt-out device have to do with splitting the pelvis? Whether you split the pelvis or not - either way you just remove the bladder......

August 13, 2007, 08:46 AM	#42
fisherman66 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2005 Location: The Woodlands TX Posts: 4,679	I've been wondering the same question FF. I split the pelvis to quarter my deer, not to get the piss bag/poop chute out. Good thing I fergot to vote. I would have skewed the whole poll. I'm gonna have ta try your version of boning out the hams next. Last year I used a sawzall to cut the pelvis, knees, backbone and neck. It took maybe 5 seconds a cut. Anyone try one of these contraptions? Hehe I hear it's easy to get it out of the deer, butt* ya have to chew it off if you ever want to use it again. EDIT: Oops, I see I have been beaten to the paunch* line. Forgive me father for I have skinned. Sorry, too much coffee __________________ la plus belle des ruses du diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!

August 14, 2007, 05:52 PM	#43
KEN K Senior Member Join Date: October 7, 2006 Location: mid west Georgia Posts: 102	No need to split it just use a slender blade like a filet knife and cut around the rectum and pull it out no muss no fuss never had a problem with the bladder or gut contence.

August 15, 2007, 12:42 AM	#44
Fat White Boy Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2005 Posts: 1,276	For field dressing pigs, I cut just under the skin down the side of the penis, scrotum then around the anus, taking care to not cut any of the intestine, urethra, etc. Then I cut just under the skin up to the breastbone then under the breastbone up to the throat area, under the chin. I reach in and grab all the tubes, veins, arteries and cut them. Then, I just pull everything out. It all comes out connected, in one big pile and you are left with the empty carcass. I wash it out with a gallon of water I have remembered to bring along. Then, when I get the pig back to camp, I hang it, take a Sawzall, quarter it, then put it in a large cooler with ice. I only keep the loins whole. The rest I take to a processor to be ground up into bulk sausage. I have a stuffer to make my own links.

August 15, 2007, 12:44 AM	#45
Fat White Boy Senior Member Join Date: March 18, 2005 Posts: 1,276	For field dressing pigs, I cut just under the skin down the side of the penis, scrotum then around the anus, taking care to not cut any of the intestine, urethra, etc. Then I cut just under the skin up to the breastbone then under the breastbone up to the throat area, under the chin. I reach in and grab all the tubes, veins, arteries and cut them. Then, I just pull everything out. It all comes out connected, in one big pile and you are left with the empty carcass. I wash it out with a gallon of water I have remembered to bring along. Then, when I get the pig back to camp, I hang it, skin it, take a Sawzall, quarter it, then put it in a large cooler with ice. I only keep the loins whole. The rest I take to a processor to be ground up into bulk sausage. I have a stuffer to make my own links.

August 18, 2007, 09:50 PM	#46
KFDiesel Member Join Date: June 13, 2006 Posts: 65	I field dress at my house where I hunt. I slit the deer and loosen everything up. When I get down to the pelvis bone I put a hatchet against the pelvis bone facing the anus and tap it a few times with a hammer. Bone splits very easily with no mess. Then I raise the deer up with a pulley and everything just falls right out. I dont have to rake out all the guts by hand.This is just how i do it since i am able to at my home. If I didnt have that luxury I would probably not want to shlep the hammer and hatchet to the field and cut around like was said before. Kirk

August 21, 2007, 05:33 PM	#47
gordon29 Member Join Date: August 21, 2007 Location: north eastern ohio medina county Posts: 26	i have always been taught to split the pelvis.. im no expert be far, i do enjoy deer hunting though and i was always told to split the pelvis to insure there were no pockets for the bacteria from the digestive system to stay in if im not mistaken sometimes the bodyheat left over from the kill can stay in those pockets for a longer period of time and could potentialy be a breeding ground for the bacteria in the digestive track and on the interior a and exterior of the anis.

August 21, 2007, 07:37 PM	#48
MeekAndMild Senior Member Join Date: August 2, 2001 Posts: 4,988	This is the wrong end of a ruminent's digestive system to really lose a lot of sleep over. Deer poop is a lot less noxious than that of carnivores. In fact there were a lot of native people who used it to thicken their stews. On the other hand there is some really nasty green gooey stuff in those four stomachs which can totally ruin a carcass if it is allowed to percolate more than a few minutes. I don't split the pelvis because I'm interested in removing the guts, especially the rumen as quickly as is feasible.

August 23, 2007, 10:52 PM	#49
Bezoar Junior member Join Date: October 19, 2004 Location: michigan Posts: 578	you dont need to remove the rectal opening in the field to properly gut the deer. All you need to do is: -remove genitals if a buck -make an incision at bottom of the belly near the pelvis, insert some fingers under skin to make a small seperated pocket, -use gut hook to cut the skin all the way up to the jawbone -repeat with diaprhagm to rib cage -el cheapo heavy duty serated pocket knife (menards has them all the time) to saw through the rib cage and up to the base of the jaw -reach around inside with your hands and a small knife and cut away the diaphragm holding everything inside the body, dont hurt the tenderloins please. -reach in and cut the esophogaus and windpipe as high up as you can. -reach into the body cavity again and find the uerethra, hold the cord tight and pull down onit a bit and then cut so that the cut is NOT between finger and bladder. At that point pull bladder out of body for saving if you use urine for lure. -repeat that process with the rectum, always make sure you grap the anal canal at the anuse inside the deer, and pull the content back into the critter for about 8 inches, then make a cut so that the finger pinches the anal canal shut and keeps the fecal matter contained inside. -holding onto anal canal, grab the esophagus with other hand and just pick the interior parts up and out of body. -now inspect for lesions inside the deers body. -spread the rib cage open with a bit of tree branch, pull away from gut pile, and tip so everything can drain out of body. -when you have the deer hung up, you can bung and get the a@@hole out. it doesnt take long once youve done it a few times. Best when you have a budy or two with hi powered flashlights helping you. In the dark by feel it can take me an hour and a half being careful.

August 24, 2007, 09:04 PM	#50
hunterjoe21 Junior Member Join Date: June 9, 2007 Location: Northeast Ohio Posts: 10	I was taught at an early age that the bone had to be split in order to remove the remaining intestines. I've used the all the "rocks, hammers, axes, and saws" ever devised. A friend showed me about five years ago how to find the "weak" spot in the bone. I've not used a rock, saw, hatchet, dynamite, or any other means since. Simply stick your finger on the "underside" of the pelvic bone (between the bone and the stuff you wanna remove). Identify a small "bump" on the underside of the bone. Align the point of your knife with this bump, and , If it's aligned properly, your knife will slice through the bone easily. There are exceptions to this, sometimes the "bump" is difficult to identify, and on occasion you will have trouble getting the knife to penetrate, but overall, you should be able to split the bone with just your knife. 4 years ago I hit a doe with a work van, and was able to split her pelvic bone with a utility knife using this method.