Hunting Knife Tips: Field Dressing Game

After spending hours in the woods waiting for the perfect time to take down an elk or deer, some of the most important work still awaits you. Namely, you must dress your game. It's smart to do so on location because draining the body of heat prevents bacteria growth. You will need special tools for dressing your prize, according to the species. At a minimum, you will need rope, a bone saw, and a sharp hunting knife. If your game is very large, you may need a hatchet in order to halve or quarter it. Truly prepared hunters also bring along a whet stone and several hunting knives, including a smaller sporting knife.
The following tips will help you properly dress your game.

1. Act quickly.

The best taste results when the game is cooled off as quickly as possible. Moreover, it is easier to drain the blood and remove the hide when the game is still warm. Do be certain the creature is indeed dead, however--approach it carefully.

2. Hang the Game.

Find a tree where you can rope up your game. Hang it vertically from a hind leg or the head. It will be much easier to dress the carcass when it's hanging; gravity will be on your side, and it will be easier to keep the meat free from ground contamination. Finally, hanging the animal makes it easier for you to maneuver your hunting knife as you work.

3. Leave the scent glands in place.

Many hunters believe that the scent glands located behind the legs of some male animals should be removed in the field, as they can taint the meat. In truth, leaving the glands in place is not harmful to the meat. Moreover, those who try to remove the glands in the field often get the animal's scent all over their hands and hunting knives. It makes sense to leave the glands in place until you get home.

4. Frequently clean your hunting knife.

As hunters clean game, bacteria can contaminate their sporting knives. If you don't clean your hunting knife frequently, these bacteria can quickly be transferred to the rest of the meat as you continue cutting. Reduce contamination by frequently cleaning your hunting knives as you work. Alcohol swabs, wipes, and clean water are good cleaning agents. A razor-sharp sporting knife will also make your task easier.

5. Skinning: Pros and Cons

After removing the entrails, you'll need to figure out whether you want to remove the hide now, or wait until you return to home. Keeping the hide in place protects the meat during transport. Alternatively, immediate skinning helps cool the carcass and preserve the hide for taxidermy.

Like any activity in life, expert field dressing takes practice. Over time, each hunter will develop his or her own techniques for dressing game. The tips listed above are a good place to start. In general, the most important things to remember are to work quickly and keep your equipment clean; this will preserve the meat's flavor.