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Remove Wind Pipe when Field Dressing a Deer?

I received the following question from "Nikky"

Nikky asks

"we've come to a question that i havent found an answer to yet i have got a field dressing and deboning video and they leave the wind pipe in all the way through the deboning process, but i have several friends that say that ruins the meat and needs to be removed when field dressing. can you please help with this as i'm not sure which way is right. thankyou for your help"

Nikky,

Thanks for your great question.

I have been processing wild game for over 24 years and have seen a lot of venison wasted because of improper field dressing.

Your friends are correct. Leaving the windpipe in could cause the meat in the neck to spoil quicker. This is especially true in warmer weather.

The only time to leave the windpipe intact during field dressing is when you have harvested a trophy buck and you plan to take it to a taxidermist.

For a trophy buck, you will not cut through the ribcage during field dressing. Rather you will stop where the ribcage begins and carefully reach up into the chest cavity as far as you can with one hand and pull on the windpipe. Then, very carefully with the knife in your other hand, cut as much of the windpipe out as you can.

You will want to cape the deer yourself or have the taxidermist do it for you. Have the caping done as soon as possible.

As soon as the cape has been removed and your deer is hanging, then cut through the ribcage and down the deer's neck to expose the windpipe.

Once the chest cavity is open, wipe the inside of the cavity with damp clean towels. Follow up with dry paper towels to insure all excess liquid is removed.

Place a small block of clean wood in the ribcage to open the chest cavity to allow air to cool the inside of the deer.

By field dressing a deer properly, you allow the body heat to escape quickly. This allows the meat to cool much quicker and reduce the chance of spoilage.


Marty Prokop
www.free-deer-hunitng-tips.com

Posted by Marty Prokop

Comments

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Posted by: Dennis at November 6, 2006 7:24 AM

thankyou for the tip on the wind pipe on deer. i sucsessfully got my first buck this year and took my son out and he got his doe. i had to do all the field dressing on my own and then we bought a video to buthcher it it took a while but we got her done and she taste great. shes the first deer weve had that has been feeding on fruits,alfalfa, and grasses.its different than the sage brush one i got and the pine forest one he got last year.
the one guy who had all the deer hunting questions i learned a lot going bow hunting this year i learnede a lot about the deer and thier habbits my partner has the tendency to move to fast though. i snuck up on a buck close enough to hear it chewing its cud but i couldnt see it behind the bush in front of me my partner whistled and shot we had a great hunting year.

Posted by: nikky at December 11, 2006 8:47 PM

Nikky,

Congratulations on what sounds like a very good deer hunting season!

I have to agree with you on the taste difference between a farm land deer and a forest deer.

My first deer was harvested from the Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota. There were no grain fields or fruit orchards anywhere nearby. The meat tasted almost pine-like.

When I started hunting farmland, the deer tasted great and I was able to see and harvest more deer.

I am glad you were able to use the tips to learn a bit more about deer hunting and the habits of deer.

You should be very proud of yourself for field dressing and processing your own deer. To me there is nothing like taking the hunt from start to finish, field to table.

The first few times you cut up a deer it will take a little longer. Remember to take your time and keep your fingers safe. Once you have done it a couple times though, each consecutive deer goes a little quicker for you.

I have just finished filming my Deer Hunters Video series. The video series covers everything from Field Dressing and butchering to sausage and jerky making. These videos will have you cutting deer like a pro in no time. The video series will also include some really cool free bonuses. The package will also include interviews with some of deer hunting's masters, both audio recordings and written transcripts. This package is a must for every deer hunter.

Keep an eye on your email for more information about the video package.

Again congratulations on your super successful deer season.

P.S. If you have photos of you and your son with your deer, send them over and I will post them to the Hunter's Blog. Include a short story about your hunt. I am sure our hunters would love to hear about your season.


Good Luck and Great Hunting!

Marty Prokop
http://www.free-deer-hunting-tips.com

Posted by: Marty Prokop at December 12, 2006 5:35 PM

I enjoyed reading various tips and articles on your web site. I was looking for step by step field dressing instruction. This would include the various cuts and gutting required to enable the best result. It has been many years since doing this, and my training to do so was handed down from my Dad. Just want to make sure I am not going to forget something in the excitement of the moment.

Posted by: Bob Johnstone at September 28, 2007 4:10 PM

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