Cutting the spine on a deer???

Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,824
I am keeping neck roasts for deer taken in areas where CWD has not been detected. Is there a preffered method for severing spines. I can never really get through them with a knife. So far I have hacked them thru them with a hatchet but now have added a saw in my truck butcher kit, which I presume is going to work better.

Any hints or suggestions are appreciated.
 
Joined
Feb 11, 2018
Messages
331
Location
Central Utah
Saw should work plenty good I usually keep a little folding saw in my pack, gets the job done with a little elbow grease.
 

jmez

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
7,403
Location
Piedmont, SD
Reciprocating saw or learn how the bones fit together so you can do it with a knife

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
688
Location
Maryland
I usually bring home the whole deer, whitetail. I can normally get the head off with a knife but use a hacksaw for the body / neck juncture. If I am not bringing it all home or it's a big deer I just fillet the meat off both sides. I have used loppers before, big ones, just to break through the spine. I know a local butcher that uses them for front legs and heads.
 

Larry Bartlett

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Feb 13, 2013
Messages
1,502
If you're cutting in the field, take a Stanley wood saw (universal type). Cheap, compact and works like lightening through bone.

lb
 

TauPhi111

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Messages
598
Location
Ohio
easiest deer spine I ever went through, i used a katana. Hilarious yes, but I'm also serious
 

bearclaw

FNG
Joined
Nov 3, 2016
Messages
28
Location
Central Coast California
There is a joint you can cut at the base of the neck/ chest that I cut to bring them out whole, then split when home (I usually freeze first and then cut into discs for neck roasts).
 
Joined
Sep 27, 2018
Messages
42
The neck is more difficult for me than any other joint. I just sort of work the knife around eventually get pissed and wrench on it till it it makes snapping sounds. Then I just sorta hack at it till it comes off.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk
 

jmez

WKR
Joined
Jun 12, 2012
Messages
7,403
Location
Piedmont, SD
If you cut most of the soft tissue they teist off pretty easy on a deer.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
 
Top