Gutless method for deer....what end do you start with?

[DWinVA]

First....Merry CHRISTmas to all.

I’ve never done gutless and tried to keep the cape for a mount. I euro my whitetail bucks but kill mostly doe to eat. I rarely drag deer anymore and do almost all of them gutless.

I start off by removing all 4 legs at the lower knee joint, this helps when pulling the hide completely off each side. Next, I cut down the backbone from just behind the ears to the tail, using the knife from inside out. I then skin the hide down to the legs for the entire side, very little hair gets on the meat this way. I remove the front quarter taking as much neck & rib meat as I can. Next I take the rear quarter off, then the back straps. Carefully go in under the short ribs and get the inner loin meat. Lastly, trim as much neck, rib, brisket and flank meat as you can then pop a few ribs loose to get the heart. Roll the carcass over & repeat on the other side.

All quarters are hung to cool and drain before going into TAG bags unless it’s too warm, then they go directly into the bags.

God Bless

 

[Pabsy512]

There is some great info here. I’ve watched a few videos on YouTube including a Randy Newburg video. I’m really enticed by this method. It’s not very common in Texas.

I feel confident in executing this on a pronghorn this fall with the exception of extracting the tenderloins. I still need to do more research on these details.

 

[Florida Bow Hunter]

I'm not understanding this one ^^^^. Split the hide down the back bone, cut it well behind the shoulder around the belly, ring out the legs, and skin it all forward till it's off.

I wouldn’t split the hide down the backbone only to restitch it back up. However, I’m not a trophy hunter like that, never did or even witnessed a field cape out. I watched some of the trophy hunters do it. I don’t recall them splitting the back ? I could be wrong ? Because I have seen some cut the backstraps out and you have to get the cape out of the way ?

Therefore if the back is split, it must be restitched by the taxidermist. I could see it working, but why make more work when you can skin the whole cape off and out of the way ?


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[horniac]

I do the same for deer and elk. I split the hide down the backbone and skin one side down regardless of whether I'm going to keep the cape. Then I'll take the shoulder off and debone it. Then remove that side's backstrap, neck meat, and then debone the rear ham. Flip the hide back over it and roll it over and do the same on the other side. When done on that side then I remove the tenderloins. I may also take any rib meat that I can too. Then I'll finish caping it out.

This is what I do as well though usually I will wait until I get back to camp before I debone the quarters unless weight on the pack out is an issue. For shoulder mounts, I will make an additional cut encircling the body well behind the shoulders and usually tube the front legs.

The whitetail video leaves a lot to be desired. As Rbljack pointed out, he doesn’t remove the tenderloins and doesn’t take the lower leg meat which would be a game law violation in most if not all western states...

Horniac

 

[Mt Al]

I feel confident in executing this on a pronghorn this fall with the exception of extracting the tenderloins. I still need to do more research on these details.

Antelope tenderloins...mmmm...so tasy. IHMO antelope is the best big game meat and the tenders are to die for.

Once you have everything else off one side (front quarter, rear quarter, backstrap, neck meat, etc.) just go to the last short rib, it's right under there. Tough to describe, but I reach under the short rib here and separate the tenderloin somewhat by hand for a bit, just pushing my fingers along where it connects, then kind of pull or push down the innards/guts and carefully use my knife for the rest. I don't know why, but I have to tell myself to really slow down and take my time on this cut.

Antelope are so small that I've never fully boned one out in the field, even if it's going to be a few miles to the truck.

 

[KurtR]

I wouldn’t split the hide down the backbone only to restitch it back up. However, I’m not a trophy hunter like that, never did or even witnessed a field cape out. I watched some of the trophy hunters do it. I don’t recall them splitting the back ? I could be wrong ? Because I have seen some cut the backstraps out and you have to get the cape out of the way ?

Therefore if the back is split, it must be restitched by the taxidermist. I could see it working, but why make more work when you can skin the whole cape off and out of the way ?


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so you tube skin it out in the field? That’s seems really hard vs down the back bone and doing each side. Most taxi I know want it split down the back sowing it up is part of the deal in getting it mounted.

 

[Titan_Bow]

I always get the tenderloins and heart last. If you hold the carcass in a position similar to how a deer or elk would be standing, the guts sag down making it easier to access the tenderloin. i do normally break a rib to get to the heart. Be careful when doing that because those broken bones can create some real sharp edges that'll cut you quicker than your knife will

 

[muddydogs]

No need to break a rib like stomp on them to break them to access the heart. All it takes is separating a couple ribs at the sternum with your knife then bend them up and back towards the backbone, the ribs will pop loose at the backbone giving you access to the heart. Watch this.

As for the tenderloins most guys like to make there retrieval hard. What I do is cut them out last after everything else has been removed because I open the gut cavity just enough to relieve the pressure on the guts so there not trying to squeeze out the hole you need to cut to get to the tenderloins. Just make a cut like your gutting the animal, once the guts start coming out this hole make a cut just under the backbone to retrieve the tenderloins. easy pezy and you can actually see what your cutting without fighting the guts.

 

[5MilesBack]

As for the tenderloins most guys like to make there retrieval hard.

I normally don't do anything special to get them out, and usually just use my hands to separate them from the bone then pull them right out. But sometimes it's a tight fit with the guts pushing up, so I'll take my knife after all is done and puncture the gut at the belly, then it's real easy to push them out of the way without any issues.

 

[Florida Bow Hunter]

so you tube skin it out in the field? That’s seems really hard vs down the back bone and doing each side. Most taxi I know want it split down the back sowing it up is part of the deal in getting it mounted.

Like I said, it’s logical but again, has to be sewn.

Caped bottom up, you get a freaking full unadulterated cape that will last forever. Those sew jobs are said to tarnish near the sew spots and lose hair etc.

It’s far more practical to split the back. I might be wrong, but think Cam Hanes full caped a black bear this year because the hide was so perfect. Ofcourse he carried the whole bear on his back to camp to not mess up the hair. Lol


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[KurtR]

Like I said, it’s logical but again, has to be sewn.

Caped bottom up, you get a freaking full unadulterated cape that will last forever. Those sew jobs are said to tarnish near the sew spots and lose hair etc.

It’s far more practical to split the back. I might be wrong, but think Cam Hanes full caped a black bear this year because the hide was so perfect. Ofcourse he carried the whole bear on his back to camp to not mess up the hair. Lol


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Ya thats not true they dont tarnish any thing and hold up just fine. Having never done a bear i thought it was down the belly then down each leg to the paw if your wanting a rug. Full body may be different. I have three deer mounted and every one of them was split and sown my father in law has 5 and a couple over 20 years old same process and not one problem with the sowing.

 

[5MilesBack]

Caped bottom up, you get a freaking full unadulterated cape that will last forever.

I'm still not understanding how you're "caping bottom up" and not cutting anywhere. And if you are cutting "bottom up" then you're sowing those cuts that are most visible on a shoulder mount. Cutting down the spine and the taxi sewing that up is the only way I've ever seen it and had it done, and that's the most hidden from view..

 

[tttoadman]

I normally don't do anything special to get them out, and usually just use my hands to separate them from the bone then pull them right out. But sometimes it's a tight fit with the guts pushing up, so I'll take my knife after all is done and puncture the gut at the belly, then it's real easy to push them out of the way without any issues.

I have to admit I have poked the gut sack a couple times. Nothing like a big bull with a full belly. Just leave that move for last

I save the loins for last after all the weight is off. Turn the carcass head down and gravity helps you. You can usually just reach right in most of the time and pull them out.. flip over and repeat.,

 

[jolemons]

When cutting thru the skin, once you can get your knife underneath the skin and make your cuts outward to the hair side, you'll get a lot less hair on your meat.

When using the gutless method, what's the best way to get to the heart and the inside tenderloins? Break a rib to access those areas?

After meat is off, remove hide over ribs. Insert knife between two ribs near the shoulder and cut towards the brisket. Near the sternum you'll find the cartilaginous juncture of the ribs. Turn the knife and cut rearward. Any decent fixed blade knife can cut through ribs at that juncture. Cut through 2 or 3, then grab them and pull upward. They'll break very easily and expose the thoracic cavity to remove the heart and liver.

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[IdahoHntr]

Like I said, it’s logical but again, has to be sewn.

Caped bottom up, you get a freaking full unadulterated cape that will last forever. Those sew jobs are said to tarnish near the sew spots and lose hair etc.

It’s far more practical to split the back. I might be wrong, but think Cam Hanes full caped a black bear this year because the hide was so perfect. Ofcourse he carried the whole bear on his back to camp to not mess up the hair. Lol


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Its impossible to tube skin an antlered animal. There isn't a way to get the cape over the antlers. Every taxidermist sews their antlered mounts up the spine. It is the only way. This hides all the sew marks along the natural line of the spine and if the taxidermist is any good (and you didn't mess up the cuts), you will never know it had been cut and sewn at all.

If you want you can tube up to the base of the head and then separate the head from the spine, but then when you take the head and hide to the taxidermist he is just going to split it up the back when he skins it out. The cape has to be cut somewhere and the spine is the least noticeable place.

 

[Eiden]

I might be backwards from everyone else but here it goes. I like to cut from the leg joint to the chest on the underside of the front quarter. Then I do the same to the rear quarter except instead of the chest its down to the crotch of the animal. I then join the two cuts along the belly and proceed to skin the hide off toward the spine exposing both quarters. I skin far enough to be able to remove the backstraps from the same side. I then remove both quarter usually front then the rear. Then then back strap, and neck meat. I will do the exact same on the opposite side. When all that's done I will make a cut in the underside of the belly to relieve the pressure off of it. Then I will cut out the tenderloins. The reason that I like to skin from the belly to the spine is I like to lay the hid down (fur side to the ground) and use it to set a quarter on for a second or two if need be. It also really helps from the dirt getting on the meat.

As far as capes go, It has to be seriously big before I will bring out a cape. However I pretty much at that point consider myself fortunate to harvest something like that so I don't skimp on the weight out of fear of ruining it. I usually leave myself plenty of hide and I skin it up to the base of the head and cut it off. I let the taxidermist take care of the rest.

 

[5MilesBack]

The reason that I like to skin from the belly to the spine is I like to lay the hid down (fur side to the ground) and use it to set a quarter on for a second or two if need be. It also really helps from the dirt getting on the meat.

You mean like this .

 

[Eiden]

Yah! Only difference is I end up with the hide on the ground attached to the back! Looks like it’s not your first rodeo on that one for sure! Nice bull by the way.