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StrongPlan3 OP t1_iua4dni wrote

Reply to comment by turned_out_normal in Would anyone be willing to take me deer hunting this season? by StrongPlan3

Wow, thank you so much for the detailed walkthrough. My last resort was YouTube however I was hoping maybe I could tag along with someone to see the process first hand. Hopeful, I know but I'd figure I'd try. I am working on doing the hunters safety course as well, I just have a licensing exam coming up for the hospital and that takes priority.

My plan is to get a rifle this year, think 6.7CM, and familiarize myself with it. Hopefully be prepared for next year. I'm just worried about field dressing the deer my first time as I don't want to foul the meat.

Might have to just rely on YouTube and wing it 🤷‍♂️

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turned_out_normal t1_iua6khx wrote

I forgot to say that, in my opinion, deer hunting is mostly sitting still and quiet, and luck. Shooting skill is important, and being where the deer are is lucky. A tree stand or a blind will help immensely.

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Content_Idea t1_iucd948 wrote

I wouldn’t say shooting a gun requires much skill though 😅😂 more like knowing how it works and pulling a trigger.

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XzallionTheRed t1_iucqxb2 wrote

*laughs at why the military and every armed force spends so much time training this supposed easy skill, when this guy knows the one trick that the rest don't. *

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Content_Idea t1_iudglp1 wrote

The military and hunting are two different things but okay. Sorry I hurt your feelings.

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XzallionTheRed t1_iue903j wrote

Look, of you are a conservationist and believe in limiting the animals suffering, you put effort I to making a good shot, which requires skill. You aren't upsetting me, it's just ridiculous to assume no skill is involved. Aiming for a fist sized target past 100byards through light brush and foliage takes skill. Lots assume that bows are more skillful but it's just different skills.

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Content_Idea t1_iuhwjoh wrote

Killing a deer at 25 yards without a scope takes more skill than killing a deer at a 100 yards with a rifle. Bow hunters also use groupings. Sure they both take skill, but bow hunting requires more practice and patience.

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turned_out_normal t1_iucxvax wrote

Speaking broadly, i think most people are not as good of a shot as they think they are, and I've been around a lot of shooters over the past thirty years. Any decent deer rifle should be able to consistently group tighter than a half dollar at a hundred meters. Most people that don't shoot a lot would probably struggle to group tighter than a grape fruit at a hundred meters supported. And unsupported at a hundred meters? Forget about it. This is all opinion, I've done no research and would hope to be wrong. But you'll hear way more gun shots opening morning of rifle season than you'll see hunters with dead deer.

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Content_Idea t1_iudgd99 wrote

I bow hunt and rifle hunters just shock me with how terrible they are lol

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scoop_booty t1_iudd566 wrote

Field dressing is easy. You're basically going to fit the deer from groin to sternum. I make sure the deer's belly is facing downhill if there is any grade at all, as gravity will fight you otherwise once you try to pull the guts out. Next, I start at the lowest point of the groin and cut years the sternum. Super important to make sure your knife gets just under the skin, and stays that way all the way through the cut. You don't want to cut organs, especially the bladder. Otherwise you'll get urine on the meat.

Once you've got it open just reach inside and pull all the guts out. Then, cut the intestine and bladder near the anus, and reach up into the cavity of the chest and pull out the lungs and heart. You'll have to reach way up in there to cut the trachea (throat). So, just remember, the organ system is a tube coming in and two tubes coming out, with a bunch of stuff in-between. You cut the tubes last. Then you leave all that stuff for the critters. Birds and coyotes will consume it by morning.

Field dressing will take about 40# of weight away, making it easier to get to the vehicle. And leaves all the guts in the forest for animals.

I usually carry a pair of disposable gloves. Makes it easier to clean up afterwards. Make sure you take those back out of the woods...leave no trace.

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