Field Care and Processing of Game
The Importance of Field Dressing
Table quality of wild game depends upon how it was harvested and the care it receives immediately after harvest. One of the most important factors in quality is how quickly the animal is field dressed. Off-flavors can result from contamination by gut contents, decomposition and leakage of crop contents, or bacterial action. Heat retained by the carcass is a major factor in promoting both enzymatic break down of tissues and bacterial spoilage. Removing the viscera and opening the carcass to the cooling effects of circulating air or artificially cooling it reduces the effects of heat and promotes higher meat quality.
Bacterial and enzymatic action causes flesh to break down, and spoilage can occur even when no visible clues exist. This happens especially fast in spring or early fall hunting, where temperatures are warm to hot. It is generally a greater factor with small mammals than with birds, but even birds are subject to spoilage if they are held at high temperatures or the flesh becomes contaminated with gut contents. A rule of thumb is to get the meat cooled to 40 degrees as soon as possible and keep it cool. This sometimes involves taking the meat to a cold storage facility if you do not have cooling capabilities in the field.
Proper field care and handling demonstrates respect for the game. It promotes use of the animal once it reaches home, and use is part of the hunting process. A little work early makes consumption much more likely and waste much less common. Rapid field dressing is important, but that importance varies somewhat with the conditions under which the game was taken. In very cold weather, small game and birds cool quickly without field dressing, but it is still useful to avoid having gut contents strike through the meat. Shotgun-killed game, with multiple puncture wounds needs more careful treatment than does game well hit by carefully placed rifle bullet or arrow. Any animal with a possible abdominal hit should be field dressed quickly to minimize contact with gut contents.
Since big game has a tremendous amount of stored heat and an insulated cover, quick field dressing is extremely important with big game animals. Skinning may be vital with animals taken in warm or hot weather. Small game animals under warm conditions must be field dressed quickly, and birds are often better if they are handled in a similar fashion.
Elements of Good Field Care
Proper field care starts with field dressing the animal as soon as the conditions permit. Allowing for rapid cooling aids tremendously in having a high quality carcass. Carcasses should be cooled as quickly as possible and kept at a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit if possible. Field conditions sometimes dictate treatment of the carcass, as do legal conditions.
Legal constraints might require that the animal remain essentially intact until they are in camp or at home. Skinning and plucking are easiest immediately after the animal is killed, but carrying the animal in the field or other conditions might preclude that. Federal regulations require that at least one fully feathered wing remain on the carcass of migratory birds until they reach one’s residence or are prepared for consumption. Some states require that evidence of sex or species must be maintained until the animal is prepared for preservation or consumption as well.
One key to good field care is avoiding contamination of the meat. Keeping wild game clean keeps it looking good, avoids possible problems during preparation or consumption, and helps prevent decomposition of the meat. Wise hunters are aware of possible sources of contamination or off flavors. Crop or intestinal contents, hair or feathers, even those shot into the carcass, soil, stones, or grass, and other foreign materials can be a problem. Secretions from the animal’s skin, or carried on the hands or knife can cause problems. Taking these precautions also eliminates the need to remove scent glands found on the hocks, neck, and head of many animals.
Flies and other vermin can also create a problem if the carcass is not protected from them. Protection for carcasses may be through airy game bags, cloth meat sacks, or chemical barriers. Black pepper or liquid “game bag” sprays based on pepper are excellent as well. Plastic bags are not a good idea except during cold weather. They tend to retain both heat and moisture, creating ideal conditions for decomposition. Since evaporative cooling by circulating air helps to cool the carcass, good ventilation around the carcass is important.
Keeping the inside of the carcass clean and dry aids in quality as well. Badly soiled or contaminated body cavities can be washed with water if necessary. If should be drained and dried after washing, however. Carcasses can be wiped clean with a dry cloth or even leaves or grass in a pinch
The key to doing a good job with the field dressing process is to take enough time and care to do it properly. Think before you cut, taking care not to contaminate the flesh or to cut yourself. Watch for ways to make the task easier, like rolling the animal slightly or holding other organs aside while freeing the problem. Taking your time prevents making hasty errors that can be costly to table quality. This reduces the amount of time required to clean up before cooking, and makes for better results.
Safety Considerations
Field dressing game animals has some hazards. The hunter usually uses a sharp knife or shears, and perhaps a saw in handling game. In addition, there may be bone splinters, broadheads or blades, or even broken pieces of arrow shaft material in the body cavity. As a result, the hunter must be careful when field dressing game animals to prevent personal injury.
Kitchen gloves or surgical gloves are a wise addition to any field dressing kit. They help to keep the hands clean, reducing the risk of chopped hands or rusty fingerprints on firearms. They also offer some protection from disease organisms or parasites and infections. Infection is a possibility with any scrape or cut. These may be a mild inconvenience or life threatening. Prevention and careful clean up are the best ways to prevent infections. While it is not common to contract diseases from handling wildlife, the potential for human disease is possible through contact with blood or tissue fluids. Concerns are greater with mammals than with birds, and they vary by season, species, and region or area. Filed dressing gloves are a significant aid in avoiding those diseases. They also help to prevent allergic reactions from contact with the skin or gut contents, like ingested poison ivy.
Field Care and Processing Small Game
One decision that must be made with a small game animal is whether to skin it in the field or wait until returning to camp or home. IF the hide is to be saved, it can be removed cased by slitting the hide from heel to heel and removing the entire hide like a glove. Only the initial cut and minor cutting around the ears, eyes, and lips is needed. If it is not to be saved, a small cut in the center of the back can be used. Insert the fingers of both hands in the opposite sides of the cut and pull the pieces in opposite directions. The head and feet may be cut off before skinning or immediately after pulling the skin off the carcass. The skin and tail are useful for fly tying or other purposes. If conditions dictate leaving the skin in place, field dress the animal by simply removing the entrails.
The entrails may be removed by making a midline cut from the pelvis to the chin or front of the chest, being careful not to cut the entrails or the bladder. Reach forward and grab the chest contents with the fingers, then pull them toward the tail to strip all the entrails from the animal. The pelvis can be split with a sharp knife to remove the remaining intestines. IF desired, the heart, liver without the gall bladder, and the kidneys may be saved and used.
Allow any excess blood to drain from the body cavity, and then clear the body cavity with a dry cloth or a handful of grass. Once the cavity is clean and nearly dry, cool the carcass quickly and protect it from flies and foreign materials. Be sure to allow for air circulation if the animal is to be carried for the remainder of the hunt.
Processing for the table can be done in the field or at home. Most hunters wait until they are home or in camp to do their processing. That allows more time for hunting while permitting them to use the hide and hair or feathers as a protective layer for the carcass. Processing a small game animal results in having six serving-size portions. Remove each front leg by lifting the leg away from the chest wall and cutting around the shoulder blades. Remove each hind leg by splitting the pelvis along the backbone on each side. The flanks and ribs may be left in place or trimmed away. Trimming them away allows the pieces to lie flat in the pan. If they are trimmed away, they can be saved to prepare soup stock. Next, cut the back into two sections by cutting behind the last rib. Cut off the bony tail section of the back where the hind legs have been removed. Take the time to examine all six pieces, removing any hairs or foreign material and picking out any imbedded shot or hair wads. Soaking them in cold salt water for a few hours to overnight often can salvage badly blood-shot areas. This results in a pan ready game animal that is easily used in nearly any cooking method.
Field Dressing and Processing Game Birds
Field dressing game birds usually requires only the removal of the entrails and the crop while in the field. Going beyond that point requires that the hunter comply with legal requirements under both state and federal law. Federal laws require that at least one fully feathered wing remain on migratory game birds while they are in the field and until they are prepared for preservation or consumption. State laws may require that evidence of species and sex be retained or that the birds be tagged immediately after being killed.
Feathers provide some protection for the bird while in the field. They are also useful for fly tying, decorations, or many crafts. Plucking the bird, however, is easiest after taking the bird. The next easiest time to pluck a game bird is after the bird is completely cold.
Two common methods are used in removing the entrails of game birds. One is a simple midline cut through the skin and body wall right behind the tip of the breast. Extend the cut to the vent, being careful not to cut so deeply that you puncture the intestines. Extend the cut around the vent to free the intestines, then reach up into the chest cavity as far as possible and scoop the entrails out.
The second method uses a pair of cuts. First, make a diamond shaped cut around the vent to free the terminal end of the intestine. The second cut is a lateral line through the middle of the abdomen between the legs. This leaves a small strip of skin between the two cuts that allow the legs to be tucked tightly to the body for compact packaging. The removal of the viscera is the same with either method.
Many hunters like to save the heart, gizzard, and liver of their game birds. Trim the heart to remove the blood vessels. Carefully remove the gall bladder from the liver, being careful not to puncture it and spill its bitter contents on the liver. Split the muscle of the gizzard until the tough, fibrous lining is exposed. Then, peel the muscle away from the core. Trim the remains of the intestine and esophagus from the gizzard and it is ready to prepare. The giblets can be used for making gravy or as a main ingredient in a hearty meal.
Regardless of the method used on the viscera, it is wise to remove the crop from many game birds. This is particularly true with pheasants or ruffed grouse in areas where they feed on rank or bitter berries or seeds, like skunk cabbage seeds or some viburnum and dogwood fruits. Simply make a midline cut at the base of the neck. Use a finger to loosen the thin-walled crop from the body tissue. Pull gently on the crop, and the remaining part of the intestine will pull free with it. Then just trim the esophagus to remove the crop. Inspection of the crop contents can lead to a better understanding of the current food sources for the game birds. The contents can be dried and preserved to make a gamebird food collection.
As with small game animals, the carcass should be cooled and protected from flies and trash. Some people who hunt from stands or semi-permanent sites may carry plastic bags and an ice chest to permit them to pluck their birds in the field and put them on ice immediately. This is an excellent idea in parts of the country where dove hunting or early teal seasons take place in hot weather. A game bag or bird carrier is adequate for cool or cold weather.
Processing game birds is relatively simple. For birds that are to be roasted, boiled, smoked, or grilled on a rotisserie, they may be left whole. This method also keeps all options open, so it is usually the one selected. Birds may be split, either fully or halfway, for broiling or barbequing. Small birds, like quail or doves, are often opened along the back and spread flat for cooking. Larger ones may be cut into serving pieces for frying or grilling. The process is similar to what is done with small game. If the wings were retained intact, remove them by cutting to the ball joint at their bases. Lifting the leg up from the body and cutting to the hip joint can remove the legs. If desired, the drumstick can be separated from the thigh by cutting through the joint between them. The breast muscle can be separated from the back and the ribs by cutting through the tops of the ribs above the breast. It can be separated into two serving pieces by cutting down through the breast along the edge of the breastbone. The back may be separated into two pieces by simply cutting it in half across the spine. Birds that have been cut up in this fashion should be packaged as compactly as possible to minimize the air in the package and reduce freezer burn.
Field Dressing Big Game
Before starting the field dressing process, be sure to comply with all state regulations for tagging or keeping evidence of the animal’s sex on the carcass. Usually the udder of a female or the penis or scrotum of a male is adequate if the head is not. This is also the best time for taking pictures of the trophy – before field dressing and after placing the tongue back in the mouth.
If the penis or testicles must remain on the body, plan for it before starting the field dressing process. Field dressing male big game animals usually starts with getting the urogenital organs out of the way. Carefully cut through the skin only on one or both sides of the penis and scrotum. This will allow these organs to be flipped behind the body. Pressing a closed fist into the pelvic region of the body will put pressure on the bladder and eliminate most of the urine, reducing the risk of nicking the bladder and spilling urine on the meat. Females can be handled in a similar fashion without cutting first. Next, cut carefully around the anus or the anal and urogenital openings and free up the rectum. This action is similar to the process of coring an apple, and it becomes easier with practice. The penis is held in place by a pair of ligaments attaching it to the pubic bones. These must be cut away without cutting the penis itself. Once cut free, applying a gentle pull on the penis will draw it and the bladder clear of the carcass. Pull the rectum free and tie it close to the anus with a piece of cord or dental floss.
Using a sharp knife or a specially hooked blade for the purpose carefully cut through the skin and abdominal wall from the crotch to the breastbone. Sine the intestines lie immediately under the body wall, take great care to avoid cutting the gut. The specialty blades are designed for this purpose, but any sharp knife can be used if a small incision is made and two fingers are inserted in the abdomen to act as a knife guide. The fingers pull the abdominal wall away from the intestines and keep the knife blade covered from below.
If the animal is going to be skinned on the spot or transported by vehicle from the point of the kill and it is not going to be used as a mount, the cut can be continued the whole way to the animal’s throat or chin. If it will be dragged to camp, home, or a vehicle, if it is going to be used in a mount, the midline cut should stop at the point of the breastbone. Cutting the diaphragm clear of the chest wall allows access to the chest cavity. Hold the stomach and intestines out of the way as the diaphragm is cut. Holding the knife in a manner where you will not cut yourself, reach as far forward as possible in the cavity and locate the esophagus and trachea. Cut through them and pull them toward the back of the body, bringing the internal organs with them. Be careful not to tear the tenderloins, and cut only where necessary to free the organs. Roll them to the side, grasp the terminal end, and gently pull the tied end back through the pelvis. If the penis and scrotum were not removed earlier, pull them through as well. The heart, liver, kidneys, and testicles may be salvaged from the internal organs if desired. All of them are edible organ meats, although the kidneys and testicles are quite small.
Once the internal organs have been removed, roll the animal over and elevate the head and chest to allow excess blood to drain from the body cavity. Try to keep foreign matter from getting into the cavity while the animal is being drained. If necessary, wipe the cavity clean or wash it with clean water to eliminate any spilled gut contents. Roll the animal on its back, elevated if possible, and prop the body cavity open to allow it to dry and cool.
This method of field dressing minimizes the exposed areas that can dirty when getting a deer back to camp, home, or vehicle. It also leaves adequate intact hide for taking a cape that will permit a shoulder mount if desired. IF a vehicle can be brought to the kill site, the abdominal cut can be carried forward through the chest to the throat. This allows the trachea and the esophagus to be removed and promotes rapid cooling. If the animal is to be backpacked out, the best method of handling it is to bone it where that is permitted by law. Quartering it is the next best alternative, particularly with larger game species. Make sure that the head and cape are well decorated with blaze orange tape or cloth when backpacking an animal out of the field. Note that nowhere in this sequence was it necessary to cut the animal’s throat to “bleed” it. The arrow or bullet wound is adequate to bleed the animal.
Processing Big Game
Boning is recommended strongly as a processing method for big game animals. The technique is easy to learn. No special equipment is required. It can be done anywhere, even in the field; and it results in high quality, straight-grained meat.
All that is needed is a flat surface like a counter top or table, a meat saw or fine-toothed carpenter’s saw, a sharp, narrow bladed knife, containers for meat, scraps and bones, and suitable wrapping paper. In addition, boning separates choice meat from connective tissue. It allows dirt, hair, and bloodshot meat to be removed. It avoids spreading bone dust or marrow through the cuts, and requires less freezer space to hold the animal. For the backpacking hunter, it greatly reduces the weight that must be carried out of the field.
The basic boning process simply separates major muscle masses from their bony attachments. For further details, see Boning Venison. In many ways, the process is much like preparing a small game animal except for the scale. Start by removing the front shoulders and cutting the shoulder into a shoulder roast, arm roast, and shank. The bone may be left in the roasts or removed at your choice. Next, remove the backstraps or loins by dissecting them away from the vertebrae and ribs. These can be left in meal-sized portions for chops or roasts. The flank meat can be used for ground meat or as a foundation for fajitas or other dishes using strips or small cubes. The neck can be sawn off at the base of the ribs or disarticulated by cutting through the vertebral disks. It may be boned for stew meat or ground meat, or it can be used as a large bone-in roast. The ribs may be handled as spare ribs by cutting them into lengths and plates suitable for the family size and cooking method. They may also be sectioned and boiled in a large pot to produce an excellent soup stock, or it may be discarded after trimming away as much edible meat as possible. The roasts and steaks of the hind legs are handled by separating the legs from the pelvis, isolating the major muscle groups, and cutting those muscles across the grain into the portions desired. The shank meat can be processed as ground meat or cut into cubes for stew meat or soups. Package the meat in meal-sized portions and label each package carefully to prevent guesswork when mealtime rolls around.
