I use a knife and cut off the front legs at the knee and the head off at the first vertbra. I then go a little below the rear knees and skin past the tendons to expose them, so I can hang the deer by them. I then skin the deer from the rear legs down.

Keith

learned decades ago that hanging in a cooler dries out the outer inch of meat
sooooooo,
...VV


like Newt and 653,

neither do I, what a waste of time and mess--gutting
hang from neck and skin
cut off hind quarters and backstrap
shop or saw spine tween shoulders, dropping body cavity into wash/keg tub (to be dumped later off bridge to attract CATFISH)
cut of front quarters and neck meat
tie skeleton to a tree to attract yotes, possums , etc.

I hang by back legs for week or so depending on weather. A fey years ago I started to cut my sirloins like above. Ya get three nice ones per hind plus a nice hock for soup. They are great for grilling, frying, slicing for jerky, cut and grind or can etc. Goes fast and lots of ways to use it, keeps options open.

I take one out when I take out canning meat to thaw, that way if I need a few more chunks to fill the last jar I just take them off the sirloin and grill or fry the rest whole for supper that night.

Trapset do you trim the meat up any or eat just like in the picture? What about the saw does it cause any small bone fragments to get stuck in the meat?

I shoot and let it be for about an hour. Drag ungutted deer and hang by the head, dropping guts in a garbage can. Then I back my truck under it and let it down into my truck bed. Then I grab my checkbook and head to the deer processor. Easy peasy and more time for trapping. I have cut up hundreds of deer in my life and my time is too valuable.

I have a friend that insists on doing everything the hardest way possible, for deer, they gut, take home, hang from the rear legs and skin 2-5 days later when it's half frozen, then he debones and spends hours trimming and cutting up, after he does 3 or 4 he gets disgusted and gives whats left to some latinos that used to work for him.

Me, quick bone out in woods without gutting, quick cut up into meal size chunks and vacuum pack. I only finish cutting when I open the next vacuum pack and cooking. takes just a couple minutes each spread out over months instead of obsessing over the whole thing at once...

It's just a deer, and I'm going to eat it, it doesn't have to look like it came out of a gourmet butcher shop. It still looks way better then it does after you eat it...

I always gut them before dragging out and we can’t quarter our deer . They have to be checked in at a reporting station. I always take them to a processor in Greenwich NY they debone, no talo or hair and vacuum seal it . They make snack sticks,sausage and smoked roast. I pick it up and it is already frozen. Just put it in the freezer.

Pretty much just season and grill or fry as is in Pic. Might trim a little fat off if frying, don't really bother with it when grilling.

I cut to the bone with a long sharp knife and then cut bone with bone saw or sawsall. I don't notice any fragments, that cant be brushed off anyway.

never wash the meat first way of spoiling meat the dried blood will not effect anything both ways are correct by the feet is easier for butchering but by the head redusses the hair on the meat

I always hang mine from the hind legs.Much easier for me to skin that way.

Seeing this thread reminds me of something from the Fall - a guy I know pickeup up a crossbow this year for the first time and I said "Hey, if you get a deer give me a call and I will help cut it up." I got to his house and the deer was hanging in the tree with a big game gambel but.... he had it suspended from the front legs! Some how he inserted it through the knees. I told him I had never seen anything like that before.

X2

that is the way I do it and never thought about another way.

By there hind legs.

Me too. Hang by hind legs, gut and skin then I hang it for a day or two and cut it into the best pieces as I like to cook them. Backstraps, filet mignon, boned legs and shoulders and all the trim. I understand the gutless method if you're in the field, but with these little deer I have here I can bring them back to the house easily.

Pete

Head down
skin
wash w/cold salt water (those plastic scrub pads really get the hair off)
remove meat from bones
make burger, steaks/roasts, jerky and sausages

Always give him a fair trial first

Head down

Exactly how we have always done it too.

By the neck until dead.