[ramrod]

Around here you can't use any motorized anything not even a ele bike on public hunting areas. If we had a rule or law that said you couldn't gut the deer where it fell within reason. Even using a cart would be borderline just aint happening.

I doubt there much of a problem with non hunters or the public stumbling on a gut pile on private land.

This deer i drug it in the water on bank enough to gut it. I couldn't budge it on dry ground. I pulled so hard i felt the vertebrae in his neck popping and he didn't budge. Me and my brother couldn't drag it. We hooked his 250 honda 4 wheeler to it and it just reared up. It took me and my much younger nephew holding his horns up while my brother drove my truck. Then the 3 of us couldn't load it in the truck without a wench.
View attachment 201392
This buck was even bigger bodied.

View attachment 201393
Here’s what I’m talking about. The buck on the right is a 2.5 year old nice 8 point. The buck on the left is the one I killed above.
View attachment 201395 It’s hard for me to wrap my mind around getting deer like these out of areas full of guts without a bunch of help and some kinda motor. Not wanting to hijack but here’s why I use the biggest cutting head I can.

There’s Joe shooting management bucks again!

 

[Flipping Bird]

We always gutted them at the kill site or edge of a field. Have done a lot of hunting on private in Iowa and Nebraska. Now hunting public. In my family we always took pride in processing the deer ourselves. Inlaws used to have a commercial grinder, before the old man died. He loved to skin deer with the golf ball / winch method. I always enjoyed skinning deer the old fashioned way. I take care in processing the meat, and am pretty anal about getting out as much tendon, sinew, etc as I can. We grind with 20% beef tallow for our burger, and I like to slice muscle for jerky. Marinate in 1/2 soy 1/2 terayaki for a good flavor (add preservatives / seasonings).

 

[rt2bowhunter]

There’s Joe shooting management bucks again!

I told my wife the other day. I'm going to try and find a wall hanger and hunt it. But after that i'm going to target young does. Those big bucks are hard eating. After 35 years of hunting behind the house 130" is the biggest closest to that was 125 and that was like 3 of them. I can pass on a few every year right at 120 and the next year there gone.

I kinda miss small game hunting.

We will see how it goes lol.

 

[dale lockwood]

We always gutted them at the kill site or edge of a field. Have done a lot of hunting on private in Iowa and Nebraska. Now hunting public. In my family we always took pride in processing the deer ourselves. Inlaws used to have a commercial grinder, before the old man died. He loved to skin deer with the golf ball / winch method. I always enjoyed skinning deer the old fashioned way. I take care in processing the meat, and am pretty anal about getting out as much tendon, sinew, etc as I can. We grind with 20% beef tallow for our burger, and I like to slice muscle for jerky. Marinate in 1/2 soy 1/2 terayaki for a good flavor (add preservatives / seasonings).

A big part of hunting and I enjoy it. Gutting the deer where shot, than at home cutting up my own deer with family members helping.

 

[thirdhandman]

To the OP. TV hunting is not the norm compared to regular hunters. Anything shown in the media will not have blood, guts, or tongues hanging out. It projects a bad image to all nonhunters. Times certainly have changed. We used to go to the butcher shop at Kroger's and ask for a special cut of meat off the beef. The butcher, dressed in a white lab jacket would cut and wrap the meat for you right there in front of your eyes. People today wouldn't have any of it. That is why they don't gut the deer right there. I personally do gut the deer right away and get in the cool box. Here is a little humor for you to show what I'm talking about.

 

[380]

To the OP. TV hunting is not the norm compared to regular hunters. Anything shown in the media will not have blood, guts, or tongues hanging out. It projects a bad image to all nonhunters. Times certainly have changed. We used to go to the butcher shop at Kroger's and ask for a special cut of meat off the beef. The butcher, dressed in a white lab jacket would cut and wrap the meat for you right there in front of your eyes. People today wouldn't have any of it. That is why they don't gut the deer right there. I personally do gut the deer right away and get in the cool box. Here is a little humor for you to show what I'm talking about.

Thank you!
You actually spoke to the O.P. and you are 100% correct.

I was way off (as were most after page 1) in following the path of what if and ya know.
LOL

Good job!

 

[dale lockwood]

To the OP. TV hunting is not the norm compared to regular hunters. Anything shown in the media will not have blood, guts, or tongues hanging out. It projects a bad image to all nonhunters. Times certainly have changed. We used to go to the butcher shop at Kroger's and ask for a special cut of meat off the beef. The butcher, dressed in a white lab jacket would cut and wrap the meat for you right there in front of your eyes. People today wouldn't have any of it. That is why they don't gut the deer right there. I personally do gut the deer right away and get in the cool box. Here is a little humor for you to show what I'm talking about.

In most Midwest and Western states deer are still gutted where it falls and I never have heard anyone complain. The tongue hanging out-I never liked that either.

 

[thirdhandman]

In most Midwest and Western states deer are still gutted where it falls and I never have heard anyone complain. The tongue hanging out-I never liked that either.

I totally agree. I gut the deer where it drops in most cases. But in TV or Magazines, which is what this thread is about, they cover it up. Try finding one picture on the front cover of any of today's hunting magazines of a deer with its tongue hanging out. It's not going to happen, in fact, there will be no blood on the deer showing anywhere on the front cover.
Only because this deer was my best and I thought I could get it in the magazines did I take the time to cut the tongue out. wiped any sign of blood away, put in glass eyes to get rid of the grey- eye look. It did make it in several magazines.

 

[380]

Looks a heck of a lot better IMO

I totally agree. I gut the deer where it drops in most cases. But in TV or Magazines, which is what this thread is about, they cover it up. Try finding one picture on the front cover of any of today's hunting magazines of a deer with its tongue hanging out. It's not going to happen, in fact, there will be no blood on the deer showing anywhere on the front cover.
Only because this deer was my best and I thought I could get it in the magazines did I take the time to cut the tongue out. wiped any sign of blood away, put in glass eyes to get rid of the grey- eye look. It did make it in several magazines. View attachment 201473

 

[dale lockwood]

The original thread was by me and On a couple of Game Warden shows based in Texas and Louisiana all the TV pictures of deer were non gutted and pickup,ATV's or on the ground. I just wondered if that was also the norm when people were out by themselves with no TV filming still did this? I learned from this forum many people do,especially in the southern states. Thanks of all the info on how it varies so much

 

[dale lockwood]

Any new comments?

 

[1hunter]

For me, if I shoot one in the woods behind the house (10 acres), I get the John Deere and quickly transport the deer to behind the pole barn and gut it there. If at my cabin (80 acres), I move the deer as quickly as possible with the deer cart, and gut it behind the cabin. This way, it keeps the coyotes and other vagrants from spending time at the gut pile right where I hunt...removing the smell of death also. Oh, and as soon as I get to the downed deer, I tuck the tongue back into the mouth.

 

[jabo76]

After 31 seasons I still do mine the same as always, gut them where they drop.

 

[wis-redneck]

My opinion is the actual gut pile will have no effect on deer. After all they don't know what it is. I have seen deer eating the remains of undigested corn from a previous gut pile. As far as pictures, nobody wants to see bloody deer or a tongue hanging out. Same for tv shows, and keep in mind, the shows are edited for what they want you to see and believe, not reality.

 

[dale lockwood]

For me, if I shoot one in the woods behind the house (10 acres), I get the John Deere and quickly transport the deer to behind the pole barn and gut it there. If at my cabin (80 acres), I move the deer as quickly as possible with the deer cart, and gut it behind the cabin. This way, it keeps the coyotes and other vagrants from spending time at the gut pile right where I hunt...removing the smell of death also. Oh, and as soon as I get to the downed deer, I tuck the tongue back into the mouth.

I like the tongue part, I hate the pictures with tongue hanging out and also you have a tractor for quick removal of innards.
Just don't understand people not removing innards right away. Quick way to wreck the taste otherwise.

 

[dale lockwood]

My opinion is the actual gut pile will have no effect on deer. After all they don't know what it is. I have seen deer eating the remains of undigested corn from a previous gut pile. As far as pictures, nobody wants to see bloody deer or a tongue hanging out. Same for tv shows, and keep in mind, the shows are edited for what they want you to see and believe, not reality.

I agree deer don't seem to mind it much, but would move it off a small food plot or directly on your deer trail to your stand. I would think there must be some reaction?

After 31 season I still do mine the same as always, gut them where they drop.

Same here

 

[wildcatter]

I never imagined anyone gutting or butchering my meat, but then there is only one way to process mine, it starts as soon as it is down,, and always my way, and only by me!

 

[dale lockwood]

I never imagined anyone gutting or butchering my meat, but then there is only one way to process mine, it starts as soon as it is down,, and always my way, and only by me!

I am with you. I also know many butcher shops, especially ground meat or sausage you often don't get your own meat back. Some will even tell you that.

 

[wyo21]

We use the gutless method out here in WY almost exclusively. No dragging... just pack them out. Less work, less mess back at the house, meat cools faster.

 

[Chop1]

Long drag I would gut them, but 98 percent of them, no, not gutting them I the woods. Got a good place to hang them up and skin/gut themat home. Much cleaner/ easier. After a couple hundred of them, kinda got the skinning/ butchering thing down to a science lol