Originally posted by see:
What Manitoba Stickfinger said.I always kneel down and give thanks to God.I know it's His gift to me.
Every deer, I say thanks for. I thank God for giving me a full freezer and thank the deer for giving his life to feed us.
Next, scream your fool head off!! Yes you can both respect the animals and let emotions fly at the same time.
I think it would be an injustice to bottle up the mixture of emotions.
Tag that sucker!! It's good for karma and keeps the game warden happy.
Drag it far away as you can from your hunting area to gut it. I'm superstitious about gut piles, mostly cause it attracts coyotes.
Feel the bottom of your sternum in the middle of your ribcage. Nice and soft there huh? Same on a deer. I suggest newbies start here cause most I know are too squeamish to start in the genitle area.
Lay the deer on it's back. Step on each back leg of the deer spreading them out. I can break the pelvic bone if I'm lucky, makes it easier to deal with.
Poke under the skin at the base of the sternum with your knife and keep the edge of your blade facing up. Try not to puncture the stomach or any guts. Slide the blade towards the butt in a "zipping" fashion.
Remove genitles and cut right up to the butt.
Now stick you hand into the chest cavity. MAKE SURE THERE ARE NO BROADHEADS IN IT FIRST!!!!! Grap the windpipe and esophagus with one hand and sever them with the knife.
Pull the guts towards the butt. On older animals there is a membrane attached to the guts, like a gut sack. Cut it as you go and pull everything to one side. Roll the animal over and let everything drain.
Trust me your first couple animals will be tough, don't worry.