Field Dressing a Deer

Once a hunter has managed to shoot and tag his prize, he can either send his trophy to the nearest taxidermist or just clean the deer on the spot. Not for the faint of heart or stomach, though, but it's something different than cutting up frozen meat for the freezer. Unless the hunter's vocation is a butcher, then there's no problem.

Field dressing a whitetail deer may not sound like a pleasant process for those with weak stomachs or have a form of hemophobia, a fear of blood, but if the forefathers practiced it back then, it shouldn't matter now. The process is relatively easy as long as some of the available resources like water are nearby. And if the hunter doesn't like the feel of guts spilling out, there are always surgical gloves available.

The hunter starts by laying the deer belly up and with a sharp knife starting from the anus to the breastbone. Careful not to cut the stomach, you don't know what it ate. This process is necessary for easy removal of the intestines and other organs. You may chose not to split the breastbone if you decide to mount it as a trophy, but otherwise, not splitting the breastbone will involve having to reach in to remove the esophagus, heart and lungs.

Once the whole network (term I use since I'm more of a computer guy) has been severed, it's all about removing the intestines and disposing of them properly. Be careful not to cut open the stomach or intestines except to cut the part where it connects to the anus. There may be traces of feces or urine left and you don't want to contaminate the meat. In case it did happen, you can always wash it off with water or a dry cloth. If water is available, it can help with the cleaning process to wash the blood from the cavity. Then you can add a bag of ice inside the cavity to keep the meat cool.

It may sound easy for a butcher to do all this things, even without surgical gloves. But any hunter may want to go through this process at least once then decide if they want to do it again the next hunting season. Field dressing is a safe and sanitary way to enjoy staring at your prize as well as the meat that comes with it once it's prepared at the dinner table.

Dress to Kill

Hunting during the earlier days was all about trying to be as comfortable and protected from the elements as possible. Of course seasonal wear varies on a yearly basis and it won't be long before it forms its own fashion statement rather than just for practical purposes.

Today's advancement when it comes to synthetic fabrics and scent-insulating wear can take the hunter's success rate to a new high. It may not be as cheap, but instead of wearing that old jacket that smells like the hunter is a deer repellant.

Some companies have a lineup for the best camouflage and weather wear that meets the requirements for the hunter of today.

Arctic Shield X Systems have come up with an interesting way in developing their fabrics in creating some of the best camouflage parkas that allows the wearer to hide their scent. Though total scent elimination is virtually impossible, at least the animal won't be able to detect the hunter's presents as it sniffs around for anything foreign.

Rocky Buzz Off Technology is another way to enjoy hunting on near wetlands inhabited by bugs and those nasty mosquitoes. Made of the same fashion to hide the scent from the deer, it also repels the bugs using permethrin, which is a natural bug repellant from chrysanthemums.

And the RutWear Late Season 3 in 1 Parka is something that other hunters have designed. Instead of zippers, this parka uses magnetic closures for a quieter wear or in need to pick something out from the inside pockets. And speaking about pockets, this parka is a veritable drawer full of all the necessary gear a hunter can store from scents, call devices and the like. Hand warmer chest pockets will keep the hunter comfortable in cold weather.

And finally, the Mossy Oak APX Scent Stop, incorporates a whole new level of scent eliminating properties that allows total invisibility by deer. The design is nothing like the other commercial hunting parkas seen as it also includes a neck gator to keep the moisture outside the body while keeping the scent inside.

These and a few other products can be purchased for any aspiring or experienced hunter. As always, the comfort zone for any hunter varies and it's not always that parkas are worn just out of necessity. Traditional clothing that is washed with scentless detergent and kept inside a vacuum bag would be just as fine. Though these parkas can cost a lot, the investment is worth it once the chance to tag that next buck is at hand.