how do you field dress a deer

[FarmerDenise]

...

 

[Beekissed]

Bee, that makes sense now, I mean the lawnmower thing. Great trick.

We are planning to tan the hide. At least I am. So I'll be researching that next. I read of an appache way of doing it, which involves using the deer's brain, but that didn't appeal to SO.

We once shot one of our hens, because she had been suffering and we needed to put her down. I held her and SO shot her right in the head. We were both sad, but it was one of those things that had to be done. And yes, SO is a very good shot and I kept my hands away from the chicken's head and the chicken far away from my body

FD, do a search on here about tanning....especially with the brains. I posted a link, I think, to an interesting site about tanning and also a method I read in a book using the washing machine and some borax...this will be the method I will use with Hitch's(my calf) hide when I do it.

 

[Farmfresh]

I thought about trying that ... and with my NEXT small hide I might, but I bought a kit from a company called Van Dyke's Taxidermy ( http://www.vandykestaxidermy.com/) It did not cost very much, was easy enough for beginner me and I had great success with my two fur on sheep pelts and two rabbit pelts that I put through the process.

It has everything you need but the salt and you can buy 50 pound bags of that for a song as loose salt for cattle at the feed store. It took almost 100 pounds of salt to finish my projects.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

I have read this book several dozen times. It has taken me through a few racoon skins and a deerskin. There are alternative methods to brains, namely emulsified oils, like mayonaise or blended olive oil & ivory soap.

But that is a way of tanning suede, not a fur or smooth leather. Very nice against the skin

FF, what was the salt used for in that kit? And the kit produced a fur, correct? I know NOTHING about tanning with the hair on.

 

[Farmfresh]

The kit did not contain the salt, but it requires you to spread plain loose salt over the hide thickly. Then salt is measured into the soaking waters with the kit ingredients.

The kit I purchased produced a fur - also called a hair-on hide. They finished very nicely - although mine still need more brushing to get the hair to look it's best. I have put them to use already. We are using them as truck seat covers! They made a world of difference when we were driving for hours on vacation this year.

They also sell kits for leather - fur removed. They have different kits depending on what type of hide you are tanning. My sheep kit was designed specially for the greasy pelt of a sheep. I still used it on my rabbit hides and had good results for them as well.

If you try a rabbit hide be sure it is from an adult rabbit. Bunnies of fryer size have very thin skins.

 

[lorihadams]

We always field dress our deer where they lay in the woods. We always carry rubber gloves and a bottle of water to clean up afterwards. We bury the innards under some leaves in the woods and let the scavengers do the rest.

We butcher ours at home and make a slit in the hind legs and put a metal rod through it to hang it in a tree. Then we cut the skin from the legs and pull down, cutting the skin away as needed. when we are done with the meat we usually soak it outside in a cooler full of ice water overnight and then freeze it the next day. I think the sites given are pretty good.

Good luck!

 

[unclejoe]

I like to dress mine in a nice tux with tails and a top hat.

 

[Farmfresh]

 

[Beekissed]

I like to dress mine in a nice tux with tails and a top hat.

Always good for a laugh....... Where the heck ya been, Joe? We missed you!

 

[big brown horse]

For a speech class in HS, I was going to do a demo on "dressing a chicken". (Everyone else chose cooking something as their demo.)



I brought in "Peep Peep" our pet Polish and a bunch of doll outfits. I got an A++!!