Skining Deer

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 6:53 pm Post subject: Skining Deer

Howdy. When i skin deer i start by cutting the lower legs off back legs below the joint and front legs above the joint i lay the deer on it's back and slide two 4x4s about two feet long on each side to keep the deer from flopping from side to side i skin the back legs to the tail and then go down past the ribs just getting it started. Then i hang it from it's hind legs go back to the tail and work my way down to the neck. The reason i'm posting this is i was watching wanted ted or alive the reality show with Ted Nugent ( what a nut) and they showed a short clip of him after skinning a deer and he had it hung by the neck and skinned it the opposite as i do was wondering if anybody else skins um like that and what the process is i have never seen one skined like that. Below is a pic of what i call a started deer i do this much on the ground ( it's easier for me) and then hang it and continue.
Joe

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

I do it like you but I dont cut off the legs... I generally cut up my own deer so having them there or not is irrelvant but I could see the need if you need to stick it in a cooler and need the space.

I've seen a couple deer done from the neck down... you split the hide down the neck and then down to each leg and around. They then put a rock inside the neck skin, tie a rope around it then pull the hide off with a truck. Everytime I've seen this attempted the neck broke off and the half skinned deer fell to the dirt. wtf

Another thing I just dont get, why do people cut the throat out on a dead deer? I can see one still alive with a beating heart but a dead one? What are they trying to do, drain the small amount of blood from the brain? Thumbs Down

/shrug

-DallanC

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:39 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

Howdy Dallan. The reason I cut the legs off is for me it's easier to start and finish them. I use my gut hook and go from the leg to the groin and i tube the front legs. It's a old habbit i worked for a butcher during deer seasons quite a few years back skinning and thats how he taught me. I never could figure out why people think they need to bleed deer out :wtf:. I can picture someone pulling the neck off and draggin the deer ROFL

Joe

roklok · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 7:49 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

I skin deer just like Dallan was describing and never had a problem unless the deer was shot in the head or neck.If the deer was shot in head or neck it will indeed pull off and deer will fall to ground.I split hide clear to chin and down each leg,saw off legs,cut around neck right behind head,peel neck hide down and put a golf ball under it and tie with a rope. I have access to my grandfathers old butchershop on my parents farm which has a winch used to lift beef with so I dont have to use a truck. Ihang the deer by the head on the winch rope and tie the rope around the golf ball to a ring fastened in the floor.As the deer is cranked up with winch it pulls hide off really slick.Fastest way I know of to skin a deer.If deer was shot in head or neck I skin like Joe described.

Vince · Posted: Wed Nov 30, 2005 8:12 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

I'm still learning to skin deer, although I have done many kangaroos and the odd sheep and cow. From what I have seen they are all pretty much the same. The system I use is very much similar to what Joe does, start it on the deck then hoist it by the back legs to finish it off.
Some professional roos shooters out here have a little winch type set up made from a truck starter motor, a couple of bicycle sprockets, a length of bicycle chain and a chain or cable to connect onto the animal skin, all on the side of their truck. Press a remote switch and off comes the hide. Makes life easy when you are doing 50 or more a day or night.

Joe, what are your feelings about a guthook on a knife? I see you use one and I have often thought that it would be of value. I am undecided about whether or not to have one on the next knife I get.

Cheers, Vince

Spacedone · Member Joined: Nov 04, 2005 Posts: 266 Location: missouri

gut hooks help alot. and ive skinned hundreds.

people cut throats so dead deer dont run off which they are known to do from time to time.

i know one lady shot her deer walked up put her tag on it and it jumped up and ran 400 yards before someone else shot it. wouldnt that be embarrassing

Vince · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 5:48 am Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

Spacedone wrote:

gut hooks help alot. and ive skinned hundreds.

people cut throats so dead deer dont run off which they are known to do from time to time.

i know one lady shot her deer walked up put her tag on it and it jumped up and ran 400 yards before someone else shot it. wouldnt that be embarrassing

Thanks for the info Spacedone. Looks like my next knife will have a guthook.

Understand fully why people cut the throat....in fact the guy I go hunting with actually takes out a piece about 6" long incorporating the windpipe and everything around it (we don't send the head etc for taxidermy, just want the meat). I shot a fallow buck (through the nect just behind the head) a while back, he dropped like a stone. Went over to him and two of us dragged him by the antlers into a clear part, about 60m from where I shot him. While he was laying there my mate started to cut his throat....damned if he didn't jump up, knocked my mate over and did a runner !! I put another round into him, through the back of his head and he went down again. We dragged him back again. Everytime I touched him with the knife he would jump...this after a round through the neck and another through the head !! Tough bugger for sure.

Cheers, Vince

515034s10ring · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:43 am Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

Maybe it's a Michigan thing because everybody i know skins like Ted did on the show....I watched the whole series and Ted is a nut in person as well, nothing changed from real life to film. But, he is the most down to earth nut i've ever met! Very Happy

longwalker · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:19 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

I always skinned my deer hanging them from the neck. Why I'm not really sure, except they were hanging from the neck already. So saying all that, the last two deer I skinned and cut up I hung them by the back legs.

To my surprise I found it easier to remove the skin. It took me a little while to change my "usual" way, but found it generally easier.

longwalker

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

I hang my animals from the hinds so "juices" drain out of them rather than into them. I dont know that it makes a difference, just something that my dad did, and his dad etc etc.

-DallanC

longwalker · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:44 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

Thats why the old guys in PA. told us to hang them from the neck.

longwalker

515034s10ring · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 2:57 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

Now i remember another reason why i skin/hang from the neck down. When i first started hunting i learned to skin from an American Indian and he said to skin from the neck down because it saves the skin. It doesn't disrupt the hair and hide, it also keeps better before tanning is what i was told. I honestly don't know what difference it makes, and i can't tell you any other way because i've never done it.

popgun · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 3:49 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

My favorite way is the way my processor does it. He has two channel lock pliers welded to short chain anchored to the floor. The deer hangs tail up on a gambrel and he starts the skinnning on the rear legs enough to grab with the channel locks. Then, using an electric winch, he winches up the deer and the skin peals right off. I wish I had a picture to show you. It is a nice set up.

shrpshtrjoe · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2005 6:13 pm Post subject: Re: Skining Deer

Vince wrote:

Joe, what are your feelings about a guthook on a knife? I see you use one and I have often thought that it would be of value. I am undecided about whether or not to have one on the next knife I get.

Cheers, Vince

Howdy Vince, I love a guthook knife it opens them up like a zipper and ya can't cut to deep with one and puncture the gut. Ther'e not the best for reaming the anal cavity the guthook gets caught so i have two knive's i use a schrade old timer and a colt gut hook and they get the job done for me. I can't begin to count the deer i have skinned while i was working for the butcher we would skin 10-15 a night durring the season. I love skinning deer and i cut my own deer as well.
Joe

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3572 Location: Utah

shrpshtrjoe wrote:

I can't begin to count the deer i have skinned while i was working for the butcher we would skin 10-15 a night durring the season. I love skinning deer and i cut my own deer as well.
Joe

I'd *LOVE* to see a good picture guide on how to cut up a deer... I refuse to post a guide of how I do it because people would laugh at me wtf

I get the job done but it aint exactly purty... Very Happy

-DallanC