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Eastern Ma New Hunter

Hi All, Looking for a little help in preparing for the upcoming season. I grew up shooting archery from the time I was about 6 until now. Throughout my life, my grandfather was an avid hunter however to respect my mothers wishes I never went with him. As I got older I began taking a deeper interest in hunting but my grandfather became very sick and was no longer able to go out. Now I am 30, he died last month and I have no guidance on hunting. I understand much throughout my own research and experience shooting, but there are 2 things that I am having a hard time figuring out. 1). Game processing. If I am lucky to take a deer this year, where in MA preferably Eastern MA can I bring it to be processed? 2). Field dressing. I have read much about this but I am not sure that books, articles, videos will really translate into the field when I am standing over my harvest. Do I need to dress the deer before bringing it to the processor? Any help would be appreciated and if anyone is looking for an extra set of hand on a hunt this fall, I would be grateful to tag along.

Hi welcome. There is a few processors around. Hopkinton and whittensville are probably the closest to you. Field dressing is easy. Everything that’s inside the deer needs to come out lol. Try not to pop anything. Lots of YouTube vids to watch. What town are you in? I’m eastern Ma as well if you need a hand don’t be afraid to ask. Good luck

Started out much like you. If you have watched videos and read books on field dressing you can do it. Best thing is take it slow and you will fine. Just be like a surgeon when you open the cavity never letting your blade go in further than it has to. Once you’re in and thru that diaphragm and cut the windpipe a lot will come out with that. Get yourself a butt out to make that end easier.

Thanks for all the information. Seems like I am just overthinking the process. I live in Lynn and I plan on hunting the William Forward WMA and the Crane Pond WMA this fall. Hopefully I will be sharing some photos of my first harvest!

City of sin!!!

You don't come out the way you go in!

Hope your season goes well blkwidow! It took me a few years of teaching myself before I needed to worry about field dressing anyway :-p

Don't have much to offer other than what's here, field dressing is pretty easy, take however much time you need at first. Just like cleaning fish you get used to it and eventually won't even remember not knowing how to do it. Keep your knife(s) sharp and maybe bring some elbow length rubber gloves in your gear if you're into that sort of thing.

You never come back the way you went in...if you make it out!

Thanks. I will hopefully be cleaning some trout this weekend in VT. Catch some big ones at Emerald lake state park every year!

blkwidow, Just a tip, if you hunt those areas, make sure you spray up beforehand with pyrethium. Those areas are LOADED with ticks.

NautiBuoys, thanks for the tip.

I hunt one of the wma's you mentioned. Incredibly diverse habitat and great deer numbers. Shoot me a pm, I'm planning atleast a few more scouting trips this summer if you'd like to hit the woods sometime.

First time I dressed out a deer, I'd only seen it done but I'd cleaned plenty of trout. It's pretty much the same process only bigger. There are a ton of good videos on youtube, watch a few, and be aware that there is more than one way to do it!

Welcome aboard!

DO NOT RINSE IT DOWN!!! That introduces bacteria, a warm moist environment breeds bacteria. Never understood why people recommend that!! Read a few books, but best call your states bowhunters association, I am sure they have guides with pictures and step by step instructions. You will do fine!! Shawn

I've been told that wiping with white vinegar retards spoilage. Not sure how true it is.

Thanks guys. Serve safe teaches cold and clean is best and that is how I treat any meat I buy anyway. I would assume the same principals would prevail in game meat as well.

I'm with Shawn. My butcher has always said to never wash down a deer unless you have gut shot it.

I cleaned my first deer last year. Make a kit- gloves, big ziplock for heart/liver if you keep those, paper towels. You can leave the kit in the car if you want. YouTube has it all. Still, after I got my deer I watched YouTube as a refresher. Same as cleaning a trout, I agree. I was very happy with my meat from Arena and Sons- opinion varies but they are so close to me. To cool meat clean it as soon as you can and put a stick to hold open the rib cage. If it’s warm outside be aware the clock is ticking. Arena and Sons has a refrigerated drop off so even at 3am you can drop it in the fridge. Good luck!

So I’ve heard that if u gut shot one or popped guts field dressing DONT rinse out. You’re just spreading the guts to other parts of the deer instead of just losing the ribs and tenderloins. Clean kill/gut job, rinse her out

if I gut shoot a deer or pop the gut with a knife I am washing that thing with soap !!!! Scrap the tenderloins and any of the leg meat that comes even close to the rumen that spills out. You never get the smell or taste off any meat that is close to it

Pi, thanks for that link, it has some great info. I can see the logic behind not rinsing after a clean shot, but not after a gut shot.

Those are all good points. Like you said, there is no way to avoid contamination. Not saying that I wouldn't wash it down, just saying that I can see where someone could believe that adding an additional outside source could bring additional bacteria. My plan of attack is to rinse, get on ice, skin, rinse again and back on ice.

Pi. I think you have beaten this one to death just let it go please

You guys eat brain cheese and you are worried about some guts on a dead deer?

Blkwidow, Be sure to make the best shot in the vitals, remain quiet and watch where your deer goes, give the deer plenty of time to expire before blood trailing, minimum of 1-4 hours depending on the hit and temperature. Make up a kill kit, rubber gloves, paper towels, ty-rap to secure tag, Butt-out tool and plastic bag. Remove all the innards and don't penetrate the stomach (surprise). flip the deer over to drain out cavity and then wipe out the cavity with paper towels. Buy yourself a kids sled 48-66" long, reinforce the pull rope and install hold down bungees to make your deer drag out easier and cleaner. When you get home hang the deer by the hind quarters in a cool, shady area, and place frozen water jugs (milk jugs) in the cavity and against the rear quarters (frozen jugs will not introduce water into the cavity) and finish cleaning if necessary. Cover with a tarp or game bag. This should be OK for a couple days. Bring the deer to the processor if temps are above 45- 50*. Good Luck and welcome.

Hahahahaha GED always good for coming out of left field with a funny comment. Who’s got the brain cheese I don’t discriminate I’ll give it a shot

Welcome Blkwidow. Good luck in your quest to harvest a deer this year! Don’t worry to much about processing your harvest, it’s not that difficult. There are many ways to gut a deer, I keep it simple in the field, and rinse out with hose when I get home if it’s been gut Hit. If it’s hot out you will need to ice cavity and get it to-butcher wick. If you do yourself you should get the hide off and Quarter it and put on ice within hours. Cut under hide not through hair. Keeps your knife sharpener longer Cut through abdomen very carefully so not to cut into stomach, once you have a small hole put two fingers in with the tip of your knife between them and cut up to the sternum. Once opened cut through diapham , roll up your sleeves , choke up on your knife and reach up to base of throat and cut out lungs , I leave heart in so I don’t have to carry it out. I dump the cavity at this point and start on bung hole and pee bag. Go slow carefully cut all the way around the shoot and remove Try to keep it clean and cold. I’ve washed them in brooks before but the sooner you get it cleaned up the better. Temperature has a lot to do with how fast you need to process, if cold enough, Just above freezing, you can let the meat age for a while before you process. I usually like to have the hide off ASAP for I find it a lot harder to take off after a day or two. You got any cameras out yet? Workin any spots for stands? Only one way to learn how to hunt and that’s by getting out there and figuring it out in your own! Always think safety! Good Luck!

Thanks fisherick and deerdawg. I have put a kit together based on recommendations here and other sources. I got a great deal on a nice Damascus blade but was wondering what peoples take is on these "gut hooks" that are advertised everywhere.

I just ordered a couple of trail cams and plan on heading out this weekend to a couple of spots. One spot is right on the outside edge of a Pine thicket that I saw a lot of sign at last year.

For you guys that hunt public land, how long do you typically leave your stand out or do you bring it in each time you go to that spot? I have a decent climbing stand that I have been practicing with in the yard on this 16" or so diameter maple I have.

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