the boys seem to have it covered pretty well , and we will all agree its the least plesant part of the hunt but also one of the most importiant parts as well to presurve the harvest and get the most out of it.
Ill add a little to sheldon by saying A very sharp knife is very importiant not to big but very sharp. this will help in many ways one make nice and deliberate cuts easy to handle. and it will cut down on the deer hair issues considerbaly .
Also if you can get gloves like farmse use to artificial breed there heffers i will tell you they are worth there weight in gold when it comes to keeping somewhat clean in the gutting process . and they also become carry out bags for the heart and the liver.. quite handy
Deer down. First thing you do is pull out the knife. walk three times around it to the right, then three times around to the left then hand the knife to the youngest guy there and walk him thru it lol . if yer alone, well you start at the bung hole...... it needs to be free so now is the perfect time.
Good tip. drag the deer to a knoll or side hill make its head face up hill if at all possible this way the guts will want to go with gravity it helps to cut things free of the diaphram , and the wind pipe. . I always always always start my first cut right below the briskit sliding it up twordge the lungs NOT down to the guts... thats one of the quickest ways to ruin the meat is cutting open the gut sack and tainting your meat with its contents. not to mention it smells bad lol
now with a sharp knife you slide two fingers in and pull up as you skin down I cant say sharp enough because when you learn this it takes you about 30 seconds to completely open your deer and thus far pretty much mess free almost like pulling down a zipper really it can be that fast with a skilled hand and a sharp knife!! .... now pretty much all that is left is to pull back the gut reach in and cut away the diaphram on each side find the wind pipe and cut it up as high as you can dosnt need to be way up inside just grab it where you feel it and cut it off......... if all this is done and done well the gut and contance is pretty well free..... nothing left to do but turn the deer over a little bit and dump or pull out the contance again the knoll or sidehill helps in this if at all possible . Gravity can be a usefull tool . when thats all out you turn the deer back over find the bladder pinch it off and cut it dont spill a drop down in there that will ruin the hind quorters quicker than snot whipe it up with snow or dry leaves if you happen to botch it
Now you grab the heart and cut it free. roll down the glove and you have heart in a bag. do the same with the liver........ if possible toss them in the snow to cool them down fast as you can. I also carve out the inner tenderloins and put them in the bag trust me thats the best cut on any deer as far as tenderness and taste . I DO NOT AGREE with sheldon on the water thing........ washing out the cavity is not a good thing, beside there is nothing in there your going to eat anyways now that you have taken out the inner lions.
If you butcher your own deer you learn the faster you get that hide off the easier it is and it really helps with the cool down process....... I hope this helps. bottom line is whats in there has to come out lol