LETTER FROM BARRY ARRINGTON

Longtime Meat Processor & Current Collection Site for Hunters for the Hungry

To all deer donors,

As a former processor for the Hunters for the Hungry, I want to express to all hunters that intend to donate a deer to the program the importance of caring for an animal both before and after pulling the trigger or releasing an arrow. Having stored deer in our cooler for over 25 years, I have seen it all when it comes to where deer are shot and the ways in which they are field dressed. Some of these deer I would not even think of eating.

As a deer donor, you are an essential part of the Hunters for the Hungry program and as such you should show respect for the animal in the way you harvest it and show respect to the program in the way you field dress your deer and present it to the processor or collection site. Your goal as a deer donor should be to harvest and field dress that animal in a way that will provide the most edible meat. I want to share some tips that will increase the amount of meat the processors can save from your donated deer.

How can you care for the animal before the shot? Be patient and place your shot so it will result in a clean kill. Aim for the rib cage, a bullet or broadhead through the lungs will bring the animal down quickly and humanely with minimal meat loss. Shots in the shoulders or hind quarters, though effective in bringing the animal down, cause a substantial meat loss. Deer look like large animals but once you take away the head, hide, entrails, bones, little is left for the freezer. Take away a damaged quarter or, even worse, two, then there’s not enough left to justify the processing fee. Remember, pick a spot. 

Along with the shot placement, how you field dress that animal determines the quality and the amount of meat to be used for human consumption. Done improperly, an animal can spoil very quickly even if in a cooler.  We’ve seen this many times and it is a great waste of meat. Field dressing, contrary to popular belief, does not have to be done in the field. You can transport your deer to an area that will ensure a clean job of dressing. If you must dress your animal in the field, remember the following: Always have a sharp knife, a bone saw or hatchet, rubber gloves are optional but if you have a cut or scratch on your hands they are recommended, water (from a hose, a stream, milk jugs filled from home and put in your truck, or a water bottle in your pack), paper towels and a zip lock bag.

From those of us at Arrington’s Cooler here is a step by step guide to field dressing that we would like to see each deer donor follow before bringing a deer to our cooler.

1.     On a buck start by removing the male organs between the hind legs. On a doe remove the milk sack. It is not necessary to remove the dark smelly pads on a buck’s rear legs; they smell because the buck has urinated on them. By touching these you only risk contaminating the meat with deer urine.

2.     Lift the tail and cut a circle about an inch or so around the outside of the anus. On a doe encircle the female organ in your cut. Insert the blade as far as possible. You will feel your knife come in contact with the inside of the pelvis, follow its contour with the knife blade to make a circle. This cut will enable you to remove the tail gut later.

3.     With the deer lying on its back, spread the hind legs and with your knife cut the seam between the legs all the way in to expose the pelvis bone. This cut will go from your circle cut down to where you removed the buck’s organs or the milk sack from a doe.

4.     Find the base of the rib cage where it meets the belly. Insert your knife point under the hide at this point and slit the hide all the way back to where you cut the meat to the pelvis. Be careful not to cut the stomach. A knife with a guthook is ideal for this. Cutting the hide in the same direction as the hair lays gets less hair on the meat.

5.     Now use your saw or hatchet to split the pelvis in two, it will pop open when cut through and expose the tail gut. Be careful and try not to cut the bladder which is located in this area. After cutting the pelvis remove the tail gut and bladder along with the intestines and the stomach; just reach inside and pull them out.

6.     To open the rib cage insert your knife point under the hide at the front of the chest and slit the hide back towards the belly opening. Cut or saw the ribs down the middle. If using a knife ALWAYS cut away from your body. Cutting the ribs and exposing the chest cavity will allow it to cool out much quicker. If you can’t cut the ribs, use a stick about 14-16 inches long to prop the belly open to help enhance the cooling.

7.     The heart and lungs are separated from the intestines by the diaphragm which is a thin skin of meat circling the back of the rib cage. Cut the diaphragm around the edge of the rib cage to remove the vitals. It is important to remove the esophagus as this seems to spoil quickly so reach forward inside the chest cavity to where the base of the throat starts and cut this and remove it. We prefer to split the neck up to the chin in order to remove the entire throat. If it is not removed and the deer is stored hanging upside down, blood will collect in the neck area and start the spoiling process.

8.     After removing all vitals, use water to rinse out the body cavity and remove all excess blood, dirt or leaves. Lifting the deer’s head and shoulders will allow most of the blood that has accumulated in the chest cavity to drain out. If the deer was shot in the shoulder move that leg back and forth to help force even more blood out. If possible, wash any blood off of the hide as well.  If you don’t have access to a lot of water at the field dressing site, wet some paper towels in a stream or from your water bottle and wipe out the body cavity then take your deer somewhere so you can rinse it out thoroughly.  The processor or collection site will appreciate it greatly.

9.     Wash your hands well after field dressing. Put used towels and gloves in a zip lock bag to carry out of the woods. Get the deer to your collection site as soon as possible.

Remember to pick a spot in order to make a clean kill and obtain the most edible meat. Remove all reproductive organs, intestines, and vitals. Rinse out well with water.

On behalf of Arrington’s Cooler and processors around the state I thank-you,

Barry Arrington