We’re just coming off a successful September moose hunt, so I thought what better time than now to impart some knowledge I’ve gained over the years with you regarding wild game care in the field. Some has been gained through friends and family. Others from books and videos, and yet more from trial and error. So, let me save you some time and break down these simple tips below so you can take care of wild game in the field the best way possible.
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Where can I learn how to field dress game and take care of wild game meat?
Taking good care of your wild game meat is just as much about knowledge as it is about having the right gear. But, how do you gain that knowledge without ruining your meat in a trial and error process? Luckily, there are a number of great resources you can use to learn about gutting and field dressing animals.
The best way to learn how to field dress and quarter out animals is first hand experience. How do you get that experience without fumbling your way through your first few animals though? Mentors. If you have friends and family that hunt, they’ll most likely be happy to have you tag along. You might not be the one doing the shooting those first few times, but putting in the grunt work, watching, participating, and learning from people who have hunted for years will give you a ton of insight into how to take care of wild game meat.
But, what if you don’t know anyone who hunts? Who can teach you then? Check out your local hunting and shooting organization chapters (SCI, NRA, groups local to your state like the Alaska Outdoor Council and Resident Hunters of Alaska for us northern folks). Getting involved in these organizations will help you meet like minded people who are interested in helping new hunters learn. You can also check local Facebook hunting groups to find people who are looking for hunting partners and to get more information.
Another great source of information is videos. There are a variety of great YouTube channels that discuss how to field dress and/or quarter game. The Bearded Butchers YouTube channel is a great resource, along with these videos by Outdoor Edge. Most hunting shows and how-to videos online will give you a great insight into what you’ll be seeing when you’re in the field.
Last, but not least, reading can help you learn how to take care of wild game meat in the field. Blogs (like this one!), books, and even cookbooks like this one can give you some great first hand information on game care and processing.
What gear do I need to take care of wild game meat?
The gear you need to field dress and quarter game is pretty minimal. Below, I’ll list the items we keep in our kit, along with the uses for these items.
Knives
Clearly you’ll need some good sharp knives to get the job done. One of my favorites is this one with replaceable blades. It’s so convenient and cuts through hide very well. This Outdoor Edge kit also has a variety of knives and other important tools that we have used for multiple seasons now. I would highly recommend getting both the knife with replacement blades and the knife kit. Just be aware that these are incredibly sharp, which leads me to my next item.
First Aid Kit
As careful as you think you are or as you may try to be, accidents can happen to anyone. It’s best to be prepared incase you, your hunting partner, or anyone you come across in the field gets injured while hunting or while you’re taking care of your game in the field. These handy medical kits are great to take with you incase of any mishaps or injuries.
Knife Sharpener
A dull blade is a dangerous blade. For the knives without replacement blades you’ll need a knife sharpener to keep things running smoothly and safely. Grab the Outdoor Edge Field Dressing Kit which includes this and many other things you’ll need.
Rib Spreader
I wasn’t sure how useful or necessary a rib spreader would be until our last couple hunts. This past hunt especially sold me on the idea of this handy item since it was just the two of us gutting the moose in the field. It was an immense help to have the spreader (which is included in the above mentioned Outdoor Edge kit) for propping the ribs open while getting the guts out and cooling off the meat. I highly recommend it.
Bone Saw
It takes a bit of elbow grease to use, but a bone saw really comes in handy for cutting ribs and likely for other bones if an animal is smaller. The Outdoor Edge kit comes with one of these as well.
Tarps
Grab at least one or two inexpensive tarps for your field dressing and quartering. These are incredibly useful when trying to keep meat clean. Once the quarters and other meat are off the animal you can transfer it to a clean tarp to check and bag, which keeps your meat almost spotless.
Citric Acid, Spray Bottle, Water
Why do you need this interesting combination of items? Flies. Mix citric acid with water and spray it on your wild game meat to create a protective crust that will keep flies at bay. It works extremely well, and we’ve never had any issues using it. We even spray it on the game bags after the meat has been placed in them.
Game Bags
It probably comes as no surprise that we use the Alaska Game Bags. We have tried others, but these work the best. They are sturdy, strong, stretch well, and are easy to clean. They come in a variety of sizes for whatever your target animal may be.
Gloves
It’s really personal preference whether you want to wear gloves or not while field dressing your animal, but it’s highly recommend that you do use gloves.
Thermacell
Once an animal is down the bugs go absolutely wild. You’ll want a Thermacell around to keep the bugs at bay while you process your kill.
What are some tips for taking care of game meat?
One of the best things you can do to take care of game meat is to know how to quarter and field dress it correctly, which you can learn by checking out the above tips. The next thing is to keep it clean and dry, which I’ll go over in these next few tips.
Keep It Clean
Pick off any leaves, hair, or other debris ASAP. The meat will be sticky and the tackiness of it will pick up any little thing it touches, so clean it off as quickly as possible because once the meat starts to cool off the debris will become adhered to the meat.
Keep It Dry
Keeping your meat dry will help prevent spoilage. Using one of the aforementioned tarps will help with this, along with hanging it on a meat pole or at least placing it up off the ground so your game bags aren’t resting on wet ground.
Keep It Cool
This may be one of the harder meat care tips to keep depending on how remote your hunting area is and what the weather is like. Try to store your meat in a shaded area, hang it from a meat pole if possible, and get it back to a freezer as soon as you can.
Keep It Ventilated
Keeping airflow around the meat will help to keep it dry, cool, and keep it from spoiling while you’re in the field. A meat pole does the trick for this, but also keep ventilation and the other tips in mind when transporting meat out of your hunting area. If you’re moving it in the bed of a truck, keep it on a pallet or have something between the meat and the bed. This will keep good ventilation going and prevent the heat from the truck from spoiling your meat.
The last thing you want to do is waste any of your wild game meat, so I hope these tips I’ve learned through the years help you learn how to best take care of your wild game meat and get the most out of your harvest. If you’re looking for more hunting tips, check out our hunting tips, tricks, and lessons post. Happy hunting!
