You need to be able to cut, save and store the meat after shooting a deer.The preferred method for skinning a deer varies from region to region, but they all follow the same basic process.It might take a bit of time, but you will be able to learn how to skin a deer quickly and efficiently.
Step 1: The deer should be dressed in a field.
You should field dress the deer before skinning it.The deer's hip bone should be cut just below the brisket midway down the chest.Don't cut through the internal organs of the deer if you want to dispose of them.To make field dressing and skinning a deer easier, use a hunting knife that is as sharp as possible.
Step 2: You can open the skin on the legs.
With the deer on its back, use one hand to push one of the front legs back to reveal a joint.Place your knife on this joint and use medium pressure to slice through the skin around the leg.This should show the joint a bit.For the other leg, repeat.When skinning a deer, always do shallow cuts.If you cut too deeply, you can slice through meat.Once you feel more comfortable with the process, start shallow and cut deeper.
Step 3: The front legs were removed through the joint.
The cut in the skin of the front legs should be covered with a bone saw or sharp knife.To sever the leg in two, begin sawing through the joint.Do this for the front legs.The legs have very little meat or fur, so removing them first will keep them out of your way.You can cut the leg to remove the skin and keep it attached.If you don't want to risk dulling your knife, you can use a sharp downward motion on the bottom half of the leg to snap it at the joint.The upper leg should break cleanly and easily if you hold it firm as you do this.You may need to cut through some skin on the other side to separate it.
Step 4: Take out the inside of the legs.
Take the knee joint from one of the rear legs and place the point of your knife on top of it.Apply a firm pressure to the skin with your knife and begin cutting in a straight line down toward the hip-bone of the deer.When field dressing the deer, keep cutting until you reach the base of the cut.On the other leg, repeat.The two cuts along the legs and the one down the chest of the deer should meet near the hip-bone to form a Y shape.
Step 5: To reveal the joints, peel the skin back around the legs.
Firmly grasp a corner of skin between the field dressing and one of the legs.Pull the skin backwards to reveal one side of the deer's hip area.The skin should be removed from one of the legs.When both leg joints are revealed, repeat with the other leg.You should be able to remove the skin with your hands.If you find a point where the skin isn't easy to separate from the meat, use the sharp edge of your knife to slice the two apart.
Step 6: To snap the back legs, cut through the middle of the joint.
To find the center of the joint in the deer's back leg, use the tip of your knife.This will be the easiest part to cut.The foreleg splits from the rest of the deer.The rear legs should be easy to snap.You can cut through the joint with a saw.It is a good idea to avoid cutting through the back of the deer's legs.The space between the bone and the tendon will be used to hook the gambrel.When cutting through the joint, leave the skin on the legs connected to the rest of the deer.If the legs stay connected with a small amount of skin, you can use the leg bones as a grip to make pulling the skin off much easier.
Step 7: Attach a gambrel to the leg.
A gambrel is a wide piece of metal that is used to hold animals up as they are processed.If you hold the gambrel between the deer's legs, you should be able to see where you want to cut the legs.Pull the gambrel through one of the spaces to make sure it holds up.You can use a tree branch with a rope in the middle if you don't have a gambrel.You could tie a length of rope through each tendon and hold the deer.These may not be as strong as a metal gambrel.
Step 8: Take the deer off the ground.
Throw a long piece of rope over a tree branch that is at least 2.5 metres off the ground.Pull on the other end of the rope to begin hoisting the deer up.Once the deer is hanging completely, tie the rope to the tree to hold it in place.A friend or two will make this easier.Get someone to help lift the deer and hold it in place while you tie the rope off.The bucket of a tractor can be used to hold the deer.Tie the deer to the bucket and raise it to lift it up.
Step 9: The skin should be pulled back around the chest.
Start near the base of the legs and peel the skin away from the deer's chest.If you can't pull the skin away from the deer, use a knife with a sharp edge to cut it away.The skin folds open like a book when you work down the chest.You will see a lining between the skin and the muscle as you pull it away.The skinning process will be easier if you separate the skin from the muscle.
Step 10: Remove the skin from the tail.
Grab the flap of skin at the bottom of the chest, between the two rear legs, and pull it over the deer's hipbone.Remove the skin from the deer's tailbone by folding it behind it.
Step 11: The tailbone needs to be cut through.
Pull the skin back as close to the tailbone as you can to reveal the softer part of it.If you want to separate the tailbone from the rest of the body, use the sharp point of your knife.You may need to trim some skin around the tailbone to remove it.Cut away as much as you can.
Step 12: Continue peeling the skin.
To hold the skin away from the deer carcass, use one hand.To separate the two, hold your other hand in a loose fist and push it down between the skin and meat.Pull the skin away from the deer until you reach the front legs.One hand should be used for holding the skin and the other for working close to the meat.Hair can be transferred from the skin to the meat.
Step 13: Remove the skin from the legs.
Pull the skin over the two front legs, rolling from the body to the end of the legs.The way you would roll down and remove a sock should be mimicked here.If you can, raise the carcass to give you more leverage when pulling downward.The rear legs of the deer can be used as a grip to pull the skin downward.It will give you something more solid to hold.
Step 14: The head and neck can be seen if the skin is cut open.
The skin that is hanging over the deer should cover the head.Cut along the loose skin towards the base of the neck from the top of your field dressing.You can get easy access to the deer's head if you part the loose skin.You need to keep the head and neck in good shape if you want to mount it.The skin around the neck should be cut to the base.
Step 15: Remove the skin from the neck.
You can make another cut down the deer's neck after you have cut through the center of the skin.Pull the skin away from the neck.The deer should be skinned apart from its head.Once the skinning process is done, the hairs on the meat can be washed away.
Step 16: The flesh around the neck needs to be cut.
Place your knife on one side of the neck, close to the head where the meat is revealed.Begin cutting through the flesh around the neck, rotating your knife until you have a complete cut through to the bone.
Step 17: It was necessary to remove the head from the neck.
To cut through the bone that holds the head to the rest of the body, use a very sharp knife or a bone saw.Remove it from the rest of the skin by lowering it to the ground.
Step 18: Put the carcass in a container and wash it.
The head should now be detached from the carcass.If you want to save it for tanning or dispose of it safely, pull it away from the deer.If the deer is still hanging, use a garden hose or another source of clean water to wash the carcass.If you don't have a place to dispose of the skin, dig a hole in the ground and cover it with dirt.This will stop other animals from getting to it.