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How to Gut a Deer 6 Comments Steven Rinella Nov 21, 2018
You’ve got a sharp knife, a notched tag, and a big giant buck on the ground. Congrats on making it this far. Now the real work begins, it’s time to gut the deer.
Here at MeatEater, we want to give you all that’s needed to make quick work of this important task. Here are the essential steps to getting it done.
Step 1: Cut through the skin around the anus, completely freeing the rectum.
Step 2: Begin gutting incision; do not pierce abdominal wall. Cut hide from the anus to the neck.
Step 3: Pierce abdominal wall at the base of the sternum. Lift wall away from stomach and intestines; and slice to the pelvis.
Step 4: Saw or cut through the pelvis to allow passage of lower intestine.
Step 5: Saw or cut through sternum.
Step 6: Slice diaphragm away from rib cage on both sides.
Step 7: Very carefully, sever the esophagus and windpipe above the heart.
Step 8: Starting with severed windpipe, pull guts free of the carcass. Save heart and liver.
This badass blaze orange bandana provides instructions on how to gut your deer. Follow the steps for a quick and clean result, and feel free to make a fashion statement while you’re at it.
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Gear we use, logo wear, books and more MeatEater Store Optics Knives Shooting Culinary Logo Wear Books Deals 
Technical hunting apparel First Lite Merino Wool Baselayers Hunting Jackets Hunting Pants Accessories Women's Gear Deals 
Purpose-built outdoor accessories FHF Gear Bino Harness Chest Rig Spot & Stalk System Treestand System Turkey System Fishing System Deals 
Quality game calls Phelps Elk Calls Deer Calls Turkey Calls Waterfowl Calls Predator Calls 
Ultra-realistic and durable decoys Dave Smith Decoys Turkey Decoys Waterfowl Decoys Deer Decoys Gear 
Steven Rinella Nov 21, 2018 
Save this product First Lite Men's Kiln Crew $120.00 Shop Now 
On Sale Save this product FHF Gear Bino Harness PRO-M $87.50 $125.00 -30% Shop Now 
On Sale Save this product FHF Gear Rangefinder Pouch 2.0 $31.50 $45.00 -30% Shop Now 
Save this product Tethrd Predator Platform $189.99 Shop Now 
Save this product First Lite Men's Kiln Boot Top Bottom $100.00 Shop Now 
Save this product FHF Gear E3 Pouch $45.00 Shop Now 
Mark Kenyon Jul 1, 2013 A gut shot deer is any hunters nightmare. It is never good news when you hit a deer in the gut, but it’s our job as hunters to make the best of a bad situation. To be as brief as possible, there are several key things to understand in this situation. First, how do you know you gut shot the deer... Mark Kenyon Jul 1, 2013 Read More Play Now 
Brody Henderson Apr 6, 2018 We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again-wildlife biologists and researchers provide outdoorsmen and women with an incredible array of information that can be used to make them better hunters. It’s a sad truth that too many of us don’t take advantage of the all the tools these experts make... Brody Henderson Apr 6, 2018 Read More Play Now 
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Mark Kenyon Jul 1, 2013 A gut shot deer is any hunters nightmare. It is never good news when you hit a deer in the gut, but it’s our job as hunters to make the best of a bad situation. To be as brief as possible, there are several key things to understand in this situation. First, how do you know you gut shot the deer... Mark Kenyon Jul 1, 2013 Read More Play Now 
Brody Henderson Apr 6, 2018 We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again-wildlife biologists and researchers provide outdoorsmen and women with an incredible array of information that can be used to make them better hunters. It’s a sad truth that too many of us don’t take advantage of the all the tools these experts make... Brody Henderson Apr 6, 2018 Read More Play Now