the carcass. Bleeding a deer is a controversial sub-
ject and you can, or you can’t, whichever you prefer.
Most deer do not need to be bled after they are shot,
because today’s high-impact ammunition does a good
job of ripping open the arteries.

Now, take the deer and place it with the head
uphill, or over a log, so the blood will drain into the
hind part of the animal. ‘Taking your newly sharpened
belt knife, make a cut along the center of the belly
from the pelvic bridge below the tail to the breast-
bone. Some hunters split the breastbone while they
are at it but others do not do this until they get the
deer back to the car. Keep the knife blade pointed
upward and be very careful not to cut the abdominal
wall. Many hunters cut through the skin only on
their first cut. They pull it back from the white
membrane underneath and then cut through the
membrane, carefully, exposing the intestines.

By keeping your finger under the tip of the blade
as you cut the hide you can avoid piercing the
abdomen.

Cut around the anal opening freeing it from the
rest of the deer. Tie it securely with a piece of
cord and draw it up into the body cavity. You can
include the deer’s reproductive organs in this opera-
tion if the deer is a doe. A buck’s sex organs can be
cut off while making the belly cut.

Once you have made the belly cut you can sever
the diaphragm between the chest and the abdomen.
Now cut the windpipe and gullet free at the throat.
Hold these in your hand and pull backwards, at the
same time cutting free from the carcass any parts
that tend to hold. Some hunters prefer not to cut

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