A.D.D. BOY

Most people said it can wait if its cold enough and i agree with that. But if you dont want to kill yourself gut it right there. But since you said your a novice hunter just asking how old are you. You should still probably have someone hunt with you. It took me four years till I hunted by myself. Anyways even with 2 people pulling out a deer that hasnt been field dressed is still hard work. I had to pull my doe up this steep hill about 30 yards up to my grandpaw could grab on and help me. Thats how steep it was I had to leave my gun and all my gear down there. Also its good having someone with you that knows what they are doing when you field dress them. There just like a big rabbit. But its still some hard work. It was over 60 degress when i got that doe and when I got my grandpaw we gutted it right then and there. Took us about an hour to get it checkd and to the process center. When I got it back it was the best deer meat I ever had.

Trust me when you get your first deer you wont care what it is. Mine was a button buck I thought was a doe. Still happy as can be about it. Maybe this year ill get my first big buck. And dont get disapointed if you dont get one soon.I got mine on my third deer season. GOOD LUCK!!!

Chuck7

Rebel,
You are correct. Last year it was an option as far as the intrals. I'm glad. I shot mine 3/4 mile in the swamp. Thanks for the imfo.
Chuck

TURKEY FAN

I gut mine right away! just the way i was taught! I once forgot my knife, i had opened a broad head and feild dressed it with that! Hey, you gotta do what you gotta do!

heinz57

[1]put ur tag on him [2] than gut right away - i hunt up in canada where it's cold in nov. !! my brother shot a buck in the morning , we only found him the next day around 3.00 pm . he was gut shot also he was swollen and smelled terribly ..we did not eat venison that year ...[3] gutting ur deer is part of the hunt ...

jerseyhunter

I gut as soon as it's tagged, starts it cooling and makes the drag easier. Last year a friend of a friend was hunting with us, he shot a doe at about 2 in the afternoon and let it sit as he wanted another. He didn't gut it till 5:30 and it stunk to high heaven. Glad he wasn't driving home with me. This was gun season and the temps were about 35-40.

Ozark Sportsman

Well I think it is best if you gut your deer right away but it can wait a for a period of time but i would try to have guted it by the 3 hour but thats just me

heinz57

wait for what ???????????????/ gutting the deer is part of hunting ..

ccm352

FIrst thing I do is tag the deer. Thats the state regulation.. I drag the deer about 150 yards from where my hunting spot is and gut the deer there. Once the deer is gutted I make great time leaving the woods.

hillbillyhunter1

definately try to gut it right away if possible unless you need help. It is part of the hunt. The guts should stay in the field and be out as quick as possible as they are the biggest contamination source for the meat no matter the temperature. The skinning though can be done later depending on the temperature. Most people I know would either laugh the arse off or scratch their head if a hunter came back with a non-gutted animal ( unless he was a complete novice or their was some scientific request by the dnr or whatever)

skinnerdawg

i will field dress the deer where it lays. when i get back home i will then skin and 1/4 the deer placing the 1/4's into a fridge over night. then i will process it the following day.

several years back when i first started hunting i would hang the deer in the garage/barn for several days if the weather was cold enough but as of late our november seasons temps are to radical to do that.