# Hogswats Field butchering



## bigreddwon (Jul 4, 2012)

This is how we do our field butchering.

I saw a post on here years ago and tried it out. Cant find it again so I decided to try to show it here.

Put the hog on its belly, cut from the back of the neck, straight right down the spine to the tail.

From there, cut around the tail and down the back of the ham to the joint.

Peel each side down to the front and rear 'elbows', or joints. 


Back straps:
Cut with the spine from the back of the shoulder to the front of the ham along the spine, make vertical cuts right there in those spots. Pull the back strap towards you and run your knife on the ribs, the strap will separate easy. 

Shoulders: Roll the hog on its side.
Cut around the elbow about 1/2 above the joint, full circle. Peel the hide down to that point and it should be fully skinned except for the 'arm pit'. Have someone pull the leg straight up while you run your knife along the body cavity, the whole shoulder will come off real easy. 

Hams: 
Skin it just like the shoulder and have it pulled up by a partner. Run your knife in the crease. Your goal if to go right over the top of the hip joint, when you cut it, it will POP. Cut all around the ham as its pulled straight up. Be careful not to cut below the joint or you'll get the bladder , messy. 

Roll your hog over and repeat on the other side. Once you have the hams off you can use snips or a knife to cut under the spine from the back and pull the tenderloins out from the back. 

I use tree pruners to lop off the feet and cut the back of the spine to pull the tenderloins out. 

When your done, you'll have a bag of guts and bones on a fur rug. There's still tiny bits of meat, but most of the BBQ stuff should be in your cooler already.

 With good light and a helper you can do this in about 20-30 minutes and be right back to hunting.


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## davemann16 (Jul 4, 2012)

Good info. thanks for taking the time to download the pics and write this up too.


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## rhbama3 (Jul 4, 2012)

bigreddwon said:


> This is how we do our field butchering.
> 
> I saw a post on here years ago and tried it out. Cant find it again so I decided to try to show it here.
> 
> ...



Very good tutorial, BigRed!
 Something that a fellow GON member( Fishbait) showed me was using a boxcutter to go thru the skin and your knife for the meat cuts. It will sure save on resharpening as you can just change the boxcutter blades quickly and not wear down your knife edge going thru that tough skin.


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## bigreddwon (Jul 4, 2012)

rhbama3 said:


> Very good tutorial, BigRed!
> Something that a fellow GON member( Fishbait) showed me was using a boxcutter to go thru the skin and your knife for the meat cuts. It will sure save on resharpening as you can just change the boxcutter blades quickly and not wear down your knife edge going thru that tough skin.



Great advice. I actually have a folder that takes box blades, need to find it and use it more. I end up resharpening about 3-4 times during a session usually.


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## Nicodemus (Jul 4, 2012)

Good, quick work there, Red. No hair on the meat, and it`s ready to be iced down. No chance of spoiled meat either, no matter how hot the weather is. 

Good thread.


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## huntfish (Jul 4, 2012)

You can do deer the same way.    As for getting the tenders, I usually come in from the side just behind the ribs.


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## bigreddwon (Jul 4, 2012)

davemann16 said:


> Good info. thanks for taking the time to download the pics and write this up too.





Nicodemus said:


> Good, quick work there, Red. No hair on the meat, and it`s ready to be iced down. No chance of spoiled meat either, no matter how hot the weather is.
> 
> Good thread.



Thanks guys.


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## applejuice (Jul 5, 2012)

I need to get with you and plan a trip , looks awesome man !


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## Milkman (Oct 23, 2013)

ttt


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## RIBMAN (Oct 25, 2013)

Good info thanks for sharing with us


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## ben300win (Oct 26, 2013)

We do elk the same way Hal. Beats the heck out of gutting them.


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## georgia_home (Oct 26, 2013)

Usually I like to bust on Jesus threads, but this is a very helpful one I missed! THANKS!


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## seriadlata (Oct 27, 2013)

I use a Havalon knife...have to change blades after each side, but the best and sharpest knife I have ever used.


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## nockemstiff (Nov 11, 2013)

A good find. Somebody ought to do a vid of that ham hip joint. That's where I could use some more info and practice for sure.


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## nockemstiff (Nov 11, 2013)

We need a sticky with this, or links to this, the anatomy shot placement thread, and probably a few others you veterans can think of.


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## 308-MIKE (Nov 11, 2013)

Hey red, great thread. Question about the tenderloinss. Do you cut away a section of spine to reach them and cut out tenderloins,Or make a cut so you can move the spine a bit to reach in and cut the tenderloins out?


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## DoubleFive (Nov 13, 2013)

This should be a sticky.  Very good information.


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## bigreddwon (Nov 16, 2013)

308-MIKE said:


> Hey red, great thread. Question about the tenderloinss. Do you cut away a section of spine to reach them and cut out tenderloins,Or make a cut so you can move the spine a bit to reach in and cut the tenderloins out?



Spine, I use tree trimmers, if you want the loins they are just a couple snips away. Once the hams are gone they are easy to get to.

Truth be told I forget em about more than I remember. .


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## alligood729 (Nov 23, 2013)

Very good info. I'm glad I stopped by this thread and looked!!!


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## dotties cutter (Nov 23, 2013)

Great job, keeping everything clean is vital and you got it done right.


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