# Field Butchering



## Timberjack86 (Sep 2, 2019)

What gear do you bring with you to butcher your bear in the woods?  I'm thinking Knife, saw, tarp, pillow case for my meat. Cold cooler is waiting at the truck. What am i Missing? My hunting area is about 2 miles from the truck and I'm not dragging anything that far!


----------



## NCMTNHunter (Sep 2, 2019)

If you are going to carry a saw be sure and get the ribs.  They are by far the best part of a bear.  You can also get them out with a sharp hatchet.


----------



## FMBear (Sep 2, 2019)

A spool of trot line is helpful when skinning the bear if you're alone. You can lift the legs to allow for easier skinning if the bear is in some thicker brush.
If you can at least drag to a creek, it makes for an easier job with both the cooler temperatures of the water cooling the bear quicker and bears are quite buoyant which helps in the skinning.


----------



## jbogg (Sep 3, 2019)

FMBear said:


> A spool of trot line is helpful when skinning the bear if you're alone. You can lift the legs to allow for easier skinning if the bear is in some thicker brush.
> If you can at least drag to a creek, it makes for an easier job with both the cooler temperatures of the water cooling the bear quicker and bears are quite buoyant which helps in the skinning.



I started keeping a couple of 20’ lengths of paracord in my kill kit for just that reason.  When skinning on the ground Tie one end to a foot and then the other end to a tree or branch to hold the leg up for skinning.  

If someone has never skinned and quartered a critter on the ground solo it’s hard to appreciate the challenge.  One hand is working the knife, the other is tugging Hide, and you need a third hand to hold that dang leg up out of the way.


----------



## northgeorgiasportsman (Sep 3, 2019)

jbogg said:


> If someone has never skinned and quartered a critter on the ground solo it’s hard to appreciate the challenge.  One hand is working the knife, the other is tugging Hide, and *you need a third hand to hold that dang leg up out of the way*.



Tuck that leg between your shoulder and your ear and cradle it like you would a phone.  That's what I do, and I skin virtually everything solo.


----------



## jbogg (Sep 3, 2019)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> Tuck that leg between your shoulder and your ear and cradle it like you would a phone.  That's what I do, and I skin virtually everything solo.



Wes, I'm 6'5'', and if I ever get close enough to the ground to put a bears foot between my shoulder and ear someone is going to have to help me back up.  My old back doesn't bend like it used to.


----------



## ScarFoot (Sep 3, 2019)

I carry a limb lopper instead of a saw, get a good metal one and cut the handle length down so the overall length is equal to the inside width of your back pack and lay it down flat on the bottom of the pack wrapped in whatever tarp you carry, that **** saw will take the juice out if you in the heat, I've tried saws and hatchets over the years the lopper is the way to go, the light fiskers plastic model with lifetime warranty will temp you, it did me, and broke while I was butchering the first hog! Warranty did me no good in middle of nowhere with broken lopper!


----------



## Hillbilly stalker (Sep 3, 2019)

What do yall use the saw/hatchet/loppers for ? The pelvic bone ?


----------



## ScarFoot (Sep 3, 2019)

I leave the pelvic bone in place and cut the ham from it with a regular skinning knife removing the ham with the ball of the hip attached,  I cut off feet/paws at wrists/ankles and the skull from the spine with the lopper, I know it can be done with a knife but you can make all five necessary cuts in as many seconds with the lopper


----------



## splatek (Sep 4, 2019)

Super helpful post... in hopes of a kill... haha.


----------



## bowbuck (Sep 5, 2019)

Two knives, 3 pillow cases, couple gallon zip locks, some wet wipes, old boot laces or some paracord.  The old boot laces come in handy tying a rolled up hide together or securing it to your pack.  20' of paracord would do the same.  

A small hatchet would be handy if you wanted to chop out  the ribs whole.  If not a sharp knife and knowledge of anatomy will take care of any joints.


----------



## Timberjack86 (Sep 6, 2019)

Definitely going to add a hatchet and Paracord to my bag.


----------



## NCHillbilly (Sep 6, 2019)

I wouldn't bother with the tarp. It already has one attached to it. Skin and butcher one side at a time. The hide will keep the meat off the ground.


----------



## Buckman18 (Sep 6, 2019)

I'm with Hillbilly. Id much prefer to skin a bear on the ground and use his hide to keep meat off the ground. To me, this is MUCH easier than hanging them like a deer. If im a home, though, i do use a tarp.


----------



## Buckman18 (Sep 6, 2019)

Timberjack86 said:


> What gear do you bring with you to butcher your bear in the woods?  I'm thinking Knife, saw, tarp, pillow case for my meat. Cold cooler is waiting at the truck. What am i Missing? My hunting area is about 2 miles from the truck and I'm not dragging anything that far!



Skinning knife, feed sacks for meat and head. Ive skinned so many i dont need a saw but if youre new to it then a saw or hatchet would be helpful. I do carry a knife sharpener.  Hogs and bears will dull a knife quick and sometimes a quick touch up will go a long way.


----------



## tree cutter 08 (Sep 6, 2019)

That's were the havalon knife shines! You will use 2 blades on a bear. Best money I've spent on hunting in a long time outside of bullets.


----------



## Wayne D Davis (Sep 7, 2019)

I'm gonna ask a stupid question here.... since I hunt wma's I was under the impression that you had to keep the bear whole till checked. I've always wondered how a man could drag a 450 pound bear out. I've also heard the gallbladder was prized by some for medicinal purposes.


----------



## gobbleinwoods (Sep 7, 2019)

Wayne D Davis said:


> I'm gonna ask a stupid question here.... since I hunt wma's I was under the impression that you had to keep the bear whole till checked. I've always wondered how a man could drag a 450 pound bear out. I've also heard the gallbladder was prized by some for medicinal purposes.



Check the regs but I believe the only reason you need to keep it whole is if you are worried about the weight being too low.


----------



## Buckman18 (Sep 7, 2019)

Wayne D Davis said:


> I'm gonna ask a stupid question here.... since I hunt wma's I was under the impression that you had to keep the bear whole till checked. I've always wondered how a man could drag a 450 pound bear out. I've also heard the gallbladder was prized by some for medicinal purposes.



Nowadays, you can skin out and quarter a bear first. When the game tech meets you to tag it, he/she will need to see the head and hide and will pull a tooth. When you are asked if the bear is at least 75 pounds, the obvious answer is a confident YES.

Several years ago it was different.


----------



## ddd-shooter (Sep 7, 2019)

Wayne D Davis said:


> I'm gonna ask a stupid question here.... since I hunt wma's I was under the impression that you had to keep the bear whole till checked. I've always wondered how a man could drag a 450 pound bear out. I've also heard the gallbladder was prized by some for medicinal purposes.


Head and hide is all that’s checked.
It’s highly illegal to sell bear parts.
That’s also why some taxidermists ask for full payment up front, because if you don’t come back for your mount/rug/skull, they cannot sell it. Fyi


----------



## Ghost G (Sep 9, 2019)

ScarFoot said:


> I leave the pelvic bone in place and cut the ham from it with a regular skinning knife removing the ham with the ball of the hip attached,  I cut off feet/paws at wrists/ankles and the skull from the spine with the lopper, I know it can be done with a knife but you can make all five necessary cuts in as many seconds with the lopper



This is my method except I'll take the skull off with a knife.  I'll use the looper if I need to make a second trip to the truck and bring it back.


----------



## greg_n_clayton (Sep 9, 2019)

NCMTNHunter said:


> If you are going to carry a saw be sure and get the ribs.  They are by far the best part of a bear.  You can also get them out with a sharp hatchet.


You are absoulutly correct !!


----------



## chehawknapper (Sep 9, 2019)

Wayne D Davis said:


> I'm gonna ask a stupid question here.... since I hunt wma's I was under the impression that you had to keep the bear whole till checked. I've always wondered how a man could drag a 450 pound bear out. I've also heard the gallbladder was prized by some for medicinal purposes.


In the state of Georgia, it's illegal to buy, sell or trade any part of a bear. You may possess it, that's all.


----------



## Thunder Head (Sep 29, 2019)

Make sure the tree you tie too is alive. 

I tied the rope around the back leg of a bull elk. Started cranking on the rope to pull the leg up. Pulled the tree right down on top of me.


----------

