After the kill...

[jmg]

I'm just kind of curious about what people do after they approach a downed animal. I've never been one to cut the throat to bleed but am cuious how many people out there do it. IMO it's not really necessary. My father n law shot a decent 4 pt buck this year and he walks up to it pulls out his knife and slices across the throat even though it had already completely bled out. I was going to give the hide to a taxidermist friend of mine but that quickly went away.

[JohnCimfl2]

when i shot my first deer i shot it in the neck at about 50 yards and when i approached the animal it was still kicking so we cut the throat to let it bleed out. I guess it is a personal prefrence on whether to slice the throat or not. I personally dont care.

[sliverpicker]

I usually sit down and calm down for a few minutes, collect my thoughts. While doing this I get out and punch my tag.

Then I get out some water and clean up the animals face if it has any blood on it. Sometimes I have to rearrange the animal for the best photos and maybe clear a little brush.

More times then not I'm by myself, so I get out the small pod I use and get things set up and take plenty of photos from different angles, with and without flash.

Then the labor of love begins.

[sprigkiller09]

Nope never cut the throat. Much like silverpicker i may take 10-15 min to clean up any blood on the face and position it for optimal pics. In my experience it isnt necessary to bleed it immediately guts are most important and blood will quickly follow in the gutting process.

If it is crippled and still thrashing i may consider slashing the throat but may stab it in the side instead.

[steelhead22]

We just went over this topic a couple weeks ago. Lots of responses. You might be able to find it with a search.

Seems like some guys cut the throat because it's easier (and safer) to remove the windpipe and esophagus. That way you don't have to reach, blindly, up into the cavity with both hands and a razor sharp blade.

[Salmon Stryker]

I'm usually like running up to it, grab by the legs or antlers...then I'm rushing, running and dragging it back to the truck, toss it in the back and then yell to my buddy "GO, GO, GO!" Then tear out of there before the neighbors wake up.

I'm totally kidding! Don't send me hate mail.

I've always slit the throat just because that is what my grandpa and dad always did. Kind of like a ritual I guess. Sometimes it helps them bleed out but if they are already bled out at least I have cut the jugular for easy pulling. My brother has rejected the family tradition and he cuts the jugular from reaching up inside. I always seem to get nicer Christmas presents than him and think that is why.

[Blackbeardown]

If they are dead...they are dead. No sense in cutting the throat to bleed them out.

For me, personally...if the animal is still alive when I get to it I always give it a "kill shot". Out of respect for the animal, I am not going to slit his throat and watch him die a slower death than if I place a humane kill shot on him...which is usually high in the neck below the head.

I am not a "queasy stomach" type of hunter...just ask Cityfisher...but I personally feel it is my duty to dispatch an animal as quickly as possible. Cutting the throat and watching it trash around for a bit is not for me. I am not saying it is wrong. But for me...I won't do it.

[mritech]

Sit down, reach into my day pack for the flight bottle of Crown that I carry (sometimes its a little aged if ya know what I mean) to celebrate the kill and give thanks for the animal.

[bigamefisher2]

I agree with Blackbeardown. The 5x5 mulie I took this year over east was still kicking, so I shot it in the neck to finish it off. My cousin thought I was nuts for wasting a shell, as he would have saved the cape for mounting. I told him it wasn't about having a head mount done, it was about making sure the buck didn't suffer anymore then it had to.

[lake creek charlie]

I ALWAYS bleed the deer and ill explain why. When i got out of the navy in 1970 the only job available was a job in a slaughter house. My job was to kill the cow/bull and hang it on a conveyor system and bleed it and cut the head off and cut the tongue out.When we went through classes they explained that most hunters slit the throat on game animals which does little good because the veins are smaller than the big arteries and almost impossible to do much good. BUT if you know what you are doing, the arterie inside the chest cavity on the chest side when slit will get the last bit of blood out! This may not seem like a big deal,but my deer meat when sitting in plastic bowls dont fill with blood. Also NO wild taste. Two things affect taste. Cleanliness and blood.Trust me if you like your deer meat now try bleeding my way

[baltz526]

i thank god for the meat to sustain us through another winter. then i take a picture, then i gut it and get it to camp.

[WSU]

Where is this artery and how does one cut it? Do you have to have the chest cavity open first?

[baltz526]

don't bother, your bullet has already bled the animal out if dead. and sticking a live animal in the neck is a bit nutty.

[bignate]

Don't bother bleeding them out unless they are still alive
I cut my first one this year. It bled out, then I gutted it out.



nate

[Beamerfish]

Originally Posted by baltz526

i thank god for the meat to sustain us through another winter. then i take a picture, then i gut it and get it to camp.

I'm with Baltz. I take a quiet moment to honor the animal, thank it for it's sacrifice, and reflect on the place, the moment and the responsibility. Take my time and my pictures, taking care to clean things up beforehand. Then set about to the work that is all part of the process. (Does not include bleeding - they are already dead & bled from the bullet or arrow. Throat cutting is an old wive's tail. Have seen it done on fresh-slaughtered beef but there the only hole was in the head and the heart was still pumping.)

[lake creek charlie]

I knew this would offend the people who think they know it all and cant learn. I will only post not to argue, but to answer a posted question. [HTML][Where is this artery and how does one cut it? Do you have to have the chest cavity open first?/HTML] This artery is on the inside of the chest cavityon the chest side. Just cut length wise. All my friends do this now after comparing my meat to theirs. When hunters say the bullet already bled them thats good for them and no skin off......But for example my neighbor killed a blacktail a few years ago,and got it to his house in about an hour. I told him about my experience and he disagreed ,but agreed to hang it head down to see how much blood we woukld get, and a $5 bet of an inch in the bucket. I won ,and he now uses my method. With an elk you have to put the head downhill and cut, and while you are working on the hide off the rear quartersabout 15 - 20 minutes then either gut or use the quarter method.If you help your friend and neighbors wiyh their deer and notice the amount of blood in the bowls, you can either hurt their ego by telling them the truth or just let it go, depends on their ego and your relationship. Just tried my venison burger last night and it tastes like ground sirloin........

[Leb009]

i couldnt slit the throat. that would be too hard for me. if its still alive when i come up to i just shoot it from about two feet away in the back of the head

[The Bloodletter]

My experience has always been that it you put a good shot throught the boiler room, nearly all of the blood in the animal winds up in the body cavity anyway. The only way I could see the animal bleeding out throuth the neck is if it was still alive when you cut it's throat. I'm not a big throat cutter guy. I think is less humane that putting a round in at the base of the head which kills them instantly.
That being said, I just point the legs down hill, open them up, gut them, ream the bung then grab the front legs and let all of the blood drain out the back side. Usually gets nearly everything out. I always gut them in the field so hanging them upsidedown is never an option. I don't know why anyone would take them home to gut them anyway. Why haul all of that extra weight around while getting the animal out of the woods, not to mention the messy guts around the house.

[lake creek charlie]

[HTMWhy haul all of that extra weight around while getting the animal out of the woods, not to mention the messy guts around the house.
__________________
L][/HTML] NO I DIDNT SAY TO GUT AT HOME .MY NEIGHBOR KILLED A BLACKTAIL NEAR WHERE WE LIVE SO HIS HOUSE WAS LIKE CAMP. HE WAS REMOVING THE HIDE AT HOME LIKE YOU WOULD OVER EAST AT CAMP AND I WAS EXPLAINING THAT IF ITS WITHIN THE HOUR AND THE WX IS NOT FREEZING IT STILL WILL WORK

[Monkey]

Originally Posted by lake creek charlie

I knew this would offend the people...

I don't think you offended anyone. Some just disagree.

I am of the opinion I don’t know until I try. That said, I get what your saying and I’m curious to give your suggestion a go.

Just to clarify, you cut the chest arteries in the below image, hang the deer head down and let gravity do it’s job (i.e., blood from the hind end flows down through the animal and out your drain incision)? Or do you try to get closer to the top of the heart with that cut?

Thanks.

m

[Art Vandeley]

Why would anyone slit the throat of a deer that is still kicking??? Or "stab" it in the side??? Why not walk up about 5 feet behind it, point the barrel at the back of it's head, and not make it suffer any more. To save 3 dollars for a shell?? If this is the reason for people, that is outrageous. After paying for gas, food, supplies, hunting equipment, and licenses and tags, a couple of dollars for a rifle shell should not bother you. If it's because you are going to get the animal mounted, carry a .22 pistol and shoot it in the head with that. Simply amazing.

Mitch

[lake creek charlie]

Just to clarify, you cut the chest arteries in the below image, hang the deer head down and let gravity do it’s job (i.e., blood from the hind end flows down through the animal and out your drain incision)? Or do you try to get closer to the top of the heart with that cut?

Thanks.

rEMEMBER THAT USUALLY WITH A DEER THE HEART AND LUNGS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. yOU ARE DRAINING MUSCLE BLOOD ONLY. tRY IT YOU WILL BE AMAZED

[in 'em]

Originally Posted by Mitch Callas

Why would anyone slit the throat of a deer that is still kicking??? Or "stab" it in the side???
Mitch

Well, not wanting to ruin a cape would be one reason not to shoot it or slit the throat.

Just make sure your first shot counts. If it doesn't put the animal down, you need to shoot it again. You've all heard stories of animals coming back to life as well...I have...happened to my dad last year. He head shot a 3 point facing him from 15 yards...the bullet went through its mouth and lodged in the base of the head and knocked it out cold. 10 minutes later he looked over and it was laying there with its head up like it was bedded down...he tried to slit it's throat and it went ballistic! It stood up as my dad backed away and as it took off my dad was able to shoot it twice more and still got it.

My , make sure it's dead by first poking it, then making sure you find a mortal wound and no movement (especially in the eyes). Once it's dead, no reason to cut the throat...just gut it and reach up as far as you can inside and cut the throat to pull everything out. Keeps the hide and cape nice, keeps dirt out of the neck meat and just looks better.

[Zumwalt]

Originally Posted by lake creek charlie

Just to clarify, you cut the chest arteries in the below image, hang the deer head down and let gravity do it’s job (i.e., blood from the hind end flows down through the animal and out your drain incision)? Or do you try to get closer to the top of the heart with that cut?
 
Thanks.

rEMEMBER THAT USUALLY WITH A DEER THE HEART AND LUNGS HAVE BEEN REMOVED. yOU ARE DRAINING MUSCLE BLOOD ONLY. tRY IT YOU WILL BE AMAZED

Sounds like you know what you are talking about so I am willing to give it a try. I guess I must be a little slow cause I still don’t get where exactly to cut. So let’s walk through it. I have my deer gutted with everything removed guts, heart, lungs, and all. I reach up inside the chest cavity and cut where?

[in 'em]

Someone who does this needs to take pics!!! I'm curious too. Hmmm...muscle blood...??? Seems all the blood is gone once gutted and drained. So your saying that once gutted and everything's out of the rib cage, you can cut another artery and more blood will come out?

[stlhdr1]

Originally Posted by in 'em

Someone who does this needs to take pics!!! I'm curious too. Hmmm...muscle blood...??? Seems all the blood is gone once gutted and drained. So your saying that once gutted and everything's out of the rib cage, you can cut another artery and more blood will come out?

I know when I quarter and hang my meat it will drain blood some....

Keith

[Twitchs_Tackle]

Dang it Jay, when I first read the title to yoru thread I though you were going to ask a question like "how many of you have to empty your gun trying to finish off a deer" or "how many times did you have to shoot this year?"

Man, its gotta be rough being outdone by your little sister on her first buck hunt!

[BalouSC]

I agree with this practice. I see no good reason to make an animal suffer. I lost a hunting partner because of this. I shot a deer and when we got up to it, it was still alive. I put another in it in the head. He got mad and actually hasn't spoke to me since. He said that it was a waste of shells and a waste of meat. I don't pay much for a 300 Win Mag shell and I don't eat the head. This is my opinion at least. Balou

Originally Posted by Mitch Callas

Why would anyone slit the throat of a deer that is still kicking??? Or "stab" it in the side??? Why not walk up about 5 feet behind it, point the barrel at the back of it's head, and not make it suffer any more. To save 3 dollars for a shell?? If this is the reason for people, that is outrageous. After paying for gas, food, supplies, hunting equipment, and licenses and tags, a couple of dollars for a rifle shell should not bother you. If it's because you are going to get the animal mounted, carry a .22 pistol and shoot it in the head with that. Simply amazing.

Mitch

[jmg]

Well Eric if only everyone shot as straight as you and I!!

[salmonfisher77]

Now thats is funny!!!

Originally Posted by Salmon Stryker

I'm usually like running up to it, grab by the legs or antlers...then I'm rushing, running and dragging it back to the truck, toss it in the back and then yell to my buddy "GO, GO, GO!" Then tear out of there before the neighbors wake up.

I'm totally kidding! Don't send me hate mail.

I've always slit the throat just because that is what my grandpa and dad always did. Kind of like a ritual I guess. Sometimes it helps them bleed out but if they are already bled out at least I have cut the jugular for easy pulling. My brother has rejected the family tradition and he cuts the jugular from reaching up inside. I always seem to get nicer Christmas presents than him and think that is why.

[Grantspastor]

Not necessary to cut the throat. If the animal is still alive it could be very dangerous to walk up and try to cut it's throat. Finish it off with your rifle with a bullet at the base of the skull

[BeaverBoy]

Just one little piece of advice on this subject of doing a kill shot or cutting the throat. Be extremely careful if you decided to do a head or neck shot close up especially if there happens to be a rock underneath the neck or head. Just something to think about.

[Monkey]

It seems we've got two discussions here.

1. Animal is dead, and we're just bleeding off extra blood left in the muscles.
2. Animal is not dead yet and you're attempting to expedite the process.

I assumed the intent of the conversation was #1. I agree with Mitch if we’re talking discussion #2. That, and Slitting the throat of a wounded animal seems a little like tempting fate to me. Good way to make the Darwin awards. Sticking your face that close to the business end of a buck. Not this kid. I'd rather tell my wife I'll be home by 9, then stay out drinking all night with the guys without calling. At least I know what's coming.

But I won't judge ya if that’s how you choose to finish an animal. I'll even film ya if you wanna give it a go.

m

[duckboy]

I reckon I'd say a prayer:
that I was able to kill the beast
that the beast died quickly


that I'd be able to get it processed and packed before the blowflies and hornets had me for lunch.

then I'd pray to find that suitcase full of DB Coopers Loot.