How do you clean your birds?

Jonah's Revenge · 11-06-2003, 06:14 PM

I'm curious to find out how everyone else clean their birds while out in the field for a while.

I know that we are supposed to keep certain body parts connected for recognition of species and sex, but to me I feel that a head attached to the bird when it is dressed is not the best way. This subject always brings up different opinions while in camp. Some feel that it can taint or spoil the meat if left on for days at a time (which is the case when we head east bird hunting).

Has anyone out there had problems with meat going bad from leaving the head attached?

Do you feel that if you retain the carcass in a separate bag in order to prove what kind of birds you shot would work?

Gun Rod Bow · 11-06-2003, 07:38 PM

How do you tell when duck and goose meat goes bad

Crashin' Bait · 11-06-2003, 07:44 PM

When it starts ta twitch again!

SlamminKokes · 11-06-2003, 08:57 PM

on upland birds i just make a lil slit near the butt, pull back the breast a little bit ans reach in and pull the guts out! Then i pack ice inside the cavity and stick in the cooler! Have had pheasants stay plenty good for 4 days this way!

Swamp Puppy · 11-07-2003, 02:09 AM

if i clean them in the field, i'll breast ducks and leave the wings on which is all that is required. i am usually only out for a couple of hours of shooting upland birds and i just keep them in the cooler until i get home. it doesn't seem to hurt the meat quality any.

skein · 11-07-2003, 04:55 AM

M_3.5,

Better check the bird regs. It specifically talks about "breasting" and says a hunter must retain all edible portions of the bird. Look on page 8.

I like the ice in the body cavity idea. I usually clean them as quickly as possible, but never thought about icing them from the inside. Good idea.

Skein

Rueben4life · 11-07-2003, 09:33 AM

Step on their feet and pull on their head! Easiest damn way to get it done...for a coot anywho, but that was along time ago and a big pot of spaghetti between high shcool buddies camping on the lagoon.

Ice in the cavity sounds like the best way!

All Wet · 11-07-2003, 02:40 PM

To clean grouse lay them on their back, step on both wings next to the breast, grab the legs and pull up, all the guts will come with the legs and lower back. Seperate (cut) the legs from the lower back and rip off the remaining skin and feathers. Pull the skin with feathers off the breast, back and one wing and leave the other wing for identification. You can grab the gizzard and liver if you eat them. Split the gizzard with a knife and peel the inner lineing out. It works best right after shooting it or at least while it is still warm. I did it the hard way for years until a couple of "kids" showed me the easy way.

Swamp Puppy · 11-07-2003, 07:35 PM

pg. 8 of the regs:

"Some Hunters commonly practice 'breasting' birds out and discarding the rest of the carcass while still in the field. this is not leagal and hunters need to note the following."

"for waterfowl, doves, and pidgeons a feathered head or wing must be left attached to all cleaned birds while in the field or traveling home."

here is how i interprete this.

taking just the breast while in the field is not legal because there is no way to identify sex or species of animal. all that is needed to meet the ID requirements for waterfowl is to leave a wing attached.

now, as for the waste issue....well, i have yet to find any usable meat on a dove or greenwing teal besides the breast, but i could be mistaken. in the case of larger ducks like Mallards and the like, i usually bring them home intact and clean them there. they all go into one big bag marked, "for sausage".

salmurai · 11-07-2003, 11:13 PM

JR, upland birds: gut them and ice them. Waterfowl: gut them and pluck most of the carcass and breast them when I get home. Turkeys get gutted and a frozen water bottle stuffed inside. Good Luck.....