For the new Stalkers....

[Overlay]

I’ve always found the little extra bits put into a gralloch reveals a great deal and interest just an udder check reveals breeding status, tick coverage, could be milk problems dried up, all things you can’t see through binos or scope pre shot

External inspection is so very important but also very under used, the process of external is that it can bring a more serious problem inside to the surface even to the extent of not opening the deer any further

I’ve seen many carcases ( not from my hand) with milk all run in on flesh which could have so easily avoided, things like a Roe in the moult field gralloch just a inch strip of fur off either side of the incision to remove the green , it’s so much easier to do that than struggling keeping dirty hair out of the internal it comes off like motorised fluff

Really nice to see and pick up tips makes it all the more enjoyable, well done to everyone for putting up info for all, all pulling on the same piece of string and the learning continues the best of SD

 

[Tim.243]

See the Gralloch thread for more on this. Take your time, no prizes for speed and make a big incision - full length of the abdomen and most of it will fall out. Using cable ties to tie off the rectum and oesophagus reduces the risk of spillage. Anatomically, the guts all hang from a single point around the kidneys and this is often the hardest bit of a pull.

@GlennUK
Answers in pictures helps,


Hole through the lungs

With a neck shot you keep all of it.

 

[GlennUK]

Take your time, no prizes for speed and make a big incision

Thanks for the comments, oddly my D2D work involves inspecting some aspects of buildings, making big holes is often the best course of action there too!!. Ill check out the gralloch thread as suggested.

 

[finnbear270]

Head & Neck shots for the accomplished rifle.

 

[Tim.243]

One of two shot last night, visual showed this healed to one side back leg.
Stripped it back so you can see.

 

[bottletopbill]

Tim think you may have done it a favor well done yet again

 

[Tim.243]

Tim think you may have done it a favor well done yet again

Thank you, No it was healed up well and feeding just fine just came out at the wrong time....
This time of year you will be booking a stalk as you freezer must be empty of venison! You can't be eating rabbit each week.

 

[bottletopbill]

Got a stalk on the 3/8/24 this will be my third in a year with the stalker.
On the previous occasions had a deer on both stalks plus me being a novice did not see one or two deer's until to late.

 

[Tim.243]

Years of shooting pigeons taught me to check their crops as often the contents gave up good info, beans then go look for a bean field.
Found hard lumps in deer's stomach which was bale wrap, maize pointed to cover crops.
Muntjac from last night I could feel small lumps (acorns) not that I needed to find an oak tree but shows you never stop learning.

 

[bottletopbill]

thanks Tim more good advice

 

[Stalker_AG]

An older muntjac Buck head shot yesterday gave me the chance to skin out the front legs and point out nodes from both front legs as often one is discarded (or both!) due to the angle they stand at.
New stalkers might get the chance to gralloch what they have shot and take it home but then skin it and find these which I have found a bit larger in older Bucks over the years.


View attachment 340414

I am presuming the images you have put up are what you would expect to find as "normal" Tim? Will keep a look out for these next time.

 

[Tim.243]

I am presuming the images you have put up are what you would expect to find as "normal" Tim? Will keep a look out for these next time.

All deer have nodes they are like a filter or at best like litmus paper which indicates that something is different.
yes normal but they are external with the internal ones pointing to "something" to take a closer look at.

They sit in a pocket of fat on each leg so I trip them off as there is no need to cook that part.

 

[ChrisH6250]

That's fascinating and one I'll be looking out for in future

 

[Andydorset]

Well i have learnt a lot from this, wasn't in my Dsc1.

 

[Tim.243]

With a full udder it pays you to run the knife around the edge and it will peel off, much better than cutting down the middle and having it run inside.

 

[Nickb]

With a full udder it pays you to run the knife around the edge and it will peel off, much better than cutting down the middle and having it run inside.View attachment 395637

Why state the obvious ?

 

[ColinBr]

Why state the obvious ?

Not so obvious for those learning perhaps, given the title thread that's what this is about.

 

[Tim.243]

Why state the obvious ?

You could reply to the people listed below as they found it useful
Step up to the plate

Post in thread 'For the new Stalkers....'

Dec 7, 2023

Thanks for this. Very helpful to someone very new to stalking and butchering their own deer.

• filzee

• 

Post in thread 'For the new Stalkers....'

Dec 7, 2023

A good thread @Tim.243 and something I had an was unsure of when I first saw it

• T.eddie

• 

G

Post in thread 'For the new Stalkers....'

Jul 3, 2024

This is a really interesting thread, having just completed a DSC1 the thing that most 'scares' me is undertaking my 1st gralloch alone, with no hands on experience. Fortunately I have an experienced stalking friend who has offered to mentor me and i will be touching base with him when i go out. These images/comments are really hlepful. Thanks for posting

• GlennUK

• 

 

[Klenchblaize]

If undertaking a full in-the-field suspended gralloch, I like to carefully rip through the sternham prior to opening up the stomach. This allows everything to be drawn down and into one of those large flexible buckets in one go, prior to inspection.

As stated you do need to be careful not to puncher the stomach when getting your ripping saw in, and guide the balloon away from jagged rib bone.

A nice wide flat headed skinning knife is a big help in getting a recalcitrant pelt off:

K

 

[Nickb]

Step up to the plate

It is much easier to butcher a deer with a sharp knife