Head removal (especially muntjac)

[HallyButt]

If there is one part of my prep that lets me down, it’s head removal. i find this especially difficult with muntjac unless they are low neck or high shoulder shot.

I take a sharp knife deep behind the ears and search for the fabled atlas joint often struggle and resort to bone saw especially if getting dark or too warm.

Any suggestions for an easy ‘how to’?

I don’t have the same drama with Fallow or CWD, tend not to shoot anything bigger

 

[deerstalker.308]

Try it from underneath, slit through the throat and expose the joint from the underside, you should be met by the two white bulbs that are the base of the skull, if you bend the head/neck back you can then finish the cutting

 

[FISH BOY]

Cut from under the chin where the head joins the neck - pop the atlas and then lift the head up using the animals weight to open the atlas joint (hand over snout with thumb in groove under mouth/tongue)

Continue to cut inline with the back of the ears. There should be no reason really to touch bone.

 

[@theroedeerguy]

There’s a lot of good tips on this channel.
Whilst the demo is on a sheep, the same principles can be applied to deer.

The channel is Oz the Kiwi Homekill Guy video- how to cut a sheep throat, it’s age restricted so the link might not work.

 

[Rob-E]

Pull down on an ear/antler and make the cut as high/close to the back of the ears as possible. This will usually expose the joint. Give the knife a wiggle, listen for the pop/crunch and job done.

 

[RM100]

I do find it a lot easier to do this it from the front. I no longer start behind the ears.

 

[SussexSteve]

Try it from underneath, slit through the throat and expose the joint from the underside, you should be met by the two white bulbs that are the base of the skull, if you bend the head/neck back you can then finish the cutting the way to do any deer

The way I do all species

 

[Tim.243]

If there is one part of my prep that lets me down, it’s head removal. i find this especially difficult with muntjac unless they are low neck or high shoulder shot.

I take a sharp knife deep behind the ears and search for the fabled atlas joint often struggle and resort to bone saw especially if getting dark or too warm.

Any suggestions for an easy ‘how to’?

I don’t have the same drama with Fallow or CWD, tend not to shoot anything bigger

I hang/bleed all of mine as I go, with MJ Bucks I use the antlers to extend the neck (bit of pressure) and come from the top as I caught my hand on a sharp fang from going the other way which took an age to heal.
Does the other way, I find a bit of pressure works better like cutting a bit of rope you stand on one end or fold it over the knife...

 

[StephenToast]

I hang/bleed all of mine as I go, with MJ Bucks I use the antlers to extend the neck (bit of pressure) and come from the top as I caught my hand on a sharp fang from going the other way which took an age to heal.
Does the other way, I find a bit of pressure works better like cutting a bit of rope you stand on one end or fold it over the knife...

I do muntjac heads from below the ears for the same reason, I drew a tusk across my hand doing it the other way.

In a rush in the dark.

 

[HallyButt]

Amazing! Thanks guys!