subject: Tips On Hanging And Skinning A Deer [print this page] Bowie knives have long been associated with outdoor activities. They're ideal tools for skinning a deer. The following assumes that you've already field dressed the animal. Hang your deer with the head facing upward and make sure that your Bowie is sharp. You'll also need a saw, unless your Bowie has a tool or a serrated edge on it that is strong enough to cut through bone. Remember that it's better to use a hacksaw for this task than to stress the blade on a good knife.
You should have a cut that goes up to the animal's rib cage, at least, from when you field dressed it. Bowie knives will work well for the next cut. Make a cut around the animal's neck and continue down to the cut where you field dressed it. You're now going to peel the skin down the animal as far as possible, which will usually be the front legs. You use the hacksaw to cut off the legs, right above the knees, and then continue pulling the skin off of the carcass from that point. The next challenging areas are near the tailbone and the back legs.
When you get to the deer's tail, you can just peel back the skin enough to expose the tailbone and cut it off with your saw. Bowie knives will also work but, again, this is cutting through bone and you'll be making a sharpening job for yourself by using a good knife blade to saw bone. Don't try to skin the tail itself. It's a small appendage and you're creating more trouble than it's worth. Snip off the tailbone, the skin will come away, and you can move to the hindquarters.
Deer have a pair of glands called tarsal glands on their back legs. Their coloration is slightly darker in this area. Cut off the legs above the glands, and then take the rest of the skin off of the animal. Make sure that you hang the skin up right away.
Your deerskin is now ready to be treated or tanned however you like. You'll want to hire a professional for this as it's best to secure the services of an experienced craftsman. There's also a technique called brain-tanning that you can try, but this takes a lot of knowledge and training to do correctly. Bowie knives provide excellent tools for skinning, but make sure not to use your blade for very rugged purposes.
