Field dressing is the process of removing the internal organs of hunted game, and is a necessary step in preserving meat from animals harvested in the wild. Field dressing must be done as soon as possible in order to ensure rapid body heat loss, and prevent bacteria from growing on the surface of the carcass. Field dressing helps maintain the overall quality of the meat. It also makes it considerably easier for a hunter to carry larger game from the hunt area.

Tools

Most hunters use a sharp knife to accomplish their purpose. Other utensils can be used such as axes or saws. However, the fact that harvesting locations are generally in remote areas makes the transporting and use of larger tools impractical.

Using a knife specifically designed for field dressing and the use of surgical gloves can greatly aid in sanitation.

Risk of disease

Chronic wasting disease

Chronic wasting disease

Chronic wasting disease is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of mule deer, whitetailed deer, elk , and moose. TSEs are caused by unusual infectious agents known as prions. To date, CWD has been found mainly in cervids...

 (CWD) is a rare neurological disease and has been found in a minute percentage of deer and elk in certain geographical areas in Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. Although there have been reports in the popular press of humans being affected by CWD, a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...

 (CDC) suggests that "[m]ore epidemiologic and laboratory studies are needed to monitor the possibility of such transmissions."
The epidemiologcial study further concludes that, "[a]s a precaution, hunters should avoid eating deer and elk tissues known to harbor the CWD agent (e.g., brain

Brain

The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...

, spinal cord

Spinal cord

The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...

, eyes, spleen

Spleen

The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...

, tonsils, lymph nodes) from areas where CWD has been identified." Tests have also been developed to check for the presence of CWD.

External links

• How to Field Dress a Deer
• How to Field Dress Quail