Help- I’m squeamish

[Varmint Hunter]

Field dress a few whitetails and you'll get past being squeamish in no time at all. Field dressing your own animals is just another enjoyable part of the harvest, just like tracking & blood-trailing when you're a bowhunter. My Canadian outfitter was rather surprised when I insisted on field dressing my own moose. It was a long and difficult hunt that resulted in the harvest of a fine bull and I wasn't giving up any part of the total experience.

This photo was taken by my guide on his cell phone. He stood there in amazement and continually offered to complete the task which he saw as his obligation. I enjoyed every minute of that hunt, including the field dressing.

 

[birdiemc]

My experience with farming has been that the folks who think they are squeamish get over it pretty quickly. My wife always has her girl friends over with their kids when we butcher something and I'm pretty sure by the end of they day they're all over their squeamishness and grabbing a knife to help. It seems the thought of it is worse than the act itself for most folks.
Find a farmer who needs some help butchering, they'll gladly let you come watch learn and help.
Maybe go on youtube and find one of those homesteader folks near you and shoot them an email asking if you can come help. It would be much better to try it out your first time on a chicken that you're helping with and can bail of it gets to gross for you instead of a game animal you shoot and are stuck with no matter how you feel.

 

[26Reload]

If you make the perfect shot...and don't puncture the guts or cut the ****bag.....should be all flowers and cream.....
One bad shot..and you are puking your guts out whining about "I shouldn't have taken up this idea".....
I should say this.....
Shooting is a sport....anyone could find something positive about it..
Hunting game animals is not about sport "to me"....it is a way for supplying food for my son, ex wife and myself......

Used to hunt with a guy that got squeamish....laughed my head off first couple times he is standing there dry heaving.....but laughing at him each time got old......and never did I take care of his responsibility...

 

[joseph singleton]

You can use the "Indian Gut" technique. You can bone out an animal by cutting the fur off the spine and pulling it down, then cutting the meat off the bones from all four quarters and the backstrap. You can even cut at the flank, reach in and cut out the tenderloin. You don't even have to mess with the guts and it usually just gets your hands bloddy instead of your entire arms. Many backpack hunters use this methood so as not to pack out a bunch of bones. Maybe I haven't described it well but it doesn't waste any meat if you do it right. I bet you can find it on youtube.

Easiest method PERIOD...

 

[milo-2]

I cannot tell you what is best for you here. I am the opposite, I can gut and process, but don't drop the hammer any more. I can take someone hunting with my rifles and be part of them shooting, just not for me.
I can handle making a few prairie dogs do some acrobatics once a yr though for 5-10 shots.

 

[dfanonymous]

It gets easier. Maybe take the help that was offered the first time, then the next time, you take it. If you think it's going to be an issue, maybe best to just ease into it and keep the pressure low.

 

[sp6x6]

The gutless ,1/4 it up would be the best way for you.Maybe start with some fish cleaning,bird cleaning,small stuff,that can take minutes too seconds to start with

 

[YZ-80]

My son has shot a few and I always step in and handle it for him. He's 13 now and this enabling has to stop, wouldn't you agree LRH brothers and sisters? Look at him all clean after sending a 130 Accubond through this central MD whitetail with Dad's Wby. This kid's got it rough. I told him the glamour hunting is over with his next crop damage kill. Anything else would be poor parenting.

 

[sp6x6]

Thats funny.As kid I had to start on number one. I got part way to the diafram and forgot.My Dad came back and was none to happy.His reply,youve seen it done a 100 times.

 

[sturner]

Most of us grew up cleaning everything we killed or caught
The young ones ain't going to learn so I make them clean mine and theirs too

 

[flyguy1]

Agree, start small; catch a few trout this summer, clean and cook five minutes later. Nothing like it! In Alaska we did the leave the guts closed method and boned it out, but for deer and elk that would leave out the best part, the heart, and, in deer, the liver. For some reason we never ate elk liver.

 

[DESERT ED]

Again... many thanks everyone.
I'll tag along with a friend and shadow him before I go out on my own. Funny thing is as a youngster I had no issues cleaning the many fish caught with my grandparents and the family always gathered after a successful hunt.

 

[Ckgworks]

Get in there and get your hands bloody......it's a mental game, and it will get easier with time. Growing up around it definitely helps! I butchered our pig a few years ago, and my son was about 5 or so. I didn't even think twice about him when I jumped in and stuck it to bleed it, theres truth in the saying "bleeding like a stuck hog" and when I turned around he was white faced and just about passed out......now he might be a little squeamish, but he grabs a knife and jumps into help on animals.

 

[MachV]

Farm raised and use to blood BUT specialy with antalope I prefer the guttless method. For me its cleaner and there is less waste to get rid of when I get home. Let alone its much easier to get back to the truck and cools off faster.
Use gloves,try to stay upwind and getterdone.