Reply To: "Like Blind Man Chop Wood!" Field Dressing Advise

[Todd Smith]

#7956

I’m not a meticulous field dresser really. I just get out the obvious stuff from the inside but do not mess with the pelvic and anus area until I do the skinning and butchering at home. I would like feedback on this because it really has worked well for me and none of my deer treated in this manner have ever had a hint of that ‘gamey’ taste that I associate with ill cared for meat.

I agree with the carrying of the sharpening stone, but my tip is to make sure you get one coarse enough to actually remove steel from your knife. Having a ceramic crock stick or an ultra-fine stone is good for quick touch-ups, but if you need to reestablish an edge, your stone needs to be able to cut the steel. If your knife is soft enough a smooth cut file works pretty well too.

I have found that those carbide sharpeners like the Acu-Sharp or the Broadhead Pro are good for quick in the field touch ups too, as long as the main bevel on your knives are such that the carbide teeth will actually be able to contact the edge and not get hung up on the shoulders of your bevel.

By the way, can anyone describe the Womack method? I’m not familiar with it.

Thanks! todd