How to Skin a Deer Using a Bowie Knife
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.
First, you will need to hang the deer up; you can choose to hang it head up or down. Having a sharp Bowie knife here will help ensure that you do not make any wrong cuts when skinning the animal. Begin your cut just above the genital area, and move up toward the ribcage. You can cut through several of the ribs at this point if you choose, though it is not necessary. If you cut through the ribs, make sure you make your cuts to the side of the sternum. Do not cut too deeply during this step, or you will puncture organs or the animal’s intestines.
The next step is to cut around the neck. You should connect this cut with the earlier incision made in the stomach of the deer. Once you have a good cut, begin pulling the hide away from the flesh underneath and work your way down the animal. You might find that you need to stop and use your Bowie knife to cut tough portions where the flesh is particularly well adhered to the hide as you work. Cut it away, rather than pulling it here, or you can cause problems.
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. 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.
Blake is a business consultant for an online bowie knifes store featuring survival knives.
