VIDEO: How To De-Bone a Sheep and use TAG Bags

[Larry Bartlett]

Here's a video on how to de-bone a big game animal. Just a few tips to make the process a little easier.

Good luck this season!

Larry

[Roland on the River]

Awesome video, this is a great contribution to all members.

[slickwilly30]

Larry went looking for another set of TAG bags at sportsman's WH on the Kpen but they only had the small ones left and were on sale. Asked one the workers and they said they didn't think they were getting any more in. Are they not carrying them anymore?

[tekla]

Thanks Larry that was a great video. Very informative and helps to see it done right. Appreciate you taking the time to make it and post here.

[Larry Bartlett]

don't know why they are low, but I'll call today to see if they want more. The other stores might be getting low too. Thanks for the head's up.

lb

[Larry Bartlett]

the buyer at headqtrs Sportsman's Warehouse checked the records and all stores still have ample inventory, so they likely have more in the back storage. I'll call the stores and let them know your comments. Thanks again for the head's up.

LB

[Steven_JR]

Great video! I'm very particular about field care of my meat and I really appreciate someone taking the time to put a top notch video together. Very articulate commentary as well!

I couldn't tell from the video, when you are deboning the rear legs do you follow the connective tissue between the muscle groups to access the femur, or do you just make an incision straight to the bone and cut around? My preference is to follow the muscle groups so I expose less meat (and don't waste any steaks), but that isn't always practical. I've also been known to suck it up and pack out the femur so I can make better cuts at home, but that only works during certain senarios (time until home, outside temp, length of hike).

[alaskabliss]

Great much needed video. I have never de-boned in the field and always wondered the tricks. Thanks for sharing.

[Larry Bartlett]

For sure, i follow the bone on the pelvis with removal from the carcass, but you could separate the muscle groups when deboning. It takes longer to make sense of the muscles and separate each cut, but doable. Probably adds about 7-10 minutes with practice, but the easiest is to just cut to the bone and work out the leg bones.

Larry

[Frostbitten]

Good video!!! One bit of caution when trimming away bloodshot meat. My hunting partner was ticketed in 2003 for trimming and discarding bloodshot meat from a caribou. The trooper collected a literal handful of bloodshot meat as evidence, it weighed about a pound, and some of the pieces he picked up were literally the size of a quarter. My buddy decided to fight the ticket in court...he lost, and had to surrender all the meat and the horns. The outcome from the judge in Dillingham was that bloodshot meat may well be undesirable, but it's not inedible, therefore he stated that it should not have been discarded.

He still thinks it was a BS situation, however, we don't discard any meat at all till we get home. I know folks who trim away while in the field...just a word of caution.

[Larry Bartlett]

I have enough science to prove that blood shocked meat is not only inedible, it is riddled with source bacteria from visceral fluids, shocked marrow, bullet fragments, hair, soil, and other nasty sources that would jump start a bacterial colony post haste. I would love the opportunity to present that in court...without a lawyer. There is no prosecutor in the state that could argue with laboratory results.

I trim at least 1" around impact wound channels, and I would highly advise hunters do the same.

If you decide to bring it home, I would strongly advise NOT housing it inside bags with edible meat.

I would also bring a jetboil to court and cook up some wound channel debris for the judge and DA to taste...I bet good money they wouldn't eat it.

[4merguide]

I trim at least 1" around impact wound channels, and I would highly advise hunters do the same.

You bet.... you really don't want to taint the rest of the meat with that crap. Besides, it says right there in the regs (page 22) "You are NOT required to salvage the meat..... that has been damaged and made inedible by the bullet or arrow. These portions of the animal can be left in the field because they are NOT included in the definition of edible meat that must be salvaged."

That judge obviously didn't read the regs.....

[jwfishak]

Judges are always subjective about laws, and will always interpret laws as they see fit, not what the definition states in regulation, statute or code.

Larry, nice video. I've butchered a lot of animals and I learned something from watching it. Thanks for posting it.

[iusckeeper]

How did you cape the sheep without a dorsal cut? Or did you make that cut up to the horns later?

[Larry Bartlett]

Hey man, great question about the cape!

My buddy wanted a non-traditional hide so we made a belly cut and removed the whole hide for a rug mount.