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How do you remove the head

USSHornet

USSHornet

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2018
Messages
333
Location
Kentucky
I started hunting really late in life to help my brother who was struggling with addiction. He started young and had been …hhmmm in govt custody for a bit and when he got out he told me he missed deer hunting so I told him heck I’ll go, (I grew up fishing).

Now, I’m hooked but I have not yet taken a buck so I do not know if I need more than a knife to remove the head…my plan is to debone and use the gutless method..I know I can use knives for that but the head..do I need something like a hacksaw?

Thanks for helping a senior…


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You can separate the head from the first vertebrae with a knife. Takes a bit of finesse to get through usually, if caping for shoulder mount the taxidermist usually want a couple inches of neck or a measurement of it to get the correct form size

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krub6b said:
You can separate the head from the first vertebrae with a knife. Takes a bit of finesse to get through usually, if caping for shoulder mount the taxidermist usually want a couple inches of neck or a measurement of it to get the correct form size

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Thank you so much buddy.


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I carry two knives. One for sharp fine meat work and skinning and a very lightweight but heavy blade fixed blade cheapo knife I use to cut the tendons and heavy stuff. I keep they both razor sharp but don’t mind if I have to dig into some bone with the cheap knife and dull it to separate the head or ball joints. My old man has a havalon with replaceable blades and carries a replaceable saw blade with it. It also works well and he prob saves a little weight. I just like a knife with some substance to work with.
 
USSHornet said:
I started hunting really late in life to help my brother who was struggling with addiction. He started young and had been …hhmmm in govt custody for a bit and when he got out he told me he missed deer hunting so I told him heck I’ll go, (I grew up fishing).

Now, I’m hooked but I have not yet taken a buck so I do not know if I need more than a knife to remove the head…my plan is to debone and use the gutless method..I know I can use knives for that but the head..do I need something like a hacksaw?

Thanks for helping a senior…


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Click to expand...
skin up to ears, then feel the skull with your fingers and you can get a knife into spinal cord between skull and the atlas bone. Then just start cutting around, staying close to the skull. Tilt the head slightly and cut tissue that seems to be under tension. Helps if you have the deer hanging from legs.
 
samu said:
skin up to ears, then feel the skull with your fingers and you can get a knife into spinal cord between skull and the atlas bone. Then just start cutting around, staying close to the skull. Tilt the head slightly and cut tissue that seems to be under tension. Helps if you have the deer hanging from legs.
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Thanks Buddy!!


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USSHornet said:
Shoulder, thanks man!


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Remember if you want a shoulder mount to not split the cape any farther than necessary. Skin up as far as you want to for the meat then just cut the head off with a bonesaw or long handled pruners. Let the taxidermist do the rest. The more intact the skin is, the better they like it. If you know the taxidermist you want to use, ask them how they want it skinned. They dont want to sew anymore than they have to.
 
Bigterp said:
If your doing gutless, when you’re done removing meat expose the spine where it meets the skull, then tilt the antlers as far forward as possible ( nose to sternum) to open up that joint) trim out & twist.
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I am going gutless and deboning


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SNIPERBBB said:
Remember if you want a shoulder mount to not split the cape any farther than necessary. Skin up as far as you want to for the meat then just cut the head off with a bonesaw or long handled pruners. Let the taxidermist do the rest. The more intact the skin is, the better they like it. If you know the taxidermist you want to use, ask them how they want it skinned. They dont want to sew anymore than they have to.
Click to expand...

Long Handled Pruners…hhmmm I have those I will throw em in the truck! Thanks


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I used pruners until I figured out how to do it with a knife. Since you're putting the edge up against bone - the Atlas joint it pretty tough - don't use a delicate blade, think Mora instead of Havalon.

I can't find the clip online, but Farming the Wild did an episode on field processing. Grab an ear and pull to tension the neck. Put the flat of your knife against the back of the ear and slide it down untol it hits skull, where it will slide into the Atlas joint.

shows a similar method. Dude uses a fillet knife.
 
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