GUIDE TO FIELD DRESSING

On a buck, remove the male organs between the hind legs.  It’s not necessary to remove the dark smelly pads on a buck’s rear legs as you only risk contaminating the meat with his urine.  On a doe remove the milk sack.

Lift the tail and cut about an inch circle around the outside of the anus.  On a doe cut around the female organs.  Insert the blade as far as possible.  You will feel your knife to come in contact with the inside of the pelvis.  Follow the contour with your knife blade to make a circle which will enable you to remove the tail gut later.

With the deer lying on its back, spread the hind legs and with your knife cut the seam between the legs all the way in to expose the pelvis bone.  This cut will go to where you remove the buck’s organs or the doe’s milk sack.

Next, find the base of the rib cage where it meets the belly.  Carefully, insert your knife point under the hide and slit the hide all the way back to where you cut the meat to the pelvis.  Cut the hide in the same direction as the hair lays and be careful not to cut the stomach.

Using a saw or hatchet, split the pelvis in two making sure not to cut to deep where the bladder is located.  After cutting the pelvis reach inside and pull out the tail, bladder along with the intestines and stomach.

To open the rib cage, insert your knife point under the hide at the front of the chest and slit the hide back towards the belly opening.  Using a saw or hatch, cut the ribs down the middle.  When using a knife always cut away from you.  Keeping the chest cavity open with a 14” stick or longer will allow the deer to cool out much quicker.

The heart and lungs are separated from the intestines by the diaphragm at the back of the rib cage.  Cut the diaphragm around the edge of the rib cage to remove the vitals.  Next, cut the esophagus out which is at the base of the throat as this can spoil quickly.  It is prefer that you cut the neck up to the chin in order to remove the entire throat to prevent spoilage.

Finally, you will need to rinse out the entire body cavity to remove all excess blood, dirt or leaves.  Prop the head up to elevate the body to allow all the blood to drain out.  If water is not available, take the deer were it can be rinsed out thoroughly as well as any blood on the deer itself. 

Lastly, always wash your hands well after field dressing.  Collect any used towels and plastic gloves in a zip lock bag, and all reproductive organs, intestines and vitals out of the woods with you.  Take the deer to your nearest processor as soon as possible.

PARTICIPATING PROCESSORS & COLLECTION POINTS

ACCOMAC

BUCKINGHAM

FREDERICK

Bonnie Custis

Dale Blackburn

Keith & Wanda Trenary

B & B Meat Barn

Blackburn’s Meat Shop

T & R Deer Processing

Parksley, VA

Buckingham, VA

Winchester, VA

757-665-4310

 434-983-3152

540-662-0669

 

 

 

Jean Davis

CAMPBELL

Carl DeHaven

Foodbank on the Eastern Shore

Mark Schrock

DeHaven’s Butchering &

Tasley, VA

Schrock's Slaughter House

Country Market

757-787-2557

Gladys, VA

Winchester, VA

 

434-283-5400

 540-662-0669

 

 

 

Brent Powell

Gary & Robert Peak

GILES

Powell Brothers

Peak's Slaughter House

Brenda & Dale Smith

Wachapreague, VA

Lynchburg, VA

Smith Valley Meats

757-787-7107

804-846-5593

Rich Creek, VA

 

 

540-726-3992

 

 

 

ALBEMARLE 

 CARROLL

 GLOUCESTER

Steve & Crissy Morgan

Kevin Stevens

Paul Decker/Stan Moyer

Appleberry Mountain Taxidermy &

Blue Ridge Packing

Hunters Haven

Meat Processing

Hillsville, VA

Hayes, VA

Schuyler, VA

276-398-2845

804-642-9763

 434-831-2232

 

 

 

 

 

ALLEGHANY

CHARLOTTE

GRAYSON

Frank Persinger

Andrew Trent

Brian Horton

Clifton Forge, VA

A’s Country Store

Horton’s Super Market

 540-862-1471

Cullen, VA

Galax, VA

 

 434-542-5400

 276-236-6662

 

 

 

AMELIA

CHESAPEAKE

Chris Sayers

Tim & Donna Mast

Richard Edmondson

C & D Meat Processing

Amelia, VA

Central Meat Packing

Galax, VA

Chesapeake, VA

Chesapeake, VA

276-236-0991

800-373-1094/804-561-5235

 800-373-1094

 

 

 

 

AMHERST

ESSEX

HALIFAX

Joe Albert

Rayzway Three

Louis E. Stanley

Green Valley Meat Process

Champlain, VA

Punk's Self Service

Naola, VA

 804-443-6707

Nathalie, VA

434-299-5529

 

434-349-3317 

 

 

 

AUGUSTA

FAIRFAX

Jerry Epps

James Mullin

Mike Preast

Jerry Epps Landscape Co

Mullins Slaughter House

Springfield Butcher

 Halifax, VA

 Stuarts Draft, VA

 Springfield, VA

 434-476-7770/579-4895

540-337-1566

 703-245-0111

 

 

 

 

Vernon Walker

FAUQUIER

Brian Matthews

Walker’s Processing

Tim & Linda Gadell

Southern Taxidermy & Game Processing

Waynesboro, VA

Gadell’s Processing

Virgilina, VA

 540-942-2825

 Catlett, VA

434-579-2417

 

 703-361-1098

 

 

 

 

Dude & Sue Western

Sandy Bentley

JAMES CITY

Grandpa’s Butcher Shop

Bentley’s Processing

Steven White

Port Defiance, VA

Catlett, VA

Garrett’s Grocery

540-363-5853

 540-788-1079

 Croaker, VA

 

 

 757-566-3712

 

 

 

Elyssa Strong

Andy Wilfong

PATRICK

Black Oak Processing

Fauquier’s Finest

John Ayers

Craigsville, VA

Bealeton, VA

Ayer's Orchard

540-280-3982

540-439-7227

Stuart, VA

 

 

540-694-3788

 

 

 

BATH

FLOYD

PITTSYLVANIA

Lance Lyons

John Duncan/Karen Sutphini

Mike Heffinger

Green Valley Hunter’s Paradise

Willis Village Mart

Buck & Doe Custom Meats

Millboro, VA

Willis, VA

Keeling, VA

540-996-4134

540-789-7241

434-797-9419

 

 

 

BEDFORD

FRANKLIN

ROANOKE

Barry & Andy Arrington

Tim Belcher

Brenda Robson

Arrington's Orchard

Rolling Meadows Custom

Overstreet Foods

Bedford, VA

Martinsville, VA

Roanoke, VA

540-586-0758/5919

276-632-9155

540-342-3860

 

 

 

Dennis V. Evans

HENRY

SHENANDOAH

Evans Wild Game Processing

Tim Belcher

Nick Crabill

Bedford, VA

Rolling Meadows Farms

Crabill’s Retail & Wholesale Meats, LLC

540-297-4009/434-610-4523

Martinsville, VA

Toms Brook, VA

 

276-632-9155

540-436-3884

 

 

 

KING & QUEEN

PULASKI

SMYTH

Wayne Carrington

Boyd & Rhonda Perdue

Danny Joines

Shanghai Meat Processing

Perdue Meats

Joines Meat Processing

Shanghai, VA

Pulaski, VA

Chilhowie, VA

804-797-9419

 540-980-6884

276-646-8109

 

 

 

LOUDOUN

ORANGE

STAFFORD

Mark Leigh

Charles Rollins

Jerry Silver

Mark’s Butcher Shop

Rollins Meat Processing

Silver Ridge Slaughter

Hamilton, VA

Orange, VA

Falmouth, VA

540-454-4470/882-3080

540-672-5177

540-373-1073

 

 

 

LUNENBURG

Sonny & Joy Ryder

SURRY

David & Will Bigger/James Payne

Ryders Meat Processing

R. J. Kuykendall

Arrowhead Gun Club

Orange, VA

Surry, VA

Chase City, VA

540-672-5464

757-294-3780

434-480-1063/372-3000

 

 

 

 

 

LYNCHBURG

PAGE

 SUSSEX

Gary & Robert Peak

Jimmy Yates

Butch Stieh

Peak’s Slaughter House

Yates Slaughterhouse

B & B Hunt Club

Lynchburg, VA

Luray, VA

Sedley, VA

434-846-5593

540-778-2123

757-569-4841/653-9364

 

 

 

MADISON

PATRICK

WARREN

Joe & Carol Johnson

John Ayers

Doug & Lois Aylestock

Johnson’s Meat Processing Shop

Ayer’s Orchard

Rick Fields

Madison, VA

Stuart, VA

Blue Ridge Meats

540-948-5915/5610

276-694-3788

Middletown, VA

 

 

 540-636-6050

 

 

 

Shawn & Sarah Woodfolk

John Wood

WASHINGTON

Hidden Pines Meat Processing

Wood’s Cold Storage

Danny Tate

Madison, VA

Stuart, VA

Benham’s Market

540-948-6088

276-694-3888

Bristol, VA

 

 

276-669-0766

 

 

 

Mecklenburg

PITTSYLVANIA

WYTHE

Jim & Frances Castle

Carl Blalock

Brian & Sally David

Castle’s Butcher Shop

The Butcher’s Block

Hilly Haven Meat Processing

Chase City, VA

Dry Fork, VA

Barren Springs, VA

434-372-3185

434-432-2345

276-766-0338/3530

 

 

 

MONTGOMERY

Mike Heffinger

SOUTHAMPTON

Pat Price

Buck & Doe Custom Meats

Art Pope

Custom Meats

Keeling, VA

Popes Slip In

Blacksburg, VA

434-797-9419

Capron, VA

 540-951-8292

 

434-658-3105

 

 

 

Anthony Graves

Eshrat & HassanParveen

Michael Pittman

Hunter’s Burden

Pak Super Market

Ivor Community Hunt Club

Elliston, VA

Danville, VA

Ivor, VA

 540-871-4839

434-822-0025

757-651-9446

 

 

 

Harvey Hill

PRINCE EDWARD

ROANOKE

Harvey’s Meat Processing

L. B & Rita Duffy

Brenda Robson

Radford, VA

Duffy’s Mint Mart

Overstreet Food, Ice

540-731-3093/5176

Meherrin, VA

Roanoke, VA

 

434-736-9615

540-342-3860

 

 

 

Dallas Taylor

PRINCE WILLIAM

ROCKBRIDGE

Taylor’s Meat Cutting

William & Linda Linthicum

Elyssa Strong

Christiansburg, VA

Linthicum Slaughtering

Black Oak Processing

540-382-1323/3807

5814 Sudley Road Manassas, VA

Craigsville, VA

 

703-754-4364

540-280-3982

 

 

 

NELSON

Tom & Linda Gadell

ROCKINGHAM

Steve & Crissy Morgan

Gadell’s Processing

William Pangle

Appleberry Mountain Taxidermy & Meat Processing

Catlett, VA

Valley Meat Processing

Schuyler, VA

703-361-1098

Dayton, VA

434-931-2232

 

540-879-9041

 

 

 

NORTHAMPTON

NEW KENT

Showwalters Custom Slaughter

B & B Convenience

David Burks

House & Processing