[GRAPHIC PICS] Quartering a hog without raising em up out of the dirt

[theblakester]

Pointers/suggestions/input welcome..
This is how I've come to quarter a hog in the field when I don't have extra resources like a skinning rack. The key for me is to get as much meat as possible in a timely manner without getting it dirty. U can do the job with only a blade and something to transport the meat, but these extra items help:
Box cutter and/or knife sharpener- Hogs have coarse hair, tough skin and thick gristle under that which will dull your blade very fast so I use the box cutters when cutting into the hide and the knife when cutting the inside of te skin from the meat.
Para cord- to tie 2 quarters /back straps together and throw over your shoulder if u gotta walk a ways with the meat
XL heavy duty trash bags and/or a large cooler- trash bags can be used to put meat in (double bag) and to use as a tarp to keep the meat out of the grass/dirt.
Hatchet, bolt cutters, or hack saw to cut the feet off the quarters.
Step 1- position the hog flat on his belly with chin on ground and all four legs sprawled out to keep him balanced.



Step 2- using box cutter, cut two strips from the neck all the way down the back about 2-3 inches on each side of the spine. Then, use knife to cut that skin away and peel back. Cut off tail. Be careful for poop coming out the booty hole.

 

[theblakester]

Step 3- back strap removal. Feel where the back strap ends by feeling for the "pointy" bone on the lower back. You may want to start skinning laterally from the spine down the ribs. Do not cut this skin off of the hog.



Cut as close as possible down the spine and ribs all the way up the neck and begin removing back strap.

 

[theblakester]

Pull shoulder blade out and keep going up the neck until u cut out as much as u can and remove it

Repeat this process on the other side.

Finish peeling the rib/stomach hide out away from the hog allowing it to lay hair down in the dirt (that way if the hog rolls on it's side it's side falls back into the inside of the hide and doesn't get dirt on it). Feel free to cut away some fajita/bacon meat off the ribs/stomach.
Step 4. Front quarters. I start with the shoulders bc after you take out the front shoulders the hogs head will help keep it balanced while working on the hind quarters.
Cut (box cutters) down the side of the neck, front of the shoulder and arm to the wrist.

Pull the elbow out and keeping the skin intact, cut it away from the meat under the arm pit down the arm.

If you don't have something to chop off the hands and feet u can cut through the tendons and ligaments at the wrist/ankle joints to remove the feet.

 

[theblakester]

Pull the shoulder blade out and begin cutting it away from the ribs.
. Make sure u have a good hold of the shoulder so you don't drop it when u cut it out of the shoulder joint.

Repeat process on the other shoulder.
(At this point a storm came in and it started raining, not sprinkling, so I had to hurry and finish so there aren't as detailed of pics at this point).
Step 5. Hind quarters. (Box cutters again) cut down back of hind quarter to the ankle and peel skin away onto ground so that if the meat rolls a bit it rolls into itself, similar to how the front quarters were skinned.
Cut into the meat around the pelvis to get down to the ball and socket hip joint and remove each quarter and each foot.

 

[theblakester]

Finally if you haven't done so yet, take a cool picture with yourself, the hog, your gun/equipment and the LSB logo (see pic at top of thread). Use the carcass as coyote bait.
And don't forget to ask Frank about his salt water brine while the meat is soaking in ice water!

 

[FrankT]

Very resourceful, you did a good job, thanks

 

[Chopperdrvr]

Nice, thanks for sharing.

 

[Ratdog68]

Nice work. Enjoy seeing how folks handle their game, thanks.

 

[FrankT]

I am so spoiled as I have a portable and 2 fixed cleaning stations on the lease. If I have to I drag the animal behind the truck to get to one or take the portable to them.

Portable



Portable



Fixed

 

[Chris]

Very cool!!

 

[FrankT]

on the left is a portable sink and cabinet to hold stuff...that is a lid or cutting block standing up, scale on the tripod cable and gut buckets and lots of water and skeeter spray

 

[rob072770]

Frank,you have the deal would work as good for deer. I do have a question. On venison I can use my hand next to back bone to get backstrap out and then use knife. Are hog the same? Always had processor clean hog.

 

[rob072770]

Blakester very nice instruction pics thanks.

 

[FrankT]

I always clean my own hogs and really like to learn new ways but have been doing it so long my way it seems I always revert...the OP actually looks easier. To be honest I have never tried for the hog loins unless it is a small hog and I clean and gut him whole. Hogs are a lot tougher and bigger boned, but the deer are pretty easy, lots mot flexible and thin boned. I really do so few deer as no one eats it here that my experience is limited.

 

[theblakester]

Thanks guys. I prefer something to hang em from also when quartering out an animal . . Maybe bc it's easier, or maybe bc I've been trained to do it that way.. Kinda like frank's logic.

 

[rob072770]

Frank I forgot to ask did you buy the truck rig or make it?

 

[FrankT]

I have had 3 of them, still have 1 on the lease, they are all bought. Now I just drag to a cleaning station behind the truck, spoiled in my old age! I really need to have 1 made custom to get all I want out of it.

 

[cincoranchhntr]

I have had 3 of them, still have 1 on the lease, they are all bought. Now I just drag to a cleaning station behind the truck, spoiled in my old age! I really need to have 1 made custom to get all I want out of it.

Frank,
If you tell me what you want and maybe provide a few sketches, I can make one for you as I was planning to make one for myself. Maybe I would use your design for mine too. I got a 10 pt buck last weekend while hunting alone and I had a heck of a time getting him up on the tailgate. I've also lifted an 80lb hog onto my tailgate while hunting alone so I could really use one. Even an 80lb pig is a real PIA to load by yourself....... I mainly need it for lifting to tailgate, but would also use it for skinning and quartering/back strap.

 

[FrankT]

There are a couple close, they have to spin(but w a bolt to fix in place) and extend past the tailgate so it can be put down. On the bottom most just go into the receiver hitch but it needs an adjustable foot to be able to bear weight and not let it bend so much with large weights (and a cross brace). At the L on top there has to be a cross brace....but most of all an electric winch to plug into your trailer plug for power.

 

[cincoranchhntr]

There are a couple close, they have to spin(but w a bolt to fix in place) and extend past the tailgate so it can be put down. On the bottom most just go into the receiver hitch but it needs an adjustable foot to be able to bear weight and not let it bend so much with large weights (and a cross brace). At the L on top there has to be a cross brace....but most of all an electric winch to plug into your trailer plug for power.

I'll start putting a design together.
Question: Does it really matter if the assembly installs in the receiver? I believe I can design a stronger frame by using a different approach. The only reason I see for the receiver mounted one is if you plan on driving around with the carcass hanging from the hoist. I'm thinking about 2 pc frame where the load goes to the ground as you suggested. You would simply have it in the bed of the truck and set it up when needed, then take down and lay back in truck for traveling. What do you think? The electric winch to the trailer plug would not be a problem either.