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Somebody dumped off a gutted deer in the woods the other day. Fresh, taken out of season, Fish & Game notified, blah blah etc. The part that interests me is the bones. Supposedly you can make some nice knives, awls, needles and hooks out of bone. I went and whacked off two forelegs. The question I lay before you folks is how should I proceed to clean the flesh off. Should I just wade in with a knife and hope for the best, or make use of Nature's scavengers, or...?

That and are there any special considerations I should be heeding as far as biohazard. When I went out to hack off the limbs I want, I took off my coat and turned up my sleeves before beginning; wore heavy rubber gloves; and scrubbed down my hands, arms and the axe with snow before I put my coat back on (fortunately it's a balmy 45 degrees today).

I'm not a hunter personally, so the proper protocol to deal with the aftermath is not familiar. I don't want to get any further into the process without some advice.

can you get a big enough pot hot enough to boil it until the meat just falls off?

total shot in the dark, i really don't know.

I'm fair sure that won't work for tool making; when you cook bone, it changes the material characteristics of it.

Where's Meatcutter when you need him eh <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Momaw, you can try to remove most of it with a sharp knife and then place the bones in a bucket of warm water in a somewhat warm location if you can(it will get a little smelly). Ever so often pour the greasy water out and replace with fresh warm water. Once the water runs clear the bacteria has done it's work and you then soak the bones in regular Hydrogen Peroxide until it reaches the level of whiteness you desire.

Another option is to buy certain species of ants or beetles from Science Supply houses and let them do the work.

DO NOT BOIL OR BLEACH the bones. This is commonly recommended by people but it isn't a good thing to do. It cause the fat to soak into the bone making it greasy and off colored.

I usually let nature take it's course. We had a Doe get hit by a car and it dropped a few yards away in the wooded lot across the street. I just watched and waited for the scavengers and weather to clean it off for a few months. I'd check on it every once in a while to make sure that it wasn't getting dragged off. After the bones were exposed and dry, I took what I wanted and cleaned them up a little more and threw them in a box for later use. Admittedly... most everything I got is still in that box... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

There's a Buck that was evidently shot but got away from the hunter a little ways back in the woods behind my house right now, I check on it occasionally. Eventually I'll probably see what's left in a few months, and see if I want to add to my box... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

There can be a little bit of an odor left buy doing it this way though...

You don't have to worry about getting blood on your hands unless you had an open cut.
I regularly gut without gloves on because I am a teenage dare devil. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

DON"T BOIL THEM! That will drive the fat and oils into the bone! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />

We have boiled skulls before with good results. If you lived in Texas you could just stick in a fire ant pile. They do nice work. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

That is the truth!

Tolly is correct thats the way I've heard it done but you can actually leave the bones in warm or cold water for a few days.A guy I know did a whole skeleton and he watered down the peroxide.About two parts peroxide to one part water,he says it takes longer but really shines up the bones.I found a skeleton in the woods last year and its still in a box in the shed,I might try to treat them this year.Also they had been there awhile so they were picked clean already.

I may just have to try the peroxide treatment on my box of stinky bones... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Their not really that stinky I guess, but they could stand a good bath! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I clean alot of deer, so does my dad. He is a Doc and there can be concerns with the animal. He and I both have cleaned many deer without gloves and have been fine. It takes so long to clean the blood, fat and so on off of your hands you might at well wear them and save time on clean up.

Also, I've bleached many a skull and had good results personally. The meat/fat/fur just cooks right off. It stinks something awful so I do it on the burner on the grill or an outdoor fish fryer.