For many, moose skinning and field dressing can be a tricky process without the right instructions. Here are some useful tips on how to skin a moose.

It is highly difficult to skin the moose as a whole at the kill site, out in the open. It is best to cut the moose into quarters for easier transportation and skinning. It's a good idea to bring some rope along to hang the moose from something, which will allow for better access and make skinning the moose an easier job.

When skinning quarters, start by peeling the skin away with your hands. A knife is usually not necessary for this part of the process.

Avoid damaging the hide and meat with a knife if you do use one. Next, cut off the legs below the first joint.

If you are skinning the animal whole, and it is suspended head-up, begin to peel from as high up on the carcass as you can. It should come off relatively easily. Finally, salt the inside of the hide and roll it up, fur facing outwards, until you are ready to return to the job later and finish it.

Skinning a moose is only as difficult as you make it. With proper preparation and the right tools, it should not take you a large amount of time or an extraordinary amount of effort. Basically you just have to be careful not to damage the meat or the hide.

Hauling the moose away from the kill site can be difficult. Some kind of device to help you move the moose into your vehicle (which should be able to carry up to or over one thousand pounds) is recommended.

Moose field dressing can be very labor-intensive, so do not be discouraged if it takes you a while. When field dressing a moose, after you have made your kill your priority is to cool the animal down. After you have done that, orient the moose until you have it in the most accessible position for you to work around. Next, bleed the carcass by slicing the main blood vessels located in the throat. Gravity is what will drain the animal of the blood. Clear the ground if you feel it is necessary.

The next steps require eviscerating the animal. The breast bone must be cut, the animal must be sliced open from ribs to anus, and the wind pipe and gullet must be severed from the head using axes. After doing that, open the animal further from its abdomen to its anus, then split the pelvic bone; remove the diaphragm, and the anus, bladder and intestines. Follow this by removing the chest cavity organs and the neck, and then clean the cavity. You are now ready for quartering or transport. Cooling may be necessary here as well.

It is obvious that the process of field dressing a moose is a complex, step by step process. With some practice and attention to detail (as well as some hard work), it should be a skill that you can master someday.