Moose Skinning
In this section we will offer you a useful (and hopefully) efficient guide on how to successfully skin a moose. Here are all the steps you will need to follow:
- Clear Your Working Area
- Bleed The Animal
- Preparatory Skin Cuts, Throat to Anus
- Break the Breastbone
- Sever the Wind Pipe and Gullet from the Head
- Open the Abdomen to the Anus
- Split the Pelvic Bone
- Cut the Diaphragm from the Cavity Wall
- Free the Anus and Bladder
- Roll Out The Abdominal Organs with Anus Attached
- Remove the Neck and Chest Cavity Organs
- Clean the Body Cavity
- Prepare the Carcass for Cooling or Quartering
• Clear Your Working Area - You will need to clean the immediate area around the animal in order to have room to move but also to roll the entrails. You should plan ahead and choose the lowest ground around the moose for the entrails. If necessary, move the carcass. Also, you should clear an area leading away from the carcass (in the way you wish to move the animal away from the entrails for either quartering or transportation). The moose should be placed on its back; spread the rear legs using ropes.
• Bleed The Animal - A regular heart lung shot will provide sufficient bleeding but in order to make sure you should insert a very sharp knife into the shallow cavity at the throat’s base and slice across the main blood vessels with a deep and wide crosswise cut. Doing so will open the jugular veins and will allow the blood to flood away from the moose.
• Preparatory Skin Cuts, Throat to Anus - This step should start at the breastbone (below the rib cage), using a very sharp knife in a straight line to the base of the jaw and neck. Cutting through the muscles to the bone of the ribcage and above will complete this process and will expose the gullet and the windpipe. In a straight line to the anus, cut the skin from the rib’s base downward over the belly’s middle taking care to cut around the genital area slightly. Once you have done all the cuts, you will need to start preparing to eviscerate the moose.
• Break the Breastbone - Use two axes so that you can cut through the moose’s breastbone. As a cutting tool use the sharpest axe you can find, the second as a hammer by driving the cutter from the ribcage’s base up to the middle of the breastbone (through the top ribs). As the cut will enlarge you will need to pull the moose’s front legs apart thus opening the chest cavity.
• Sever the Wind Pipe and Gullet from the Head - Sever the gullet and windpipe as close to the head as you can, pulling it clear of the carcass (cutting where it is necessary). Lay in the chest cavity when free of the neck.
• Open the Abdomen to the Anus - From the base of the cartilage, carefully make a cut through the abdominal muscles, exposing the intestines and the animal’s stomach, without puncturing them. Just as you approach the pelvic area, be very attentive not to cut the bladder. Cut through the muscles to the pelvic bone.
• Split the Pelvic Bone - Start at the top of the pelvis and use the above detailed two axe method, making sure you don’t cut the genitals and the urinary tract.
• Cut the Diaphragm from the Cavity Wall - Start at one side of the animal’s chest cavity (near the animal’s ribs) cutting the diaphragm at the chest cavity wall. Cut as far back along the cavity wall as you can and afterwards switch to the other side of the cavity and repeat the procedure.
• Free the Anus and Bladder - At the opened pelvic bone, you must use a very sharp knife to make cuts in order to free the rectum and the large intestine from the pelvic area. Proceed until the muscular tissue near the anus meets the rectum. At the tail’s base, use a knife to make a circular cut about 1-2 inches from the anus. Use the knife to cut through the muscle tissue to the pelvic bone’s inside, towards the pelvic bone’s top in order to release the rectum and anus. Once free, you should pull and hold the anus, lower intestine and rectum free of the animal’s cavity.
• Roll Out The Abdominal Organs with Anus Attached - Slightly roll the animal’s carcass to the lower ground and allow the stomach and intestines to fall down.
• Remove the Neck and Chest Cavity Organs - Grasp the windpipe from the moose’s chest cavity and afterwards pull the lungs and heart towards the entrails on the ground. The remaining tissue must be cut by holding the diaphragm to the chest wall’s back, freeing the organs from the carcass. Now, allow blood to flow down from the cavity and roll the carcass to drain as much blood as possible.
• Clean the Body Cavity - You will need to use absorbent material to clean it. Avoid the usage of water because it might contain bacteria which can lead to ruining the meat.
All things considered, skinning a moose is a rather long and complex procedure but with patience and the right tools, anything can be accomplished.
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