Hey guys, I am no expert photographer, but I thought I would bring up a topic that is a pet-peeve of mine. I am as avid a bowhunter as anyone, and I have owned a meat locker for 12 years and been in the meat business for 17. I have noticed in a lot of the hero shots I see, not only on this website but also other places that the picture is taken before the deer has been field dressed. To me, there is nothing great about a picture of someone gripping the rack of a nice deer (or any deer), with the deer looking like its about to give birth to quintuplets. I process nearly 1000 deer per year and we see all kinds of field care jobs, and I can tell you that it is very important to field dress your deer as soon as you get to it. Without getting too in-depth, when the deer dies the internal organs cease operation as well, therefore the gas that is created by the ruminant stomach begins to build up and can no longer be passed along the digestive tract. That gas is not the best smelling stuff, and the longer it sets inside the carcass, the more it taints the meat you are going to eat. Here are several reasons to field dress your deer as soon as you get to it: 1. The sooner its done, the better the quality of the meat. 2. With the guts out, its a heck of a lot easier to drag the deer. 3. If you field dress the deer in the field you don't have to find somewhere to dispose of them later. 4. Its easier to load into your vehicle minus that weight. 5. Without a large bloated belly, your deer looks better in all the pictures and it makes the rack look bigger. (IMO) Sorry to rant, but I had to vent. Feel free to add your opinions.
I think in alot of cases most aren't taking an hour or hours to take a few pictures. I have seen these shots after the deer has been dressed and think the pictures look terrible if it includes the whole body. I agree that waiting an extended amount of time isn't a great idea but I think you can get great pictures before field dressing.
I'm not sure the angle you're going for here, but I disagree wholeheartedly with #5. I don't think a field dressed deer looks better at all. Most people I know who care about the pictures they take want the animal to look as natural as a dead one can. Dressing them before getting the pics, all the blood, etc., doesn't do a picture any justice. Nothing, IMO, looks worse than a deer that looks like its been malnourished or... well, like the guts were ripped out of it. Now, I do agree that getting the guts out as soon as you can is important. However, if you find your deer, quickly get the deer, camera, etc., into position, take some pics, then dress it before dragging it out, I see absolutely no harm. We're talking 15 minutes here, not hours. Most of your references talk about those who actually drag the undressed deer out of the woods to get the pics. I agree here. If you can't get the pictures at the kill site, gut it, get it out of the woods and then take the pictures. Do your best to clean the animal up and prop him up so you don't see the incision from gutting.
The picture is my number one priority after a kill. I don't care to mount deer so much anymore, and the meat tastes the exact same whether I take 15 mins for a pic or not. Sue me.
I take pictures where the deer is found and right afterwards. The guts are in maybe a 1/2 an hour longer because of my pictures. I don't feel the 1/2 hour hurts my meat. I see your point with some guys riding around all day showing them off, but I am guessing they don't eat much venison anyway.
I agree 100%. Taking good photos of a gutted deer is much more difficult than one that's still whole. Less blood and fewer gaping wounds to try and cover up. Not that it can't be done, but I prefer to do it prior to field dressing. As others have stated, most of the time we're looking at a few minutes, maybe an hour, of additional time that the deer is still whole while taking photos. IMO it's not enough to worry that much about ruining or tainting the meat.
This shot was taken after the buck had been field dressed: Here is one before the deer had been field dressed: The buck was a big deer, and it looks like he was on his last leg dying from EHD in the pic. His body and eyes are sunken and he looks like nothing more than a sack of bones. The doe on the other hand, taken at a similar angle looks alive, healthy, fatter and in overall better shape than the buck, and she weighed 100 pounds less.
First I call and check my deer in. Then I take pic's, if I take any pic's at all. Then I block the deer out where it dropped to carry put of the woods.
I also agree that taking a few minutes to get some quality field photos prior to gutting will not make any difference in meat quality. Most of my best shots were taken prior to gutting. I take several photos on the spot, then gut the deer and then take a few more photos later if necessary.
Nother vote for pics before dressing, I mean really most people know to gut a Deer before all the gas build up and such, Mine are done as soon as I find it. I might take the time to do a short move if the back ground is better.
I mainly hunt for meat, what the picture for anyway but to brag? yes I have taken pictures of deer I have shot and yes I have shared them but I always field dress the animal as soon as I get to it
To give the animal's it due respect, to pay tribute to the animal, to help tell the story of the hunt, to look back at and reminisce, and yes, of course, to brag.
Pictures taken after the deer has been gutted are unnatural and not an accurate representation of the live animal. Getting the guts out before you move the animal is very important for the reasons you've stated but taking pictures in the field before dressing the animal results in much better photos and gives your taxidermist the best chance at a proper representation of your animal. I think pictures of gutted animals or bloody tongue hanging out are horrible. The best pictures are the ones that look like the deer might be alive.
I don't take pictures to brag per se, but to have for the memories. Nobody in my family or circle of friends could give a rip about having my deer heads, but many have copies of the pics. Deer heads also look like crap 20 years down the road and pictures last forever.
Have to agree with everyone else here. Also, when you roll the deer over on it's belly to take pics after field dressing, you get all kinds of debris on the meat and in the body cavity. I'll take the time to take my pics and then gut over gutting and contaminating the meat with leaves & dirt.
Great discussion guys, I agree that when you get to your deer quickly, its not as important. And in most cases, the deer does look more "life-like" with the guts still in, unless the tracking job took a long time and the animal is starting to bloat. This is mainly what I am talking about. The picture of the deer in the fitness article on the front page is what made me post this. It appears the deer is about to explode. I choose to gut my deer first thing, then take pictures and hide the belly, clean up the muzzle, and tuck the tongue back in before I take the pics. But you all make great points. I was mainly talking about the pics I see of the deer in the back of somebody's pick-up in front of their house, and the guts are still in the deer. To each their own, I just choose to do it that way. Here is my deer from this year. He had already been gutted, and I layed a tarp underneath him to avoid contamination.
