game saws

[41magsnub]

What do you guys use for game saws, IE splitting the sternum and pelvis on a deer or elk?

I've got an old Knapp saw my dad gave me years ago that does an ok job.  However last year I gutted or participated in gutting 15 deer over 2 weeks and that thing is a bit rough on the hands.

Whatever I get needs to be the same size, smaller, or collapsible since it rides in my pack.

What I have is the exact saw in this E-Bay auction I shamelessly stole the picture from.


Edit..  if you are wondering what I am doing posting here instead of V-Day the GF is working tonight, V-Day is tomorrow for me.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

18 volt sawzall
metal cutting blade

[41magsnub]

18 volt sawzall
metal cutting blade

5 miles from the truck up a coulie?  :)

damned spell check...  :)

[bedlamite]

I have always used a Puma White Hunter for white tails. It has a thick enough blade that if you find the right spot in the center of the pelvis, put the tip in, twist it with one hand and smack the pommel with the other, the pelvis splits clean. For elk I'd probably use my Gerber bone saw. The Puma works great as a skinning knife and makes a half decent machete too. Of course, it's not really what you would call light.

[zahc]

Another vote for sawzall. Hunting on your own land with good vehicle access is a great blessing. It also makes for happy dogs.

[Scout26]

I use these survival saws that I got either at a shop or a gun show for a buck each.   Weighs almost nothing.

http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/16survivalsaw.html  (Do not pay $8.95 for these, you can probably find them at wally world for a buck or two.)

I've got four inch steel rods with a hole in the middle on the hoops to help push it through the pelvic canal.

Takes about 3-4 minutes to cut through a deer pelvis.   Don't pull too hard or it'll break.   

[Uncle Bubba]

5 miles from the truck up a coolie?  :)

Thanks for the laugh, snub. I've been sitting here for five minutes considering and discarding jokes and just can't bring myself to make any.

For the record, "coolie" is an archaic term for a Chinese laborer, a "coulee" is a (usually) dry streambed in a steep-sided ravine.

Or did you actually mean that as its typed? I know it gets awfully lonely on a hunt sometimes...

OK, I said no jokes.

;D

[41magsnub]

Thanks for the laugh, snub. I've been sitting here for five minutes considering and discarding jokes and just can't bring myself to make any.

For the record, "coolie" is an archaic term for a Chinese laborer, a "coulee" is a (usually) dry streambed in a steep-sided ravine.

Or did you actually mean that as its typed? I know it gets awfully lonely on a hunt sometimes...

OK, I said no jokes.

;D

What's really funny is I know how it is spelled and goofed it, then the firefox spell check helped me out!  Bad typo....  bad bad bad typo.

I have images of something freaky with a sawzall now and it disturbs me greatly.

[41magsnub]

I use these survival saws that I got either at a shop or a gun show for a buck each.   Weighs almost nothing.

http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/16survivalsaw.html  (Do not pay $8.95 for these, you can probably find them a wally world for a buck or two.)

I've got four inch steel rods with a hole in the middle on the hoops to help push it through the pelvic canal.

Takes about 3-4 minutes to cut through a deer pelvis.   Don't pull to hard or it'll break.   

That's a thought, I have a couple of those in my survival kit in my pack already for cutting firewood and shelter materials.

I was just looking at this deal from Cabelas as well, seems interesting, has all but perfect reviews, and is pretty ergonomic.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0033143516957a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCHFEAT_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntt=saw&Ntk=Products&sort=all&Go.y=0&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&_D%3Asort=+&Nty=1&hasJS=true&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form1&Go.x=0&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1

[K Frame]

I always used a very sharp hatchet and a mallet.

[erik the bold]

I also have had good results with the E-Z Saw from Gerber.  Got it in a set with a E-Z Zip gut hook and Gator clip point knife at Gander Mtn. a few years ago for $25.

The Gerber Store has a similar set here: http://www.gerberstore.com/index.php?xpage=itempage&xid=468 but has the EAB saw



Sucks that it's up to $90 now.

[Lennyjoe]

I use my military issue survival knife that I've had for years.  Cuts right through the breast bone and takes a few taps with a hand to break the pelvic bone.  This thing holds an awesome edge too.  I don't think I"ve ever used a saw out in the field for field dressing deer and elk.

[Viking]

Only experience is splitting the pelvic bone and sternum on pigs. Not sure if it applies to deer/elk, but on piggies, a knife is all that's needed. Of course, we do have a circular saw for the sternum, but a knife will open it up in a pinch (though you have to go through the cartilage on the sides, the center of the sternum is solid bone).

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

we use the dogs to drive the deer closer to where we shoot/park. 5 guys with help once dressed out 60 deer on a meat drive in wva.i had my band saw running off a generator.

i used to have a "blade trader" by kershaw had one handle multiple blades. one blade was a a saw