Vince,

You have my commiseration on the elk hunt. For the past few years we have done all of our big game hunting in our home state. We have definitely had some lean hunts.


Susan,

In addition to what Brian and Vince have said, the gut hook is essentially a simplifier when it comes to gutting game. It makes accidentally penetrating the entrails with your knife (a very messy mistake you learn never to repeat) unlikely.

I have cleaned a lot of deer with a Buck Pathfinder with its near clip point blade without ever puncturing the guts. The technique I use is to pull the hide away from the guts, insert the knife held in the right hand with blade under the hide and cut outward. I simultaneously place my left hand under the knife with the forefinger and middle finger on the left and right sides of the blade at the tip so as to put some space between the hide and the guts. It's actually a lot easier to do than to describe.

John