Last season while cleaning an antelope in Wyo. a friend developed a rash on his arms. He mentioned the rash to his doctor and he suggested the use of some type of disposable gloves. Does anyone else use gloves while gutting and what are/is the best kind? We have thought about using latex disposables but they only cover to the forearm. Is there a company that makes longsleeve (18-20") disposable gloves? I've seen the long gloves sold in the sporting goods section at Wal-Mart but a friend tried them and said that they were useless and to not buy them!
Thanks for any suggestions or comments!
Elk Country

Try finding a vet supply company. They should sell full arm length plastic gloves.

I use a heavy chemical/dishwashing type of glove for deer and pigs. They are durable and reusable. I bought mine at Home Depot.

I buy the long ones at the local Farm and Fleet I use gloves all the time one bout with lymes and having a good freind become very ill from gutting deer. I have learn to use them.

My experience is somewhat dated. I haven't used gloves lately.

One time I tried a kit that was available that included arm length gloves. They were a pain in the ass to use. I didn't have any "feel" as I was trying to field dress the deer. It was taking me twice as long as normal, and getting just as dirty. I finally peeled them off and went about my business. I don't have the patience for gloves and won't try to use them again.

Use A.I. gloves from your local vet or ranch supply place. Take and rip half of the length of the fingers off and then put latex gloves on over top. This is a preg checking trick and gives you better feel.

chuck

I use the big, loose, armpit length plastic gloves that come in those deer dressing kits, but I wear the latex gloves OUTSIDE them. That gives me double protection to the hands, plenty of feel to work by, and keeps my sleeves clean.

I wear a set of surgical latex gloves underneath a set of neoprene gloves. The neoprene gloves have a nonskid finish on the fingers and palm.

You could always wear a set of game/deer skinning gloves as posted above, over a set of thin neoprene gloves. The reason why I wear neoprene over the latex gloves is because latex is not durable, and would break apart before you have finished. Latex is also very slippery when covered by blood.

It is better to be safe than sorry, so I always wear gloves when skinning and quartering game. Have you ever seen pictures of human hands affected by what is called "bear hands?" Bear hands results from an infection that is transmitted to humans while field dressing bears.

Latex surgical gloves SUCK!!! They are two thin, break easily, and you'll be no better than you were if you had none at all. Use the sturdy hypoalergenic VINYL glove instead. Better yet the purple Nylex gloves. They are damn tough. You can get a big box of either at a Walgreens Pharmacy for a few bucks. My hunting partner caries a pair of rubber cleaning lady gloves. As for shoulder legnth gloves, why? Are the rest of you guys getting that damn messy taking care of a little deer? How are most of you fellows going about this anyway?

[ 02-14-2003, 09:22: Message edited by: waldog ]

I use shoulder length plastic, a pain but...got em at Bass.

surgical gloves are not the same as the cheap powdered gloves that come in a box. Surgical gloves are heavier and come in white latex or brown (neutralon). They also are longer and come halfway up the forearm. They are individualy wrapped and can be found at any doctors office, or anyone that works at a hospital can get them. I have never needed anything longer for whitetails. Cleanup is a breeze, just take them off inside each other and wipe the powder off with a wet nap.

I use heavy duty elbow length reusable dish washing gloves with a gripping pattern molded into the palm finger area.To many time I have had a bone puncture the lt. wt. type gloves especially when cleaning game birds.w/regards

I use surgical gloves (I work in a medical center). They have always done a great job. Be careful using any latex based material (surgical gloves are NOT latex) as latex allergy is pretty common and can be worse than cleaning the deer without gloves. Most hospitals today are latex free facilities for this very reason.

Just a word of warning. FWIW.

Jim

Thanks for the replys guys! I have thought about the thicker dishwashing gloves but I wonder if they are long enough?! I'm sure they would be fine for deer or antelope but an elk is alot bigger and I'm not the cleanest person when it comes to gutting and animal. Blood just seems to end up in places that I'd rather not mention. If anyone has some other ideas I would love to hear them!
Elk Country

The first time I used gloves I still accidently cut the glove and my finger . Fuzz

Yep, I use painting/staining gloves from Home Depot. They reach halfway up my forearm which is enough, I don't normally get very messy with the cleaning chore so this length of glove works for me.

Guess I'm gonna have to be the bad guy here.

What kind of sissy sportsmen uses gloves to field dress game ?
Ya gotta get in there and get bloody boys !
It's part of the deal. Blood aint dirty.

I've been hunting all my life and never thought about useing gloves for gutting animals. after reading about this here last night, I asked the guys I work with and none of them ever used gloves
for this or have ever seen anyone gutting a deer or elk wearing gloves. Is there a real health issue with the contact with animal blood or is it just to keep clean? I've cut myself about every time I've gutted an elk and never gotten any infections. I have a bear hunt planed and now Im wondering if I need to pack some kind of ruber gloves. That should get some colorful comments in hunting camp.

I am like ksduckhunter because I double glove also. The gloves in the deer cleaning pack have too big of fingers to keep control of everything. When a latex or surgical glove is put over top it is much easier to conrtol everything.

Jamie
They health reason to wear glove is to stop any kind of infection. Also it's recommended to prevent Lyme's Disease. (I don't remember why but I remember a few years ago a heath expert and DNR talking about using gloves)

I never wore glove until a few years ago and wonder why I didn't before. Clean up is so much easier.

Hcliff

I seldom use gloves as the thin latex ones I have tried in the past did not offer me enough grip. However, I do believe they are a good idea and they do reduce the health risks.

I also carry a small packet of antispectic wipes which I use to clean myself up in the field while my 4x4 contains a " stalkers wash box" complete with antiseptic soap if I need to clean up any further. I am conviced that it is these two measures which have prevented any accidental nicks or cuts from becoming infected.

I wear gloves because of CWD and or brusillocis(or however it is spelled). In fact as a hunter ed instructor, our Game and Fish dept. strongly insist that we teach this in our classes.

CWD is too close to Mad Cow disease for me to mess with.

Jamie: I too didn't wear gloves until a few years ago. Then the following was explained to me by a biologist: "Bacteria and other microorganism can enter your body through very small cut on your hands. Your skin is the only barrier, and a small sore, chaffing, splinters on the skin, and even microscopic cuts that you don't even feel can be used by bacteria to enter your body or blood stream."

When you field dress game, it is very possible to cut your fingers and have the animal's blood contacting your own blood. There is not much you can do in such cases, but a set of surgical gloves will protect your skin as long as you don't cut through the gloves.

The main thing is to be very careful to avoid getting cuts on your fingers. The gloves offer extra protection, so I always have several sets of strong surgical gloves in the pack that contains my game bags, as well as two pairs of thin neoprene gloves. I wear the surgical gloves underneath the neoprene gloves. The neoprene gloves have a nonskid finish that provides you with a secure grip even if covered with blood.

Bare hands for me. It's just part of the experience.
Wash thoroughly afterwards, in warm soapy water. Thats going to kill most or all bacteria.

A good source for this stuff is Chief Supply

http://www.chiefsupply.com/

I bought a box of powder free 13mil "hi-risk" gloves..11.5"

These are quite heavy, but still tight with enough tactile feel.

I started using surgical gloves about two years ago...Now I can pick my nose without smelling blood!

I cannot understand why one needs tough gloves or long gloves to gut anything, unless your just wallowing in the carcass like a bear....

Sounds like some gutten lessons are in order.

atkinson.
I"ve gutted enugh deer and elk to know how and
still when I cant get an elk rolled all the way on its back becus of terain or whatever,I'm in it up past my elbows to reach the top of the lungs
and esofigus(please exuse the spelling).If I dont care about the cape I can split the briscit but otherways its get in and get bloody.

I tend to use surgical gloves and roll my sleeves up, just in case. Like Ray said I cannot fathom why long gloves are needed even if you are working out the lungs with the ribs not opened up.

But like Rudyard Kipling once said:

"There are nine and sixty ways
Of contructing tribal lays
And every single one of them is right"!

Jamie,
I suggest caping to the head/neck joint, cut the head off, then go ahead and split the brisket, grab the adams apple and strip to the diaphram, cut it loose and strip to the pelvis and out between the legs with all, (after the pelvis is split), then quarter the elk....

Reaching up inside an elk is messy, I just see no need, as you must quarter him anyway to get him out...

Of course with a deer all this can be done in a matter of several minutes with a pocket knife....

I seldom get blood past my knuckles...

Gloves are the greatest!

We hunt in cold weather and many miles from hot water and soap for a clean up. IE: not by the road.
Stop by the local grocery store and purchase a pair of ladies dishwashing gloves. I use the ones with a felt liner. They keep your hands dry and warm while gutting. Yes, you can cut them with a knife. Learn how to use the knife before you go hunting. When done, your hands are clean and dry and the gloves go in a ziplock back. Simple and costs about $2.

Ski+3

I wonder how many different ways there are to gralloch a beast? As long as the meat is not contaminated with the stomach contents ect, I am not sure any are right or wrong and I suspect its more down to how we were taught when we first started hunting.

Rays "slit them" from nose to anus method is what I usually use as I am not worried about the cape. However in certain circumstances I prefer a "keyhole" approach keeping the opening as small as possible. I usually do this to minimise external contamination if I have to drag the carcass out...Horses for courses i guess...

You want to wear gloves go for it. I'll continue to use my hands. I might get infected, but the odds are against it. It's usually too f'n cold. Cleaned my hands with snow, or in a stream many times. I use those gloves in my work, so getting them, and using them isn't a problem, I just hate them with a passion.
Tell me, what's changed in the last thirty five years or so that now I'm going to get an infection, when I have not done so yet?

Atkinson When I quarter elk its fine to cape on the ground, but around here most elk are killed in clearcuts within 500 yrds of a road so I keep a 1000yrds of cable in camp. We usualy hunt in pairs, when a elk is down the shooter guts it while the other gose for the cable and truck.
We drag elk out whole with the hide on and then hang and skin in camp. When we can get the cable to an elk it works pretty slick.

Jamie: We hunt moose up here, and what my partners and I do is to get our ATV's right next to the moose. Then I use the electric winch (mounted on the ATV), and roll the moose on its back for field dressing.

Before skinning the moose, I wear rubber rain gear, rubber boots, and gloves as indicated on my previous responses. The blood soaked rain gear and boots are placed in a plastic bag until I can wash them, and the neoprene gloves go in the clothes washer when I get home.

I use forearm length surgical glove. I think they keep my hands warmer too, especially when done. Cold hands make for slips. The neoprene gloves on top is a good idea too.

Clean up is so easy, I've started using gloves for cleaning everything from fish to my guns!

I never use gloves on anything but on predators and only then if I have the whole carcass at home. This spring I was skinning the hide off of a blackie and jesus it was covered in worms. A lot wear crawling out of the stomach wall that sort of makes a guy want to wear gloves.

I agree with Atkinson. I don't really gut my elk any more. I quarter them. So I only gut enough to get to the sweet meat on the backstrap. I usually open the skin up and spread it out like a big table cloth. Take the 4 quarters, tenderloins, pull off as much flank steak and brisket as possible. Leave the rib cage on the mountain.

Camp is usually 7 miles to the nearest wheeled vehicle. And we are usually a mile or two out of camp. I'm not draggin a whole animal ( deer or Elk) that far. So we cut them up small enough to get them on the packs of the horses for the pack ride out.

I use some vinyl paint gloves that come to my wrist, just because water for clean up is usually at a premium. I turn them inside out when I'm done and put them in a zip lock and carry them out.

I've never got infection from gutting a deer or elk. But I have had some very sore hands from the infections that I've gotten from the minor cuts from Salmon teeth when taking the hooks out.

Well if one can shoot elk close to the road then that is a whole nuther deal..The closest I have shot an elk to the road is about 40 miles I guess, but I'm still trying to get one home whole...but I'd hate like hell to drag a cable 1000 yards, even a 1/4" cable, that sounds like a chore to me....Mostly I quarter with the hair on and skin the quarters at home..I don't worry about a little dirt, back country dirt is pretty clean and I been eating it for about 10 days anyway, I just don't want s--t and bile on the quarters. Also I have game sacks pretty close...If I could drive up to the kill, I'd probably haul it to camp or home and gut it hanging.

I have gutted a thousand head without gloves and still consider it no big deal, its just that I don't have to wash my hands in a cold creek or snow now that I use gloves and like I said with the use of gloves I can go on hunting and pick my nose with a clean finger