How Do You Field Dress A Ptarmigan?
• Successfully hunt the ptarmigan. • Find the spot just below the head, at the top of the bird’s body, where a finger can be inserted into the chest cavity. • With one hand, take a firm hold of the back of the bird (the wings will come with this part). • With the other hand, take a grip on the breast of the bird and place a finger or two down into the neck/chest cavity. • Pull with both hands to separate the back from the breast. Be careful, as there are some small bones that may be sharp and poke or cut you. After you have two pieces: • Pull out all the guts and vitals. In a survival situation, it may be to your benefit to keep and cook the heart (cone shaped and dark red) and gizzard (oblong ball shaped and blue-red). • The back of the bird will have the legs attached, pull the legs from the back and remove the feathers (feathers peal very easily from all meat parts). • The legs will still have the feet attached; these can be broken and pulled or cut off. The legs have string tendons
