Birds in general seem to be a type of game where gutting them quick is unimportant. In fact the traditional things the Brits [used to?] do is leave the guts in the pheasants and such for some period of time while they hung them.

the bigger birds like turkeys you will want to gut the same day but there really is no hurry.

One hint: open up the throat and get the stuff out of the crop!

Last fall at the Borough market in London I saw meat vendors with dead pheasants for sale. Like Elmer said they had their feathers and guts intact. I never gut them until I get home. They don't spoil like a deer or elk.

I've always hung my waterfowl.the colder the longer.as for doves,quail.Im used to putting them in the cooler quicker.and phesants wait till the end of the hunt day.happy hunting.

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No, we always wait until after the hunt. With waterfowl we hang'em for 3 days (in the shade) before we clean them in cool weather.

Upland birds yes, waterfowl, no. Keeping upland birds too warm risks spoiling. Waterfowl are usually taken in freezing conditions. Besides, if you gut that duck or goose, they's gonna stink.