deerhunter10
Well-Known Member
What the hell are you talking about.
Hanging A Deer Overnight
- Thread starter eightpointoutdoors
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megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Agree completely.
Get the guts out and skin off asap. Once you are down to pure meat.quarters, it's incredibly forgiving as long as it's cool and in the shade.
Don't take care of the meat before final processing (including aging it), and it's so gamey and tough it will make you never want to eat it again.
Omega
Well-Known Member
I would leave the hide on, just field dress and place 3 or 4 bags of ice in the cavity, the hide will help insulate the carcass. When I get a deer for friends and the processor is full, I'll leave it in the bed of my truck, stuffed with ice and covered with a tarp. For mine, I'll just quarter it and ice it down in a cooler.
This thread is useless without pics!
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When it comes to hanging deer, the FDA recommends hanging the deer carcass for at least two days before butchering and cooking it. This will allow rigor mortis to run its course and will result in more tender venison meat 1. It is also important to hang the deer in a well-ventilated area that is ideally protected from weather, dust/dirt, insects and scavengers, such as in a shed, garage or even from a tree branch if you're still out in the field 1. The temperature should be above 32 degrees Fahrenheit and below 42 degrees 1. You can hang the deer with the head up or down, but some hunters argue that hanging deer by the hind legs will prevent gastric juices from the esophagus draining down onto the hams 1. If you plan to age the deer, which will require a much longer hang time, it is recommended to keep the hide on, which prevents the meat from drying out too quickly and protects it from discoloration/oxidation 1. I hope this helps!
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Food safety and quality should be any hunters 2nd important goal imo
When it comes to hanging deer, the FDA recommends hanging the deer carcass for at least two days before butchering and cooking it. This will allow rigor mortis to run its course and will result in more tender venison meat 1. It is also important to hang the deer in a well-ventilated area that is ideally protected from weather, dust/dirt, insects and scavengers, such as in a shed, garage or even from a tree branch if you're still out in the field 1. The temperature should be above 32 degrees Fahrenheit and below 42 degrees 1. You can hang the deer with the head up or down, but some hunters argue that hanging deer by the hind legs will prevent gastric juices from the esophagus draining down onto the hams 1. If you plan to age the deer, which will require a much longer hang time, it is recommended to keep the hide on, which prevents the meat from drying out too quickly and protects it from discoloration/oxidation 1. I hope this helps!
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1
petersenshunting.com2
outdoorever.com3
themeateater.comFood safety and quality should be any hunters 2nd important goal imo
Chickenrig
Well-Known Member
That's what i was thinkin
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
WAY longer than you would think. Clean skinned quarters are just fine in 65 deg temps for at least 3 days. Maybe longer, but that's how old I've eaten uncooled meat after a kill.
If less than 42 deg and clean, it's just fine dry aging for 10 days
https://extension.missouri.edu/publications/g2209 It's pretty simple to read
It will be fine overnight
I have read a lot and see stuff folks post without any scientific data to back it up, I err on the side of caution, been working on keeping food safe for the last 25 years for folks, you might get away with doing something 1 time but the odds are against you repeating it, that's why there are guide lines to help keep food safe. you can rot meat called dry aging, temp and humidy is controlled then the outer layers are cut off, the flavor isn't for every one .
I'd much rather eat a deer that was field dressed and left hanging overnight in the 50s than a deer that someone shot before dark and waited to track and retrieve the next morning. Some many hunters think the meat will be fine because there's cold temps during the night.
Put a bag of ice in the chest cavity and will be fine
MidTennFisher
Well-Known Member
I like low 40s or below. I've hung them overnight with a low of 42-43 and it's fine. That's as cold as your fridge likely is.
In the 50's, I wouldn't take that chance.
In the 50's, I wouldn't take that chance.
You reckon the deer will circulate that cold all through the hams and shoulders by being in the chest? another old wives tale lol it might save the loins and the ribs but wont do anything for the rest of the deer.
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I'm with you on the safety aspect. I shot one a couple years ago...it was just before dark...and snowing. Just as I was walking towards it, a thick fog rolled in. I couldn't see anything. Needless to say, I didn't find the deer. Early next morning, walked straight to it. It was covered in snow.
Hung it and skinned it out. The meat had a greenish.. luminous look to it. Weather or not it was still good...I don't know. But I couldn't risk feeding that to my family. It was disposed of.
It absolutely will keep everything cool. Done it many times
bowtechgump
Well-Known Member
Translation: I am saying that once the deer is dead and in your possession, you have to get it hung up, skin off and in the cooler/refrigerator ASAP. It needs to hang to get the blood out of the carcass. Laying it in a cooler or on ice what melts and collects blood in the water will lead to a "gamey" taste.
