Hanging Deer

[Tn Medic]

I have always hung my deer from the back legs with the head hanging towards the ground. I only hang them long enough to skin them and quarter. I have recently noticed lots of pictures of deer hanging around the neck with rear towards the ground. Any particular reason for this, or just personal preference?

 

[JMcB]

Hanging from the head you don't have to take the deer down to remove the hams. Only time I'll hang from the back legs is if we are capeing for a mount.

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

I was taught hanging by the neck. If the deer is split open good between the hams the blood and water drain better when rinsing it out.We always would get the hide started coming off from around the neck then tie a golf ball inside the hide hook it to a vehicle and pull it off.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I honestly can't recall a time I've ever hung deer from anything other than the back legs. It's just the way I learned and still serves the purpose.

 

[catman529]

I hang from the back legs because I got a gambrel that's designed for it... When butchering, I remove the hams last so there's no problem there.

 

[Jcalder]

Hanging from the head you don't have to take the deer down to remove the hams. Only time I'll hang from the back legs is if we are capeing for a mount.

I hang from the back legs because I got a gambrel that's designed for it... When butchering, I remove the hams last so there's no problem there.

I hang all mine by the back legs and the first thing I take off is the hams. I debone while it's hanging and don't have to fool with them later

 

[Shed Hunter]

I use a rope and pulley to pull them up by the neck. Makes it easy. If you need to cape them it would be best to go from the legs.

 

[Columbia Scott]

Put every deer on a regular gambrel, stick a meat thermoeter in each ham and if I can keep the meat in the lower 40's I let it be for 24 hours. Then I skin it, quarter and age it in coolers.

 

[HuntFish714]

Ive always hung mine from the neck right at the base of the skull. Just how I like to do it, I like the neck meat and seems to taste better opposed to buddies that hang from the hind legs

 

[Tennessee Lead]

Back legs here as well seems much easier to debone as you go this way for me. My neighbors hang from head and use a forklift to skin with and he seems to like that but I have difficulty trying to help him this way

 

[medic]

Hanging from the head you don't have to take the deer down to remove the hams. Only time I'll hang from the back legs is if we are capeing for a mount.

I hang from the back legs because I got a gambrel that's designed for it... When butchering, I remove the hams last so there's no problem there.

I hang all mine by the back legs and the first thing I take off is the hams. I debone while it's hanging and don't have to fool with them later

Same here

 

[catman529]

oh on this topic, I gutted one hanging up for the first time on monday. It was easier to cut away the diaphragm but also I was not used to doing it this way so I had just a little trouble getting all the stomach out and then accidentally spilt those brown pellets down into the chest cavity. I left the brisket intact so I just lowered her down and layed down on the ground to drain blood/pellets.

 

[darn2ten]

oh on this topic, I gutted one hanging up for the first time on monday. It was easier to cut away the diaphragm but also I was not used to doing it this way so I had just a little trouble getting all the stomach out and then accidentally spilt those brown pellets down into the chest cavity. I left the brisket intact so I just lowered her down and layed down on the ground to drain blood/pellets.

If you do this there's really no reason to gut them unless your saving the ribs, which I don't on most deer, just not enough there to mess with imo. I've done many that I just let the guts stay in them. Get all the neck meat, then the shoulders, the backstraps, split just enough to get the tenderloins out and then the back hams. I take the whole ham off with bone in at the joint and just drop the rib cage and backbone section with the guts intact in one nice little package.