# Butchering deer the same day of harvest?



## mmyers (Aug 6, 2006)

When you shoot a deer in warm weather and you butcher it yourself, is thier a problem with cutting it up the same day you shoot it?


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## 22lyons (Jul 30, 2007)

what problem are you thinking of?

the only thing is that meat is warm and a bit harder to handle but you can bone out and cool before cutting further.

i desire to get mine in the freezer ASAP.


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## mmyers (Aug 6, 2006)

22lyons said:


> what problem are you thinking of?
> 
> the only thing is that meat is warm and a bit harder to handle but you can bone out and cool before cutting further.
> 
> i desire to get mine in the freezer ASAP.


People tell me they need to hang for at least one day. But I don't have a cooler to put it in and at 70 deg I'm not hanging anything for a day.


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## Tajue17 (Aug 18, 2005)

I don't butcher my own deer but my oldschool father thinks they have to hang and bleed out for a bit before butchering,,,, rigth after check-in I'm hunting for a butcher where I can drop it off,,,, have to really because I'm in a condo


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## 22lyons (Jul 30, 2007)

mmyers said:


> People tell me they need to hang for at least one day. But I don't have a cooler to put it in and at 70 deg I'm not hanging anything for a day.


hanging only long enough for me to bone out and get in the freezer


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## Violator (Sep 23, 2007)

It's just sloppy. By that I mean, it has no "chill" to it. The "chill" help firm up your meat (hee hee). It is easier to cut chilled, but you are not hurting the meat OR possibly putting anyone in potential harm as far as I know.
That being said.....if I HAD to do the butchering WARM, I would MAKE IT QUICK and get the meat chilled A.S.A.P., bacteria grows well in warm meat, so the more you expose the more you open yourself up to problems.
Like "22lyons" said....if it helps - just quarter it down - get it chilled from there - it's smaller now and easier to handle - get it into coolers or whatever - ice it down - then bone it out later....that way you won't have so much of it exposed AND warm.


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## WEEGEE (Oct 13, 2007)

You don't have too many choices here.
you can let them hang if the temp. is just above freezing 35-40 if you have a cool dry place .young deer 2-3 days old bucks 4-5 days BUT THE TEMP HAS TO BE RIGHT!
or YOU CAN TAKE IT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS A COOLER.
some will skin it out and hang them for you or do the butchering job also.
but never hang one if it's hot out!
skin it out then cut it up and get it in the freezer asap.


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## Matt Riffle (Oct 11, 2007)

I will butcher mine the same day if it is too warm to waite, never have had a problem.



Matt


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## grizzlyplumber (Jul 21, 2005)

I have never hung my deer. I always have mine boned out and on ice asap. But I dont usually have good luck with my steaks so I grind it all into hamburger, maybe that is why. But no way would I hang a deer in az.


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## mmyers (Aug 6, 2006)

Thanks guys. I hope to shoot a doe tomorrow and with the warm weather i'm going to cut her up when I get back home...


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## Ib4Hoyt (Jan 19, 2004)

if im buy myself i just de-bone them on the ground but have seen guys in warm weather hang them with the skin on and pack the chest full of ice bags to chill.


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## Red Fletch (Apr 25, 2008)

In warm weather I'll debone them first chance I get. In the cold I may han them for a day or few depending on the weather.


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## MNHOYT (Oct 6, 2007)

I also butcher all of my own meat, if its warm i will debone and freeze asap, it the cold i will let them hang with the hide off for a day or two. :darkbeer:


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## pabuckkiller (Nov 14, 2004)

I always skin my deer ASAP. Never mind the temp. I will skin and quarter. If it is warm out I have a fridge in the garage that is just large enough to put all the quarters in. I remove the tenderloin first and get it chilled while I'm quartering that way I can get it cut up and wrapped. I'll usually let the quarters in the fridge over night and debone it the next day. Always get the hide off quickly, I really believe that is crucial regardless of the temps. We do have a lot of people around here that prefer to let them hang for a while my dad included but I don't buy into that. I want my in the freezer as soon as possible.


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## Savannahman (Nov 6, 2005)

I always cut mine the same day if not the cut it into small chunks to put in a fridge then take it to a guy and he grinds it up for me. I feel that the indians never had coolers so what is the big deal. My father-in-law always says that it needs to be hung for 6-8 days in a 30ish temp, so the enzyems (spelling) can tenderize the meat. My grandfather was a butcher and he always told me that beef need to be hung but not so much wild game. Some of the videos I see a deer in the back of the truck not even feild dressed just makes me stick to my stomach. Get the guts out asap and then the hide and then cut and cool if to late to grind up and have some back straps fresh that night.


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## CWarmouth (Oct 23, 2005)

I skin and quarter as soon as possible, then put the quarters in a fridge in the garage for about a week. The quarters go on racks and I have a tray to collect blood under each rack. A LOT of blood runs off during that time, which just makes the meat a little more palatable for my wife to deal with at cooking time. After a week or so I cut it up the way I want it.


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## groved (Sep 3, 2007)

pabuckkiller said:


> I always skin my deer ASAP. Never mind the temp. I will skin and quarter. If it is warm out I have a fridge in the garage that is just large enough to put all the quarters in. I remove the tenderloin first and get it chilled while I'm quartering that way I can get it cut up and wrapped. I'll usually let the quarters in the fridge over night and debone it the next day. Always get the hide off quickly, I really believe that is crucial regardless of the temps. We do have a lot of people around here that prefer to let them hang for a while my dad included but I don't buy into that. I want my in the freezer as soon as possible.[/QUOTE
> 
> +1... Loins in the fridge, and the rest out of the cooler/fridge as I can get to it the next day or so for deboning and wrapping.


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## hawgdawg (Sep 8, 2002)

As soon as I get the deer in and skinned I quarter deer up and pack in ice chest. Usually leave in there for a couple of days,changing with fresh ice 2 to 3 times a day. This pulls most of the blood out of the meat plus easier to work with when butchering.


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## va archer (Jul 19, 2002)

CWarmouth said:


> I skin and quarter as soon as possible, then put the quarters in a fridge in the garage for about a week. The quarters go on racks and I have a tray to collect blood under each rack. A LOT of blood runs off during that time, which just makes the meat a little more palatable for my wife to deal with at cooking time. After a week or so I cut it up the way I want it.


The deer meat really does taste better (in my opinon), if you let it age. A buck, especially! If it is too warm to let it hang, I will debone it and put the meat in a cooler with frozen jugs to keep it cold. Have enough jugs you can switch out when you need to to keep the temp in the cooler at a decent level. Low 40's for me. This is an option if you don't have an extra fridge to put the meat in. I like to let it age 5-7 days minimum.


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## slickstalker (Sep 21, 2008)

This question will generate a multitude of responses. It is my conviction that all red meat should hang in a cooler to cure. I don't have a cooler either, but I take it to the local meat locker to cure. 6 days is an excellent cure time. Meat that hasn't been cured won't be as tender as cured meat, and uncured meat tends to cause gas or even a loose stool to those who eat it. Even the flavor isn't as good. If you don't care about reducing the quality of the meat you harvest, than so be it. You're the ones who have to eat it, not me.


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## a7mmnut (Jul 22, 2008)

You can cut them up all you want, it's easier even! Just don't freeze the meat before a minimum of 36 hours. That's how long it takes for the rigor mortis effect to leave muscle tissue. I use the cooler method, too. :wink: -7-


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## ArchersParadox (May 12, 2005)

Unless you have a cooler to hang the deer in..you have no choice unless you plan on wasting the meat??

Yeah..the warm weather sucks...as soon as you get one..

tag it..

gut it...

drag it out...

check it in..

drive home...

hang it up...

skin the hide...

quarter it out...

cut out the backstraps...


all of the above in less than 2 hours!!


man I'm tired just typing that!~


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## kzz1king (Jan 21, 2007)

Red Fletch said:


> In warm weather I'll debone them first chance I get. In the cold I may han them for a day or few depending on the weather.


Me Too, if cold I do same in the garage. I do chill the meat some before grinding though.


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## CWarmouth (Oct 23, 2005)

For all of you saying "I don't have a meat locker to hang a deer in": 
A quartered deer easily fits in a normal refrigerator, which you can buy used cheap. If you put the word out to everyone you know, you may get one given to you. With that in your favor, you don't have to stress out about getting it cut up, you can do it in your own time schedule.


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## AiR_GuNNeR (Dec 20, 2006)

In case you missed it, here is my thread on an easy to make deer locker. All you need is two sheets of foam board and a small cheap window air conditioner:

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?p=7683320#post7683320

Eric


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## Rothhar1 (Apr 1, 2007)

No they do not need to hang a day .They were killed by bloodloss thus no need to let them drain.Also cutting and cooling right away makes for the highest quality meat you can get .It will be moist tender an have no strong or harsh flavor due to bacterial growth. So please cut away imeidiatly.


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## jindydiver (Jan 13, 2006)

Chop it up straight away if you think the weather is too hot to let it hang, and just put the bits into a fridge for a couple of days.
This is a red deer yearling. The backstraps, shoulder and neck meat are all in the tray with tea towels under them to absorb the blood and the back end is resting on tea towels also.











The benefit of having it cold and "hanging" for a couple of days is to allow the meat to dry a little. Meat that is cut up and frozen straight away will leak A LOT of moisture when you de-frost it.


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## Kelly Johnson (May 22, 2005)

I'll hang a skinned deer for 10-14 days.

I don't have a walk in cooler anymore though.

Now I skin and quarter them and hang the quarters for 10 days or so.

It isn't necessary but it mellows the gaminess and is a lot more tender.


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## bigbuckdn (Sep 19, 2007)

Shouldernuke! said:


> No they do not need to hang a day .They were killed by bloodloss thus no need to let them drain.Also cutting and cooling right away makes for the highest quality meat you can get .It will be moist tender an have no strong or harsh flavor due to bacterial growth. So please cut away imeidiatly.


yep this is a great answer


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## AiR_GuNNeR (Dec 20, 2006)

Shouldernuke! said:


> No they do not need to hang a day .They were killed by bloodloss thus no need to let them drain.Also cutting and cooling right away makes for the highest quality meat you can get .It will be moist tender an have no strong or harsh flavor due to bacterial growth. So please cut away imeidiatly.


They still drip plenty of blood when they are hung.


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## Rothhar1 (Apr 1, 2007)

AiR_GuNNeR said:


> They still drip plenty of blood when they are hung.


I promis you that if a deer is dripping alot of blood it is likely comming from the the body cavity out of the larynx. I have never seen more than a cup of it from a well cleaned and drained deer .!!


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## Bodenhimer (Sep 6, 2008)

You can hang it for along time or not at all. But if you want meat that isnt gamey. U better cut out the nasty stuff. I will skin my deer than skin it again to get all white shiney stuff off all my meat. Even my sausage meat. I know alot of people that dont like gamey taste and wont eat deer. But when they eat my deer or elk the love it. So cut the crap out of it and you will have great meat.

My kids and wife love wild game. My wifes father gets on me for cuting so much out, but I say to him your not the 1 eating it. I only give my family the good stuff.


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## Backlash (Feb 18, 2008)

i skin my deer asap in my garage, take the back straps, tenderloin, remove the front and rear legs, and cut anyother meat I can get. I wrap all in saran wrap and put in my beer refrigerator for about 3 days, then the processing begins. The meat always tastes great.


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## justanotherbuck (Aug 5, 2007)

nomally what ill do in warm weather is quarter it the same day then put in garbage bags and put in refrigator for a couple of days


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## 1trackmind (Apr 6, 2008)

Bodenhimer said:


> You can hang it for along time or not at all. But if you want meat that isnt gamey. U better cut out the nasty stuff. I will skin my deer than skin it again to get all white shiney stuff off all my meat. Even my sausage meat. I know alot of people that dont like gamey taste and wont eat deer. But when they eat my deer or elk the love it. So cut the crap out of it and you will have great meat.
> 
> My kids and wife love wild game. My wifes father gets on me for cuting so much out, but I say to him your not the 1 eating it. I only give my family the good stuff.


+1 If it is not red meat cut it off. 
You can put two deer in a 120qt. ice cheast if cut the hindquaters and front sholders off and stack it rite.


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## Stanley (Jan 18, 2005)

The main reason for aging deer is to improve tenderness and flavor of the meat. Aging is tough to do properly, as temperatures should be just above freezing. I hang or age my deer for about three days and will do it longer depending on the temperature.


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## TTS in PA (Aug 7, 2006)

pabuckkiller said:


> I always skin my deer ASAP. Never mind the temp. I will skin and quarter. If it is warm out I have a fridge in the garage that is just large enough to put all the quarters in. I remove the tenderloin first and get it chilled while I'm quartering that way I can get it cut up and wrapped. I'll usually let the quarters in the fridge over night and debone it the next day. Always get the hide off quickly, I really believe that is crucial regardless of the temps. We do have a lot of people around here that prefer to let them hang for a while my dad included but I don't buy into that. I want my in the freezer as soon as possible.


What he said *↑*

I now butcher all my own deer (2 doe so far this season) and skin, quarter, bag, and cool in the bottom of a spare refrigerator for anywhere from one to four days. I'd prefer to let them 'hang' for a few days, but mother nature decides if that's possible. I'm no butcher, but I agree with the idea that cutting and freezing DURING the rigor mortis faze isn't a good idea. Either do it quick and get it over with, or wait a couple of days while the meat is in the proper temp range. 

I vacuum seal all my venison with liquid marinade already in the sealed bag. This helps to displace what little air would still be touching the meat, and I've found this method helps keep the meat in good shape for over a year. Another plus with this method is you can take a frozen, sealed bag and put it in a pot of hot tap water, and go from frozen to thawed and ready to cook in about an hour. Open the bag and throw them right on the grill. Life is good...


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## Hoyt Havoc (Jul 27, 2006)

I vacuum seal all my venison with liquid marinade already in the sealed bag. This helps to displace what little air would still be touching the meat, and I've found this method helps keep the meat in good shape for over a year. Another plus with this method is you can take a frozen, sealed bag and put it in a pot of hot tap water, and go from frozen to thawed and ready to cook in about an hour. Open the bag and throw them right on the grill. Life is good...[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR][/QUOTE]

I to always try and butcher the same day no matter what the temp is outside. I always at least get the hide off and quarter like the last 2 posts. I think that removes a lot of the gamey taste.
But I quoted this one because I love the idea of the marinade in the bags!
I'll be doing that on my next one for sure.


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## hoyt19 (Jan 7, 2005)

Im lucky enough to have access to a friends walk in cooler. That being said I always leave mine hang for a few days. 3-4 days is the average, however I did leave one hang last year for 8 days, and only lost a little meat due to it drying out.


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## old Graybeard (Nov 3, 2005)

I've done it a lot when the temps are too high and I haven't had any problems with it


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## Hoyt1945 (Nov 30, 2006)

hawgdawg said:


> As soon as I get the deer in and skinned I quarter deer up and pack in ice chest. Usually leave in there for a couple of days,changing with fresh ice 2 to 3 times a day. This pulls most of the blood out of the meat plus easier to work with when butchering.


I do about the same. I quarter my deer and pack in an ice chest for about 4 or 5 days draining and changing ice. I never cut up a deer that has just been killed. The meat is too soft to make good cuts. I will always chill it for several hours, if I don't wait the 4 or 5 days whick I prefer to do.


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## Hoyt1945 (Nov 30, 2006)

va archer said:


> The deer meat really does taste better (in my opinon), if you let it age. A buck, especially! If it is too warm to let it hang, I will debone it and put the meat in a cooler with frozen jugs to keep it cold. Have enough jugs you can switch out when you need to to keep the temp in the cooler at a decent level. Low 40's for me. This is an option if you don't have an extra fridge to put the meat in. I like to let it age 5-7 days minimum.


Now you're talking.


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## itallushrt (Sep 14, 2006)

Shouldernuke! said:


> No they do not need to hang a day .They were killed by bloodloss thus no need to let them drain.Also cutting and cooling right away makes for the highest quality meat you can get .It will be moist tender an have no strong or harsh flavor due to bacterial growth. So please cut away imeidiatly.


Ever heard of rigor mortis? No, it isn't a situation unique to a fresh human corpse. Any living thing with muscle tissue experiences it including game animals. Hanging meat isn't to "get the blood out" or to "make it easier to clean" it's to aid in the enzyme break down of the muscle tissue. Ever go to a steak house and see aged beef on the menu? What about at the local super market? 

While this isn't an option in high temps without a walk in freezer or a homemade version (using an old upright freezer with the racks taken out and one of THESE make a great one) it certainly will produce a much higher quality end product. I suggest that you make arrangements before hand with a local butcher shop to hang your fresh and properly field dressed kill in their walkin. Most will do it for a very minimal fee.


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## DanBlacksher (Jan 21, 2007)

I always get the meat off and put it in an ice chest with a cap full of vinegar. I then add ice and drain the water and add more ice for about a week until the water coming out of the cooler is almost clear. The vinegar helps draw the blood out of the meat, and this is workd like a charm.:wink:


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## IBBW (Mar 29, 2005)

*Ice Ice baby*

Gut and clean as quickly as possible. Warm outside or not. Quarter it up, pack it in ice in an ice chest. Keep the water drained off and add ice as it melts off. I never leave it in there less than 2 days and no more than 3 days. Meat comes out very bloodless. You can add some salt if it suits ya. Dad adds salt, I do not. Dad taught me this as a kid and I have never done it any other way.

Had a friend that had done the hanging thing with the cheese cloth for 20years. He killed a deer late one evening and I help him get it out. He had to be to work very early the next day and didn't have time for his usual ritual. He did what I suggested above, he since has never hung another deer.


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## redboneusa (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm a firm beliver in getting the deer quartered and stored in an old fridge as soon as possible. The meat has to go into and out of rigormortis before cutting it up for the best quality meat. I learned a long time ago that a temperature range of 34-38 degrees is ideal, aging for 5-7 days. I have seen people who had the cold temps to let the deer hang for a few days and then bring it in and try to butcher but the meat was frozen practically solid. It ain't aging if it's frozen.
We usually have a butchering day after the meat has aged out. Several of us get together and set up an "de-semmbly"line. Some will be boning, some will working on the grinder meat and then grinding and packaging. It's alot of work if done right, but it's also rewarding to know that you've done all you can to end up with a quality product.
Everyone has their own thoughts and methods on any of this subject. That's what it's all about I suppose.


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## Acts 10:13 (Aug 9, 2008)

hawgdawg said:


> As soon as I get the deer in and skinned I quarter deer up and pack in ice chest. Usually leave in there for a couple of days,changing with fresh ice 2 to 3 times a day. This pulls most of the blood out of the meat plus easier to work with when butchering.


+10

I skin, quarter and get the loins out of my deer as soon as possible. I stash all the meat in an icechest and keep it COVERED ENTIRELY with ice for 2 to 3 days. I leave the ice chest drain spout open so that the blood and ice can drain onto my back patio (if cold enough outside) or into a bucket in my garage (if it's a little warm). Then I go to deboning, grinding and cutting up for steaks. 

Why pay someone else $80+ what I can do in 3 days of curing and two to three hours or labor?


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## miahdog (Sep 30, 2008)

I always let my meat soak in ice water, when its warm i have some coolers I use, and when its cold i have a big tin tub i soak all the meat in, the ice water draws out the blood in my opinion.


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## txbdyguard (Jan 7, 2007)

Get the guts out and the skin off then 1/4 it and let it hit the cooler and fill with ice for 3-4 days. The ice draws the blood out. The meat turns a pink color instead of the dark red. Best way to do it.


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## MKD (Feb 8, 2003)

I had to pack mine with ice overnight and cut the next morning


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## changboy (Jun 27, 2008)

Here in hawaii, all deer are deboned and processed the same day with no issues with taste or gaminess, then of course we mostly have axis.


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

Shot my buck yesterday, supposed to be warm. I cut the hide off as soon as possible, I will wrap it in cheese cloth put a bag of ice in chest and wrap it in sleeping bag. I am going to try to get this buck through the week to tender him up. I monitor the temps closely. Done this before and it has worked out ok, have done it even w/o the ice and it was delicious.
Solohunter


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## MNmike (Dec 27, 2003)

*Warm*

Depends on what I have available.

Around home I skin and 1/4 right away. Goes into the extra garage fridge or the 150qt cooler.

Up north it was the same but only a cooler. But now with the Bears Den is back open, I can hang deer in their cooler.

Usually process the next day or the day after that.


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## Michigan Bob (Oct 26, 2002)

If its cold I hang it for a couple of days, if its hot I skin bone and put the meat in the fridge for a night so it firms up and then cut it up the next day put in freezer bags and then in to the freezer.


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## jman21050 (Oct 11, 2005)

rigor mortis sets in about 6-8 hours after the animal has died and goes away with in 24 hours. If you are hanging or chillin before cutting 1 day is all that is necessary. All rigor mortis is is a build up of lactic acid in the muscle cells that promotes a constant state of contraction. Without out bloodflow the lactic acid has no where to go and takes a while longer to disappear or breakdown.


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## JG358 (Jul 6, 2007)

I prefer to hang them for a couple days but their is nothing wrong with butchering the same day.


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## Huntin'Honey24 (May 6, 2006)

mmyers said:


> When you shoot a deer in warm weather and you butcher it yourself, is thier a problem with cutting it up the same day you shoot it?


quarter and cooler it up if you don't have a walk in freezer. Put it on ice and drain every couple days for a good week, then process. You want to take as much blood out as possible. The meat will not tast gamey that way. We do this for every deer that we harvest and we never have gamey meat. But you must keep the cooler out of the sun and get the ice nice and packed around the meat.


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## stans806 (Sep 5, 2008)

I quarter mine immediately and put on (in) ice. I de-bone it a day or two later whenever most convenient. No problems at all.


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## davydtune (Apr 27, 2007)

I never butcher the same day. It makes the meat tough as hell and the flavor isn't as good. That being said when the temps are warm I quarter them and put them in a fridge in my garage. I'll leave it in there for about a week or so. Then butcher. I've also used coolers and ice in the past.


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## siucowboy (Aug 31, 2006)

The question of how to handle deer comes up quite a bit....part of this stems from the fact that many of us were taught by our elders that you needed to hang a deer for a period of time (everyone differs on how much) so that the enzymes could "break it down". For some of us we were also taught that the deer must be skinned and covered with a cotton game bag (or cheese cloth as some do). There's acutally a specific reason for this: Forty years ago, most of our beef was dry aged. Dry aging is basically what many of us were taught to do. In this process Beef is skinned, sometimes halfed, quartered or select cuts removed and wrapped in cotton shrouds and then aged for 7 to 28 days. During this process a crust forms on the outside of the meat, very similar to the texture of beef jerky. This layer is trimmed away, leaving steaks that are said to be superior in tenderness and flavor. This is because during the drying process, the juices are absorbed into the meat, enhancing the flavor and the enzymes break down the connective tissues tenderizing the steaks. Dry Aged Steaks are very popular in the fine, white linen steakhouses that many of us can't afford to eat at lol. Up to 20-25% of the original weight of the meat is lost during the dry aging process. 
In the 1960's the beef industry switched to "wet aging", in which the meat is cut and vaccuum packed in it's own juices and then aged in controlled temperatures before freezing. With this process you get the tenderization (the enzymes still attack the connective tissues) but not the concentration of natural beef flavor. There's no loss due to the drying and the average consumer has been acclimated to this type of beef over the last 40 years or so. In fact a lot of people actually wouldn't like dry aged beef if they tasted it, it's VERY VERY beefy  Tradtionalists think wet aged beef is bland and tasteless.
So how you do your deer probably stems a lot from what you were raised on and used to. At home we rarely bought any meat, we did all our own butchering and I grew up on dry aged beef and deer, so that's what I prefer...I just about have my wife converted, but I do have to take into consideration when we invite company that they may not like dry aged deer....
PLUS - it's a waste to cook venison for anyone that wants their meat more than medium in my opinion. ;-)


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## brownjb (Dec 3, 2008)

Butcher it the same day if you can. If not, get it in a freezer.


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## SEOBowhntr (May 13, 2005)

22lyons said:


> what problem are you thinking of?
> 
> the only thing is that meat is warm and a bit harder to handle but you can bone out and cool before cutting further.
> 
> i desire to get mine in the freezer ASAP.





mmyers said:


> People tell me they need to hang for at least one day. But I don't have a cooler to put it in and at 70 deg I'm not hanging anything for a day.



I prefer to debone, and then keep in a refrigerator bagged for a couple days, 3-5days sometimes, then finish the job. Seems to help he meat's flavor IMHO. 



davydtune said:


> I never butcher the same day. It makes the meat tough as hell and the flavor isn't as good. That being said when the temps are warm I quarter them and put them in a fridge in my garage. I'll leave it in there for about a week or so. Then butcher. I've also used coolers and ice in the past.


I hate to agree with Davy, but he's right on!!!! :lol:


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## QuickReflex (Jul 28, 2008)

hawgdawg said:


> As soon as I get the deer in and skinned I quarter deer up and pack in ice chest. Usually leave in there for a couple of days,changing with fresh ice 2 to 3 times a day. This pulls most of the blood out of the meat plus easier to work with when butchering.


the same here , Ice down then de bone.


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## 7thSeal (Dec 18, 2008)

BowtechArch said:


> Unless you have a cooler to hang the deer in..you have no choice unless you plan on wasting the meat??
> 
> Yeah..the warm weather sucks...as soon as you get one..
> 
> ...


Don't forget the tenderloins along the inside of the backbone....small but mmmm yummy.


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## davydtune (Apr 27, 2007)

7thSeal said:


> Don't forget the tenderloins along the inside of the backbone....small but mmmm yummy.


Ummmmmm! Yeah those don't ever see a freezer.  Them there go on the grill while we're butchering!:darkbeer:


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## sits in trees (Oct 9, 2006)

mmyers said:


> When you shoot a deer in warm weather and you butcher it yourself, is thier a problem with cutting it up the same day you shoot it?


done it often due to warm weather, and it seems to have no effect on taste in comparison to deer hung for a week....


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## pabuckslayer08 (Nov 19, 2008)

if its going to be over 45 degrees or so i butcher it right then and put it in the freezer asap


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## 7thSeal (Dec 18, 2008)

davydtune said:


> Ummmmmm! Yeah those don't ever see a freezer.  Them there go on the grill while we're butchering!:darkbeer:


Cut 'em in 3/4 to 1 inch lengths, place a jalapeno on the side of it and then wrap a piece of bacon around it (holding the jalapeno against the side of the meat) line 'em up on a skewer and grill. :thumb:


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## shooter22 (Apr 16, 2005)

When I usually go to the Hnadicapped hunt in Missouri we are hunting the first weekend in Nov. There have been yeaars I have hunted in a thin t-shirt. When we get deer in these conditins, we field dress it in the field just after the recovery. Then we hang it at the checkin station where the Corps of Engineers records the stats. Then we call it into the phone in check for MO Dept oF Conservation. after that we skin it and quater it and put it in a cooler(holds like 80+ qts.) with ice. When we get it home, I debone it. That means, NO FAT! NO CONNECTIVE TISSUE! NO SILVER SKIN! Just muscle. Then I place it back in the cooler with five more bags of ice and fill the cooler with COld water. I have my brother change it in the morning before he goes to work and then when I get up, I wait till the evening andI start cutting to what we are wanting to use it for. Then I freeze it all. We have gotten a Food Saver and it dows wonders for Keeping the meat fresh as it eliminates freezer burn. This process will drain most of the blood out of the meat and makes it pretty tender. This will also make the meat almost taste like beeef when cooked.


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## Savannahman (Nov 6, 2005)

I will never let my deer hang period. I always butcher asap, it is sloppy but I feel the meat taste better. NO GAMIE TASTE! Hot or cold doesn't matter to me. Just my .02


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## Charman03 (Jul 31, 2006)

your meat will be much better if you can age it some atleast a few days. On a warm day quarter it up and age it in your second fridge for a few days. I place all quarters in meat tubs then cut it up like 3 days later, cuts get alot more tender.


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## 77F150Screwball (Dec 23, 2008)

I'm fortunate enough to have a walk-in cooler at the ranch. All of our deer get skinned and quartered, thrown into coolers, iced down with a mix of ice and brine water (very low salinity), and coolers are put into the walk-in with the lids open. They are stored like that until we head home, and then will remain stored like that with fresh ice added several times daily until we are ready to do the de-boning, butchering and grinding.

Yes, I know its a bit redundant to ice it when its in a walk-in, but average temps on opening weekend is mid 80's. Its in the mid 70's here today


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## WTAILHUNTER (Jul 3, 2008)

mmyers said:


> When you shoot a deer in warm weather and you butcher it yourself, is thier a problem with cutting it up the same day you shoot it?


Hanging deer for any length of time is a myth. Once harvested it should be kept between 32 and 42 degrees. If it's warmer then that process asap. Two things give you the best venison you will ever eat.....

1....cooling the meat as soon as possible once on the ground. (keep between 32-42 degrees)

2....removing all the fat and silver/gristle from the meat. This step will never be done by a meat cutter because the process takes too long.


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## cptleo1 (May 30, 2007)

Ib4Hoyt said:


> if im buy myself i just de-bone them on the ground but have seen guys in warm weather hang them with the skin on and pack the chest full of ice bags to chill.



I have seen a lot of people do this and always wondered why.

Most of the edible meat is in the hams - ice in the chest cavity wont help here.

The shoulders and back strap are on the other side of the ribs and don't know if they will cool out.

With the hair on I would think that will keep the meat quite warm..

In FL we deal with heat and meat all the time.

Best thing is to get the hide off ASAP, cut the hams,shoulders and back strap off and put in a cooler full of ice.

For me cutting the meat up after being iced down for a day works much better than when it is warm.


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## Patrailsman (Dec 10, 2008)

It would be interesting to hear from the guys that elk hunt on pack-in hunts how they keep them cool.


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## SEOBowhntr (May 13, 2005)

Patrailsman said:


> It would be interesting to hear from the guys that elk hunt on pack-in hunts how they keep them cool.


In those mountains, it gets cool at night, a lot of guys hang 'em in shade, and get 'em out when they can. You might be surprised how long meat can be warm before it really starts to spoil. Hanging them in a good game bag keeps the bees and flies off of it pretty well.


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