# Hanging deer in 50-60 degree weather



## mn5503 (Feb 21, 2006)

Yes you'd be fine for one night.

You'd be better of if you could get it quatered up and in a fridge or coolers with ice.


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## River420Bottom (Jul 21, 2008)

i wont have much time saturday night thats why i was hoping i could let them hang overnight and get back to them in the morning, thanks


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## gamoboy (Sep 29, 2008)

might try rolling it up in a tarp with a few bags of ice.


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## jim p (Oct 29, 2003)

I saw a post somewhere that showed the bacteria growth in meat for different temperatures. The growth of bacteria in the meat is going to change the taste. This is why some people like to age meat. This is also why some meat taste bad if aged too long. This is also why some meat makes you sick. 

Although it might be safe and taste great if hung, I would try to ice it down just to be sure.


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## sweet old bill (Apr 21, 2003)

In the past we always would in temps in the 50 to 60 gut, skin off the hide, and wash down the deer. We would also if down south put the deer in a cloth bag to ensure no flies get on the deer. I alway try to treat like a good side of beef. I do not like to go for aging. Even in our up North November weather, we try to get the gut out asap and the hide off.


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## Scottyluck (Dec 31, 2003)

I shot a doe on the 15th. 
Because I was waiting to here from another friend who had shot a doe and was having trouble finding her I didn't get to butchering right away in case I had to head into the woods to help track. 
Temps were proably in the 60's over night. I packed her body cavity with 3 bags of ice and wrapped her in a moving blanket. I didn't get to her until 4pm the next day. She was fine. The ice and blanket did the trick.


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## nodog (Mar 1, 2005)

The deer keeps itself warm when it's cold out so just use it as a cooler. Stuff a bag of ice inside the cavity and it will be good for days. Meat will be cold enough to hurt your hands. Gut it quick, open it up till you get the ice and that should be fairly soon, like you kill the thing drag it out and on the way to the check station or at the station get a bag. Doing it for years and never had a deer go bad. Haven't done it with others and it has. Brother hung one just like your talking as a kid, went bad. Unless your draining blood or keeping it away from critters there's no reason to hang it apart from butchering, for some reason people feel it's a natural part of deer hunting.

We also like to talk about the deer were going to get before we do. Many times what we talked about we didn't need too. 

It is a good cooler.


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## MNmike (Dec 27, 2003)

I usually won't.

I'll skin and quarter it and use a 150qt cooler I have with a drainage grate I made for the bottom to lift the meat so it doesn't sit in any melted ice.

Don't take much time to do.

The main thing is getting it cooled off AND keeping the flies from laying eggs.


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## pabuckkiller2 (Sep 4, 2010)

I wouldn't let it hang but that's just me. If I got it hung up and skinned out it really doesn't take much longer to quarter and put in the fridge. I do agree though if you really don't have the time a couple of bags of ice would get you through until the next day.


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## dale9805 (Jul 29, 2010)

in those temps i would leave the hide on, throw a can of pepper on it and a couple bags of ice in the cavity.


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## Uncle Bucky (Oct 30, 2009)

I have a bunch of empty 2 liter bottles I filled with water and froze. I hang my deer head down, then take a big old blanket ( i wash between deer ) and wrap the deer up in and tie shut. Then fill the cavity with the frozen 2 liters of water up to the top.

Next I wrap it with 2 old sleeping bags and tie them up and fill to the top with more frozen 2 liters

Since cold air falls the deer stays nice and cold, usually around 35-38 degrees. 

And with 2 liters there is no water from melting ice as the water is contained inside the 2 liters


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## solohunter (Feb 22, 2005)

Hang it and forget it.
Solohunter


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## nicko (Feb 17, 2006)

My deer lay in the yard until I can get them to the butcher the following day. Ice bags in the cavity and over the top of the carcass and if it's warm, a game bag/cheese cloth over the cavity to keep flies out. Never been a problem.


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