Well theres a good chance that I may get a cut a buck in the early season, when its still very hot/warm during the day here. Last year I shot a buck, and later that day it heated up into the mid 90's and we didnt hang it or anything, we just cut it wrapped it and stuck it in the freezer. It wasn't exactly the most tender meat but we did it ourselves and we didnt really know what else so I am looking to you for ideas...So how would you do it if you were going to do it youself?
Good question. But get that meat cooled down ASAP. I do a lot of solo hunting and sept can be tough to get an elk or deer out in time solo. I've passed on shots for that reason and no need in ruining meat and killing yourself in trying to get it out. Its not easy when your in the bottom of a coulee by yourself when its 80-90 degrees with a downed animal. Plan ahead. Sometimes you got to ask yourself, how hard do you want to work in bringing this animal out and can you do it on time? Mountain or creek runoffs can cool it down when in trouble. Good luck.
2 big coolers in back of truck . One filled with lots of ice and water, the other with just ice. Gut and skin the critter and throw him in the ice and water. let rest for about 30 minutes. remove and quarter him up. voila ....done. It is hot as all get out down here and we do this for our hogs. Works well. Not to sure about how far you guys have to drag it though. I bet dragging an Elk would really suck.
I've got a litte experience with this......(temps)
What I do is......get the deer field dressed, quickly. If I'm going ot have ANY time between field dressing and butchering.....I'll pack the cavity with ice. Still.....I only do this for short stints. When the season rolls around....my chest freezer has been depleted of almost all venison. That makes room in there for several bags of ice. I keep 4-6 bags on hand all the time.
Once butchered.....I rinse the quartered pieces off and put them in coolers. Actually....I can get an adult doe in one cooler, here (due to the size of our does). I Place the meat in first....and the ice on top......draining the melted water from the cooler 2X/day. I'll let the quartered deer stay on ice from 4-7 days....according to when I can get to the processor's place.
This has worked fine, for me, so far. Having the ice on hand, readily, hepls. The key is to ge the meat cooled down ASAP.
I process mine right away boning and in large chunks. then into the refrigerator for a day or two. them i cut and package further
When it is hot I'll some times freeze 2 liter bottles of water,bring them with me in a chest. then for the ride home i stuff the cavity with them to help cool it down
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When I lived in Maryland you rarely got more than a night to hang a deer and usually not that. I always boned them out pretty much immediately. I have some nice big flat pans that I line the bottom of with blood absorbing pads I make with papertowels and wax paper. I put the meat on the trays and wrap with saran wrap. I put them in the fridge for 3 or 4 days minimuml, then trim again, cutand vacuum pack. My brother has a couple big old refrigerators he either replaced in the house or picked up cheap out in his garage. If weather turns warm he just quarters and throws the pieces on the rubber coated wire racks inside the fridges. In one he took out most of the racks and stands the whole hind quarter up in there. The other he has the racks and lays in all the other stuff.
During hot weather, I bring a cooler and clean the deer on the land that I hunt as soon as possible...I can pick up ice within 10 minutes of leaving the farm so I ice the deer down, add about a quart of vinegar when I get home...
Now, I let the deer soak for 4-7 days and drain off the water every day and add ice, I'll add vinegar for 3-4 days and then drain it off and rinse...This is one of those things we did with squirrels back in the 60s, seems to help both pull the blood out a bit and tenderize the meat...
I'm lucky enough to know someone with a walk in cooler. Shot my doe in September last year. Field dressed it after dark, loaded it in my truck and drove it right to the fridge to hang.
Early Season Meat Tactics?
