Deer hunting when it's warm out?

Green Pea · 10-01-2007, 06:00 PM

My brother and I are supposed to go to Southern Ohio this weekend to deer hunt. It's supposed to be a little warm according to the forecast. For me that kind of kills the whole thing.

I'm sure like any other meat it doesn't take long to spoil. Do any of you hunt when it's warm outside?

smokepolehall · 10-01-2007, 06:46 PM

The usual insects are bothersome, yes i do but only in the morning at its coolest. Ice chests with ice or dry ice when you put the meat in cooler fer travel. Best of luck.

pwrsrtk350 · 10-01-2007, 06:56 PM

I got my first doe on opening day here in Ohio. The temp was pretty warm so I knew extra precautions had to be taken. I made a perfect shot and recovered my deer 20 minutes after the shot and field dressed her right away. I had to fight off a swarm of flies that came in right away once I started. Once I got her in the truck I headed straight to the closest gas station and got 1 large bag and 1 small bag of ice. I put the large bag in the chest cavity and the smaller bag towards the rear. Then headed straight to the processors.

Horizontal Hunter · 10-01-2007, 08:18 PM

When I hunt when it is warm out I take 3 1/2 gallon milk containers that have been filled with water and frozen. It keeps my lunch cold and if I get a deer I use it to cool down the deer. If I shot a deer in the evening and cannot get it to the processors till the next day I use 5 bags of ice and wrap it up in a tarp which is tied tightly closed and placed on the floor. 12 hours later the ice is still not completely melted. No peeking though, it lets the cold air out.

HH

Hotburn76 · 10-01-2007, 10:05 PM

I have shot deer early and justed iced themuntil I can get to butcher. Like said above put on tarp and filled cavity with ice and the put a bag on the front shoulder area and some on the hams. I dislike shooting a deer anytime the flies can work faster then me! But two years ago I cut my own up for the first time and it was not bad at all to do. Last year I did not get to do it again to practice with. But this year I plan on having the deer in the fridge before the first night is over.

Buckhunter46755 · 10-02-2007, 06:01 AM

This is a good topic, thanks for posting it. I wondered this also. "How to handle a deer in warm weather." This is my first year warm weather deer hunting. I always hung my deer for a couple days to bleed it and cool during cold weather. If it's too warm to hang it. How do you get all the extra blood from it? I was always told when I was younger that you need to "bleed" and "cool" your deer. Just curious.... thanks

chris

Bigg~BirddVA · 10-02-2007, 07:11 AM

I'm wondering if cool weather is going to get here this year. Oct and for our opener they're calling for mid to upper 80'S. No way you can walk in any distance and not scent the place up.

Planter · 10-02-2007, 07:31 AM

I have always used the bags of ice and wrapped them in a tarp. I also make sure that any water from the melting ice either stays in the bag or drains away quickly. I have never really noticed the difference between a deer hung for a few day or one cut the day it was dropped anyway.
When the weather is really warm I walk to my stand naked. Less chance of breaking a sweat and other hunters who may see you vacate the area pretty quickly.

4patches · 10-02-2007, 07:53 AM

yes, this is a good topic to bring up. heat and the bugs, does anybody here use those bug repellers "Thermacell "or anything like it ? on opening day my son was flailing away at the bugs like he was on fire [:@]( we left the stand after about a hour of this ) he says he wont go again untill the bugs die. now i hunt turkey in the spring too so this thing would get used plenty, just need to know if its worth spending the money on.

b_in_atl · 10-02-2007, 09:16 AM

Well being down here in the South, us boys have no choice but to hunt in warm weather. First couple of weeks were in the 90's and deer were still being killed. I'd prefer to hunt cooler weather but it's not up to me. When it's this warm you try to get the deer field dressed or take it toa processor as soon as possible.

As for a Thermocell I will swear by it. You can be covered up with bugs and within a few minutes of turning it on they are gone. I never leavehome without mine. There is still much debate whether or not the deer can smell it, but most will tell you that they have not noticed any ill effects of using a Thermocell.