How long can you let a deer hang?

[Pawildman]

What with the warm temps. we had the first week of deer season in PA., how long do you feel it is safe to let a deer hang before getting it to the butcher's?
I've heard as little as two hours, and heard that temps. up to 60 deg. for several days are O.K.
I think these are both extreme exaggerations, and I know that the safe answer is the sooner the better, but what do you all think?

[Pygmy]

As long as it gets into the 30s at night, an animal can be hung for a week or so, as long as it stays in the shade so it doesn't warm up too much during the day...

I've done a few wilderness hunts in Alaska and other remote areas where no refrigeration was available and temps got close to 60 during the day...As long as the meat is kept in the shade and kept dry where air can circulate around it , it will keep surprisingly well, as long as it gets a chance to chill down at night....

[Phil from Maine]

I preffer to hang them in 40- 50 degree temps but like Pygmy said they can hang for a couple of days in the 60 degree temps. When hanging in warmer temps I like to shake black pepper on any open spots from dessing them out to the eyes and mouth. This helps to keep the blow flies off them.

[BuckAlley]

Common sense would be if its fairly warm out. Get it to your butcher asap, so he can get it into the meat locker. If thats not possible, then you need to pack the cavity with bags of ice, and keep it as cool as possible.
I personally butcher my own deer. During the warmer NY earlyarchery season. I hang my deer inside my garage. Ice packed inside the cavity. There's only 1 shaded window to my garage, so itremains relatively cool. But even then I usually let it hang no more than a full day or two, before I began processingit. I just as soon get it done and in the freezer.
I've discussed hanging time periods with a local butcher before, and heclaims if the temps are 40 degree's or less you can hang a deer for as long as 2wks. He recommends skinning the deer, and it allows the meat to cure real well. But he also warned the outter edge of the meat will become dry, and have to be trimmed off.

[AJ52]

I've let them hang as long as 5 days in garage.That's skinned opened up washed out etc...Got one on Tues evening.Cleaned,rinsed out,and packed cavity with bag of ice.Next day I hung it for 12hrs.

Clean them out - good,keep cavity opened up and cooled down.When it gets in upper 40-50's I really start payin attention to meat if I let it hang for over 24hrs.

[Phil from Maine]

Clean them out - good,keep cavity opened up and cooled down.When it gets in upper 40-50's I really start payin attention to meat if I let it hang for over 24hrs.

I hung mine outside for 5 days with temps running an average of 50 degrees with no problem. Keeping it opened up and with some black pepper to keep flies away is very important, 45-50 degrees is perfect hanging temps. But, as always keeping an eye on it is still important, as no one wants to have one spoil.