Jimmy,

Bacteria will start attacking the carcass as soon as blood flow and oxygenation to the muscles ceases. "Bad bugs" can contaminate cooked products after 2 hours at room temperature, and can destroy small cuts of fresh meat, such as venison, after 4-6 hours at room temperature (although many microbiologists won't eat anything left out over 2 hours, period).

If you had left the hide on, I can only estimate that at 80 degrees, you would have had a completely spoiled deer within 10-12 hours. With the hide off, probably half that time with the additional problem of insect infestation (which can be overted by wrapping in cheesecloth).

By the next morning your buddy would have wasted a good hunt---you guys did the right thing.

Now of course, these are all textbook answers---our hunting friends from the South can give you much better realistic answers, as they deal with the heat almost their entire season.

S&R