VT Ridges and Cardeer are both right. I skin my animals before I even get home. I field dress them, drag them out, then skin that at the truck and wrap them in clean white sheets. Depending on the temperature, I then let them hang in the garage between over night (if its warm outside) and a week (if I can keep the garage nice and cool). If mold starts growing on the outside of the animal, then its time to hurry and butcher.