Joe- Listen to these guys, they are spot on. Handle the carcass with care, gut it in a hurry, keep it clean, and get it cool as fast as you can. In Montana that should not be a problem for you. I usually can age the carcass between 30 and 40 deg here in Iowa in early December. I think that 4 to 7 days helps and the cool temperatures allow you to butcher at a time that fits in with every thing else in your life. Those Southern boys have it tough, they may hunt all day then have to butcher that very night or the meat will spoil. It makes for a long tiring day.

I do not worry about the blue skin on meat that I am going to grind but I try to remove every bit of the venison fat. Most people do not like the flavor of the fat. If I am doing roasts, the blue skin comes off too.

My favorite recipe that I have been using lately is just a meatloaf recipe. I take the meatloaf mixture and instead of making a loaf I make burger patties. I put cheese on them same as regular hamburgers. I always make more than we can eat then put the extras in the fridge for lunches the next couple of days. Meat balls and chili are both good standbys too. Notice that I use the same old recipes that I would use with regular beef hamburger.

Bob