RE: Warmest Temp to Hang a Deer Overnight
OK fellas here is the scoop on hanging your deer and keeping it safe for later consumption.
I am a Servsafe instructor for the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. Yeah it's a mouthful.
Bacteria need 6 things in order to grow.
Remember the moniker FAT TOM.
1) FOOD
2) ACIDITIY LEVEL
3) TIME
4) TEMPERATURE
5) OXYGEN
6) MOISTURE
The temperature danger zone for potentially hazardous foods (DEER MEAT) is between 40 and 140 degrees. Any temp between these ranges are conducive to high bacterial growth.
Having said this, bacteria also need time. It is imperative that if the temperature of a potentially hazardous food (DEER) remains in the temperature danger zone more than 4 hours then you are seriously contributing to the growth of bacteria and causing a potential food-borne illness.
I would strongly suggest that you ice down your deer with bags of ice until you can get it to a processor. Just because some of these "old timer ways" seemed to have worked in the past for some hunters does not mean that their deer was safe to eat. One thing that very well could have protected them is if the meat was cooked properly after the fact therefore killing bacteria that may have been present, BUT, this will not kill all forms of bacteria that can infect food.
It is best to be safe than sorry and handle your kills properly from the beginning.
There are countless varieties of bacteria that can infect your food in which several can make you sick and several that can kill you. I won't go into along dissertation about each of them but trust me on this. Scary crap out there.
Sorry for the long post but I would rather see you and your family and friends safe.
Good luck.