After I get it out of the woods, I hang it, skin it, and cut it up. I put the cut up meat in an ice chest for a couple days, or whenever I can get to it. Five or six days max for me.The meat tastes just fine. I tenderize the meat I will use to fry or smother before I freeze it in vac sealed bags. I agreewith the ones saying you don't have to age venison for it to taste good. The only time I will let a deer hang overnight is if it is cold, not cool, outside and I killed the deer late evening, and I don't have to go to work the next morning.