Well -- and I' m just going on what I' ve heard from other hunters who age the meat -- if you hang a deer with the skin and fat on the fat will penetrate the meat -- that' s why the meat isn' t as tough -- the fat permeates the steaks. But, of course, it' s the fat that tastes bad. You trade tough for gamey. BUT if you eat your steaks rare, there is no toughness, either and no gamey. Anyway, it' s at least worth experiementing. And I do let mine hang a day or two, (to get cold for easy cutting) but ONLY with the skin and excess fat off.