Originally Posted by Oldtimr

The bottom line is, get the deer field dressed as soon as you can. I do mine as soon as the tag is attached. The get the lide off as soon as possible because the sooner the deer is cooled down, the better the meat will be whether you butcher yourself of get the deer to a butcher shop. My butcher skins the deer as soon as I bring it to him which is probably two hours, then he hangs it in a cooler for a week before it is cut to order. I have had people who swore they didn;t like venison go for 2nds and 3rds on the venison I cooked. Gamey flavor is not from eating game, it is because meat was poorly handled after the animal was killed. I have not bought commercial pork in 4 years, I have been eating wild hogs which is far superior to domestic pork, if you care for it after the kill. The dad truth is, many hunters do not know hoe to properly care for wild game after the kill.