we usually hang our beef till it falls off the hook..well maybe not that long but usually 10-12 days. my elk i like to hang for about 5 days if possible, and deer usually don't hang for long at all.......When i get an animal i gut/skin it and leave it chained onto the forks of our john deere tractor. then i put the tractor away in the shed for the evening. I split the meat and it is usually cool enuff up here meat will keep fine overnight. Then first thing in the morning i take the tractor out of the shed, load the animal on the truck and take it into the meat shop.