RE: Aging/Hanging a Deer
After butchering an average of 6-10 deer every year for 20 years (not all mine) I've never been able to tell the difference between a early season bow kill that was butchered right away and a late season that has been hung for a few days. MHO, If it is warm and/or you can do it, cut it up right away. If the weather is cool enough you can leave it for a few days, but it isn't going to "help" the taste. Getting the hide off right away is also up in the air. If it is going to freeze it is much easier to get the hide off right away. One thing I always do is hang them head up, for me it just seems like the easiest way to butcher them (I've done the upside down thing several times as well).