Depending on the outside temperature, I usually like to hang my deer for about 4-5 days and I do this without skinning. The temp can vary considerably in New England during the fall and leaving the hide on the deer acts as an insulator. There have been deer that I have shot when the temp was in the 20's and butchered it after the temp rose to over 40F and when I finally skin it, the meat is always ice cold. If the temp stays warm then naturally I butcher it right away.