I think just about the only option you have is to leave with your game after you kill it. I would take it back to town & hang it in a walk-in cooler.

From what I learned from my deer processing video byLarry Metz. You want to leave the skin intact with the meat as much as possible. When you expose the meat to the air, you promote a place for bacteria to grow. The hair also acts as an insulator. So my suggestion would be to hang your deer, put a bag or two of ice in the cavity and then wrap the deer with a blanket. The blanket will also keep insect access to a minimum. Of course you have already removed those inner tenderloins and are heating the grill! Oh yeah, make sure you have a place for the water from the meltig ice to go and that you hang it high enough if it' s outside so other meat eaters can' t get at it.

I have a question. Why aren' t you supposed to let water touch the meat? Just curious.

I turkey hunted in Parsons WV last year for four days. We killed three birds and stored them at a nice little restaurant in town. The first night we had dinner there and I asked them how big there cooler was. It started as a joke but they said hell go for it good luck and bring em if you get em! So we did. Nice people. I know deer are just a touch bigger but three whole turkeys are about the size of a box of cut up deer meat. Little more risky though as it' s worth more per pound.

You can wash off the cavity or the meat then make sure it air dries, But sitting in the blood water will make it mushy, and give it an off taste. You wouldn' t drink that water why should you want to cook a piece of meat that soaked it up. Your supposed to be draining the blood from the carcass not replacing it with yuchy water. A better reason is it will taint the meat.

The reason why I ask is because I let my deer soak in an ice chest with ice and water for a few days, changing out the water every day. I think this helps draw alot of the blood out of the deer.

jerseyhunter,
I do see your point on soaking deer in water. I don' t have access to any type of hanging freezer or know of any friends who might have one. I would like to try the hanging method and see if I can taste the difference. I am curious. Thanks

LAHUNTER

if u dig a hole in the ground big enough for the cooler u could try keeping it in there with a board or sumthing over it so the ice doesnt melt as fast

You can alway make jerky, then you will have something to chew on while hunting and on the way home. Good luck hunting!

i have an idea..... just don' t shoot anything until the last day of the hunt! LOL! I' m just kidding.

A deer will last a day or 2 or 3 (if you dare to take your chances) as long you hang it in the shade and as long as its below 70 degrees. Make sure you open the cavity up all the way. If you arent' going to mount it, cut all the way up the brisket with a bone saw and prop it open from the neck down. Also make sure to cut out the trachea. It is usually the first thing to go on a deer.

otherwise, invest in some good ole coolers. Quarter it w/ the skin still on. Wrap it in plastic bags and put it on ice. Leave the drain to the cooler open (you don' t want water to be soaked up by the meat unless you are dileberatly using a brine solution) and turn the meat a couple times a day. Keep the cooler in the shade also to make your ice last as long as possible.

Good luck out there.
-BJ

I' d find a meat processor in town and pick up cut wrapped and frozen packages on my way home. Are there any bears where you are going?[]