My buddy shot a nice doe last Sat morning during the NH Archery Season. We usually cutup the deer ourselves, but since it was very mild, (low 80's day, mid-60's night), we made arrangements to have a butcher do it. The deer was chilled immediately and will be butchered tomorrow after hanging a few days. My question: Someone asked if this deer would have spoiled if we hung it overnight and butchered it the very next morning. My answer was that I honestly didn't know, but why take that chance. We all agreed on that. Could we have done that or would the deer have spoiled?

Jimmy,

Bacteria will start attacking the carcass as soon as blood flow and oxygenation to the muscles ceases. "Bad bugs" can contaminate cooked products after 2 hours at room temperature, and can destroy small cuts of fresh meat, such as venison, after 4-6 hours at room temperature (although many microbiologists won't eat anything left out over 2 hours, period).

If you had left the hide on, I can only estimate that at 80 degrees, you would have had a completely spoiled deer within 10-12 hours. With the hide off, probably half that time with the additional problem of insect infestation (which can be overted by wrapping in cheesecloth).

By the next morning your buddy would have wasted a good hunt---you guys did the right thing.

Now of course, these are all textbook answers---our hunting friends from the South can give you much better realistic answers, as they deal with the heat almost their entire season.

S&R

you did the right thing.it only take a few hrs. 2 to 4 to spoil if you are in the south like I am.you need to cool it down as so as possible,keep it cool,in the low 40's in a cooler.you can then leave it to hang for several days to age.

me,I clean and cut into the quaters and put it into a chest full of ice just as soon as I can.
All the $$$$ I spend on hunting,I don't want to spoil any meat.process A.S.A.P. and you don't have to worry.

I am not a hunter I am a whitetail population reduction specialest

remember keep your back to the sun, your knife sharp, and your powder dry.

Agree with Tree Climber,as Southern hunters we want see sixty degree nights for another month.Ice it as soon as you can unless the nights are below freezing.

Hunting is not a sport,it's a lifestyle.

Gut it, Skin it, Quarter it, and Ice it.

As Soon As Possible!

If you dont, you'll have bad meat. Do it as quickly as possible in warm weather (warm = 65 degrees and up). Only let it hang if the temps are at most the lower 40's. I think i would go ahead and quarter it anyway, it makes for easier transport. I've been hunting in T-shirts many a time and have never had rancid meat, my philosophy is that cold meat is healthy meat.

Thanks for the replys. I know we did the right thing. Before we took it to the butcher, we put bags of ice in the cavity where it was dressed. This is the first time we have shot a deer with the temps so high. Usually it's a lot cooler. Again, thanks for the input.

I agree with these guys! As soon as the heart stops pumping, decomp starts! Hotter weather just multiplies it. Where I hunt it is hardly ever cool enough to allow the deer to hang overnight.
I always quarter mine out and get them on ice as soon as possible. I've never had a bad one yet!