Windwalker7

My father and I sometimes travel to the next county to hunt. Its about an hour and a half drive.

Many time when hunting the early part ofarchery season, the temperature is quite warm.Often times one of us would bag a deer in the morning. Not wanting to return home as to allow the other a chance to get a deer in the afternoon we stay the entire day

The problem is the flys.

This is what we do to help keep flys of of the deer. We mix50/50 lemon juice and red hot sauce and put it in a spray bottle.We spray the body cavity and any areas that the flys consentrate. The mixture supposedly burns them.

This solution does help alot but it doesn't totally eliminate the pests.

Anyone else have any other ideas to help keep flys away? I'd appreciate any ideas.

RDHunter

Do you spray this stuff directly in the cavity ?
Wouldn't that affect the tast of the meat or would it just season it a little ?

Tigerfan

Sure do. Quarter the deer up and put in an ice chest full of ice. I don't see how you can eat meat that has been out all day in warm weather before it is processed. That is what causes the "gamy taste", the best thing to do for your meat is to get it as cool as possible as fast as possible. I would say the flys are the least of your worries. JMHO

jamiebuck

I agree with tigerfan, but if you cant quarter it up fill gallon jugs and frezze them put inside of the cavity and put the deer in a game bag,they have them a cabelas,and sportsmenguide

chiefks

Tigerfan has the right idea, the sooner that deer gets cooled the better. If the temperature is warm you risk spoiling the meat.

skeeter 7MM

Agreed quarter or debone and put on ice. If flies are a problem then you know outside temperature possess arisk with spoilage ofyour meat. The other option is find a meat locker near where you hunt and pay for some hangtime, most guys will do this for a nominal fee but call in advance to ensure you don't get snuffed at the door.

Windwalker7

We've been doing this for years. Once the initial body heat is out of the deer it will be OK as long as it is hungin a shady area. Temps are usually in the 60's day and low 40's at nite.

I agree that quartering and packing in ice would be best.

We usually have multiple tags and try to fill what we can in the day we travel over there. We hunt the whole day.

Never lost a deer to spoilage just have trouble with flys during mid day if it is warm.

wis_bow_huntr

Flies add nutrition yummmmmmmmmmmmy

jaybe

I like to skin it and then put it in a cheesecloth game bag. I suppose you could put it in there unskinned - just never did it. Once inside, I would think a little of your pepper spray around the opening would keep out any especially clever flies. The bags are cheap and easy to carry. If you put a stick or two inside the ribs to keep the cavity opened, the air will still circulate through the cloth.

Mergrath337

I've always just shaken black pepper on all the openings (ears, nose, mouth, eyes, bunger hole & gut cut) It keeps the darn wasps away which bother me more than the flys but seems to work for both.