YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

OK GUYS, HERE IS THE QUESTION . WHAT WOULD YOU DO ?
ITS 7 PM MONDAY YOU JUST STUCK A DEER YOU WATCH IT RUN 30 YARDS AND FOLD UP YOU HAVE AN HOUR DRAG TO GET TO YOUR TRUCK . THE TEMP IS 72 DEG AND FALLING THE LOWEST IT WILL GET TONIGHT WILL BE 59 DEG, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THIS DEER. ?
PLEASE ANSWER WHAT YOU WOULD DO FROM THE TIME YOU PUT HANDS ON DEER UNTIL THE PROCESS IS COMPLETE ,

THANKS IN ADVANCE , RT270STALKER

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I probably wouldn't go deer hunting under those conditions.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I would hunt, but I'd sure have a plan together BEFORE heading out. Sounds like I'd be up late butchering.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I would pack him full of ice until the next morning and then have him processed.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

1st of all with the temp that high you need to get the deer back to camp . Gut & quarter and ice the deer down in a cooler asap if you cant get it home to take care of it.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

ice the sucker up until you can get it to a processor or hang it up so you have time to butcher it

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

get him gutted loaded up in the truck, depending on the drive back to the house, stop at a gas station and throw a bag or 2 of ice in the chest cavity,(if its going to hang over night, make sure i get it washed out really good) either get up early before work or butcher it that night, since it only takes about 30 minutes or so to cut one up.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Gut it, throw it in the truck, go check it in, pick up a case of Bud Light and call some buds up and say "Free beer to whoever helps cut this guy up" Usually get a good turnout!!;)

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Had this exact thing happen last night. I arrowed a nice doe at 7:30. Went back to the truck got the atv and loaded her up. Got her home and gutted her at about 8:30. I am going to finsh her up tonight when I get home from work tonight. My buddy is going to teach me because this will be my first butcher job. I'm looking forward to it. He told me she would be fine hanging in the garage today but would need to be cut up tonight.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

First I would hit the Caps Lock button on mykeyboard, then gut the deer, take home, hang, wash out, skin, quarter, throw meat in the fridge and cut up when convenient, or cut up immediatly.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

You've had a deer hanging in 70degree temps since last night? Hopefully it is packed with ice or in a cooler. If not I wouldn't touch it tonight, but that is just me.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Normally I wouldnt hunt, as the case being this week,but in the scenario that I am. I wait atleast 30 minutes to make sure it doesnt get up, make a slow walk towards the deer, once seeing that it has expired, I get the deer gutted out, drag it to the edge of the field, sicne my truck usually isnt too far from mystand i cant follow the scenario to the tee. Get my truck get it loaded, get it to town, get it registered get it on ice, get it back to the farm, skin it and quarter it out and freeze. If i had an hour drag out....i get the fater on law on the phone tell him where I am have him come wiht the JD Gator and load the bugger up adn get it out asap, some drags have taken me an hour. If you get it cleaned and cooled off youll be alright.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I would butcher it.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

well first off i would walk from my stand off to my uncles house bout 1/2 mile get the gator and maybe one of the cousins to help load.temp. tag the deer then gut the deer out in the field. load him/her up and up to the truck. load onto truck and up to carry out just about 5 minutes away get 2 or 3 big bags of ice until to hold over until the next day. unload deer. wash out and place ice in chest cavity between hind quarters and over hind quarters depending on how much ice i got then place deer in respective place in garage or shed with old heavy military type parka for insulation then wait until the next day. load deer back into truck and take to check in station. after that bring home hang and start chopping away. sounds complicated but its what i always do and have never had any problems. all of my archery harvests have come in the evening. yes most of this work is done by flashlight or other forms of light due to the lack of sunlight after recovery

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

If being in the dark at 59 degrees bothers you...deer huntin may not be for you. I'd do the same thing with it I'd do if it were first thing in the morning on Saturday and 20 degrees...but thats just me.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I've done it this way for years only difference is instead of hauling her to the meat locker tonight I'll be cutting her up myself. My meat locker guy says no worries. I figure he's a pro so he should know.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Was thinking the same thing.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Your concern now is to get that meat cooled as soon as possible.
After you dress the deer out and haul him back to your truck, you have a couple options:

Call a butcher and get him in cold storage.
Pack the cavity with as much ice as possible and butcher the deer tonight.
I would skin, cut up the deer and put the meat in the frig. Don't worry about slicing, wrapping etc, you can do that in the next few days.

I would not chance hanging the deer out overnight, even if it's packed with bags of ice.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I LOVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO IN THERE CRYBABY ****ING LIVES THEN TO SAY STUPID **** ABOUT SOMEONE USING CAPS, MAYBE THE PERSON USING CAPS CANT SEE AS WELL AS YOU DUMB ****S

JUST MY OPINION I COULD BE WRONG

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Grab a leg and start dragged (You decided to play now you got to pay) then drop himin the over night cooler at the processors. Easy homw by 9:00 and got a new story to tell.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

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If being in the dark at 59 degrees bothers you...deer huntin may not be for you. I'd do the same thing with it I'd do if it were first thing in the morning on Saturday and 20 degrees...but thats just me.


WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? WERE DID I SAY BEING IN THE DARK AT ANY TEMP, BOTHERS ME ? YOU SHOULD READ AND UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU READ BEFORE YOU MAKE STUPID REMARKS ,

ANOTHER THING THIS DID NOT HAPPEN TO ME IT HAPPEND TO A FRIEND AND WE HAD A DISAGREEMENT ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THE DEER , I MYSELF WOULD CUT THE DEER UP INTO QUATERS AS FAST AS I COULD THEN REFRIDGE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY ,
ASLO ALL YOU GUYS WASHING OUT THE DEERS CAVITY WITH WATER I READ A ARTICAL SAYING YOU SHOULD NOT WASH OUT TH CAVITY UNLESS YOU WILL BE PROCESSING THE DEER WITHIN THE HOURS THE ARTICAL SAID WATER SPEEDS UP BACTERIA GROTH,

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I think you have been given good advice, however it appears you have some kind of chip on your shoulder. The comments were made about using CAPS becuase it suggest yelling, nothing more, nothing less. If I were you, I would be more concerned about my deer than calling somebody a DUMB ***S.

Good luck with your deer.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I would think "DR. KILL" would know what to do:D.

Steve

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Washing out the cavity - Is this true?

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I wouldn't think that water from a garden hose would facilitate the growth of bacteria. I mean it's already been cleaned with chemicals and filtered. I know its fact that sunlight and heat will help bacterial grow. But washing it out gets the blood outta there, that's where the bacteria is going to grow. I've been washing deer out and hanging em over night for years and never had a problem with bacteria. For instance my neighbor (proving grounds taxidermy) is finishing his deer up from last year, and he only had one hide slip from poor care and bacteria growth out of about 100 hides. As long as you wash it out and get it cleaned up good it'll be fine.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

well if your concerned about bacteria growth get some ice on the thing and the cold will slow the growth of bacteria. that is why you put things in the fridge or freezer at home. there is always bacteria on food stuffs. refrigeration slows the growth of bacteria and freezing slows it even more but cannot completely stop the growth of bacteria. the little bacteria that will be on the meat will not harm you especially if cooked to proper temps when prepared. dont want to sound like a know it all but i have taken several meat science classes at college so i know a thing or two about the subject of bacteria and meat. no professional butchers do not rinse off the carcass with water but they don't drag a dead disemboweled steer, hog, lamb, goat-whatever through mud,leaves,grass. i was my deer out after i gut it just to get such items out of the body cavity. i have never received food poisening from any meat that i have cleaned myself even after washing out

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Field dress, skin, bone and chill!

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Not all of us have treated water either haha.... But I've also read not to rinse it down. I still do it, been doing it for eight years, and my dad for thirty before that.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Washing out the cavity can facilitate bacteria growth if the other requirements for bacteria growth are met. It must have food which is there, moisture (which is there, water just adds more), warmth, and time. However as long as the temperature is lowered and the deer is butchered within a reasonable about of time it will not matter. Just make sure to lower the temp, lower the better to stop the bacteria from multiplying. Case in point if you wash it out ice it or cool it down then it won’t matter if you wash it out or not.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Personally I wouldn't be hunting in 70 degree weather this early in the year. If you had to though, Gut, hann and quarter immediately. If the temps get that high I would be busting my ass to get that deer quartered and then put in a cooler. From there you can figure out when you want to do the rest.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I've heard of people wiping down the meat with a cloth immediately after washing it with water. I've always heard that is the thing to do if you do use water on the meat.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I would first gut the deer. Have to gut it sooner or later, might as well gut it right away and save the extra weight on the drag out. If dirt/leaves get inside, fine, I'll rinse the inside out later anyway so it doesn't matter.

I'll get the deer home, hang it up andrinse out the inside of the body cavity. I'll skin the deer, including removing the head and front legs. I'll remove the right front shoulder and lower leg as one piece, put it in an ice chest with ice. I'll remove the left front shoulder and lower leg as a second piece, put it in the ice chest. I'll remove the backstraps and put them in the ice chest. I'll remove the tenderloins and save them for washing, wrapping in plastic wrap, wrapping in freezer paper, and freezing immediately. I'll remove the meat off the left and righ rib cages and put in the ice chest. I'll remove the left and right rear legs and put in the ice chest. I might need more than one ice chest for all this meat. I might be inclined to put the meat into garbage bags to keep it from being in contact with the water, but I'm just as likely to skip this step as I'm not sure there would be any benefit to it. I would then wait at least a day to complete the butchering process. I'm thinking that this would allow the meat to go through the process of rigor mortis. Additionally, I would likely be tired after the hour long drag out process.

If I had a big cooler at 40 degrees, I would wash out the deer body cavity and then dry it out well. I would then let the deer hang in there for a couple of days maybe more. But I don't have such facilities and so I would do as described above -- cut it up and get stuff on ice.

I'm sure as hell not going to leave my deer hanging out overnight at 59 degrees at the coldest. That would be a recipe for spoiled meat, I'm thinking.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I've heard the story about water and deer meat. Of course, the story makes perfect sense, but you have to think a little about it. Does water encourage bacterial growth? Yes. If you don't use water will your deer meat be subject to bacterial growth? Yes. Do you want to leave your deer with raw flesh constantly bathed in moisture . . . heck no. Does a transient washing of the body cavity with water followed by drying substantially alter the bacterial culture of your deer meat? I'm guessing not. I like to do this to get rid of any dirt, leaves, grass, etc., that may have gotten into the body cavity. I would have to hear the argument that says washing the body cavity for 30 seconds with running water from a hose followed by drying with paper towels does ANY damage to the condition of my deer meat. Now, running water on the deer and leaving it in a lump on the ground, wet, not open to free circulating air . . . that might be a problem.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

WOW good post .. very good post.. Answered alot of my questions thats i wasnt sure of myself.. especially the washing of the carcass, after gutted while behing hung. thats what my buddies and i did last year. we got water from the stream with buckets and washed out the deer.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

we brush on a salt n water solution when we are up to camp and it will be a few days or longer before wehead home and begin butchering. mind you the temps up here run in the teens to the mid 30's during deer season

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I personally haven't gutted a deer in a while. I see it as a complete waste of time. I skin and quarter the deer in the field and cut the backstraps, tenderloin and neck meat off of it and leave the rest of it where it fell. Even if you gut it, you are going to have to skin and quarter it at some point if you are doing the butchering yourself.

I've shot wild hogs in 90 degree weather and the important thing in warm temperatures is to get the meat in a cooler on ice ASAP. It usually takes me about 30 minutes to have it quartered and in the cooler on ice. If you have to haul the deer out a ways I think you have a couple hours at those temperatures if you get it quartered up and haul it out on your back to get it to a cooler and on ice.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

yeah i normally dont gut a deer anymore unless its really hot..like during bow season in the south..the only thing you get from gutting them is the two smaller inner tenderloins..witch isnt a lot but are the best part in my opinion.
And this is to all fellow hunters..when you do gut it in the field..or when getting rid of the the carcass remember not to throw them in creeks or pond..it could contaminate the drinking water for the animals and spreadchronic waste disease..which has been a problem..luckliy we havent had any reports in arkansas. Leave it on the ground away from streams and ponds..where scavengers and predators can clean it up..thanks and have a great season

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

Step 1 - field dress
step 2 - drag you lazy ***hole. He said you had an hour long drag ahead of you. Nothing about ATVs, carts,...
step 3 - call processor to see if he we stay open until you get there
step 4- drop off deer or put it in large ice chest with a few bags of ice in and on it til morning

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

I agree with Dr. Kill here. Some assumptions were made without considering everything. Why assume he is using caps to get his point across? Yes, he might have very poor vision and hence can't see what he is typing. Also, I don't think he was saying he can't tolerate the conditions and got himself into a predicament without proper preparation. He is asking for opinions and feedback and what could be best practice for a particular situation.

I personally think timing is everything here. An hour drag and the temps are cooling, but not significantly. I would say start gutting ASAP and subsequently begin that tortuous drag. Once back at the truck, wipe out cavity with wet rag if possible and then pack cavity with ice.
Ideally, the deer gets skinned and quartered that night. Quarters and other meat get thrown in the frig.

In non-idealistic conditions, I would say hang deer, wipe out thoroughly with damp rag, and make sure it’s iced sufficiently.

RE: YOU KILLED, NOW WHAT?
 

FYI, you can get the tenderloins without gutting them. Just reach in after you cut the backstraps out and you can nearly pull them out with your hands.