jerseyhunter

How long does it take to set in? and How long after you hang it does it dissapear? After shooting numerous deer You think I would have paid attention. But then again thats what the teachers used to say in the notes I had to bring home from school.

BarnesX.308

A few hours after a person or animal dies, the joints of the body stiffen and become locked in place. This stiffening is called rigor mortis. Depending on temperature and other conditions, rigor mortis lasts approximately 72 hours. The phenomenon is caused by the skeletal muscles partially contracting. The muscles are unable to relax, so the joints become fixed in place. Rigor mortis can be used to help estimate time of death. The onset of rigor mortis may range from 10 minutes to several hours, depending on factors including temperature (rapid cooling of a body can inhibit rigor mortis, but it occurs upon thawing). Maximum stiffness is reached around 12-24 hours post mortem. Facial muscles are affected first, with the rigor then spreading to other parts of the body. The joints are stiff for 1-3 days, but after this time general tissue decay and leaking of lysosomal intracellular digestive enzymes will cause the muscles to relax. It is interesting to note that meat is generally considered to be more tender if it is eaten after rigor mortis has passed.

Scott Meier
White OAk Lodge

cardeer

Gee I better check myself.Been stiff for 30 years/

jerseyhunter

Thanks Barnes as I' ve always waited till the weather got conducive to hanging a deer before I went hunting. Also I am pretty busy with work at this time of year. But this year I' m changing priorities.

BarnesX.308

That' s a long time to be stiff, Cardeer. Better cut back on the Viagra.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

jerseyhunter

No wonder your happily married

BarnesX.308

With some of the winters we have on top of our mountain it' s hard to tell if the deer has rigor mortis or he' s just plain frozen. I' ll tell you what, though. When they stiffen up hanging, they' re sure hard to fit in the back of a short bed truck. You need to tie a white flag to their back hooves when you drive.

Scott Meier
White Oak Lodge

Phil J.

Heck jerseyhunter, don' t let the weather keep you out of the woods because it' s too warm to hang a deer..............this is what I' ve done and it works great.

I' ve got our old fridge down in the basement completely dedicated to the deer season. Whenever I shoot a deer and the temp' s are warm, I' ll skin and quarter the deer that night, and then wrap the quarters in saran wrap so they don' t get hard while they' re sitting in the fridge. Then I' ll chip away at cutting it up the days after that, it works great.

That way you can' t say it' s too warm to hunt, get yourself an old fridge and get out there and shoot one will ya!

jerseyhunter

Phil, I have an old fridge and thats exactly my intentions. As for the rest of the years I usually waited till the end of Sept. then hunt pretty much 3-4 times a week till mid Feb. Though I can' t say I ever get enough I am glad to see it end in Feb. Mans got to go back to work sometime. By the way I have 2 refrig' s and 1 upright freezer and am trying to make room for more venison. mmmmgood Good luck this season to you. PS. And by the way I carve my own.