The weather here isn' t exactly cooperating but, if it was, what temperatures area acceptable and what are optimum bor hanging a deer before skinning it out. Also, how long do you guys do it, what' s the benifit, and what about critters?

David

I prefer to get the hide off asap regardless of temps. As far as hanging, if temps are in 30' s-low 40' s, will hang deer for several days before butchering. If hotter than 50 degrees, will butcher next day. Steve

Here in NC it rarely ever stays cold enough to hang a deer out. I skin, gut, and quarter the deer and put it in a large cooler with ice. Keep it iced down for 3 to 4 days. This method af aging the meet works about the same as hanging it.

Well I skin it right away ASAP. Why do you want that stinky hide to draw in to the meat??? Skin it then hang it in a proper cool spot. These guys that say they need to age the meat,( or let the meat rot) Must not know how to cook,Although Maggots will increase the protein. I quess they never heard of infectous control. The pioneers had enough sense to salt the meat pronto,Wonder Why

I have a friend who has an actual meat locker out of a old grocery store in the back of his barn. He use to be a butcher for years and when the store closed he got all the equipment, cooler, grinders, saws etc. I have let a few hang in there for 2 or 3 days. But honestly the way I was brought up doing it and will continue to do it is as follows. Of course I gut it as soon as possible after the shot. When I get home I go ahead and skin it and butcher it, I place all the meat in a plastic tub or cooloer filled with water and pour table salt over it. I change the water the following morning rinseing off the meat. That evening when I get home from the woods or that " W" word lol I drain it and do the final trimming of fat and silver skin and package it and stick it in the freezer.

I have done it like this for 24 years now and my dad has since he was a kid. t all comes down to a matter of personal preference, I know have alot of friends who used to hang that now will soak after seeing me do it and some that say the only time to soak is to remove bruising/blood clots. I hope this helps

Well, here in Nevada, during the early season it is just too hot to let a deer hang unless it is in a cooler. We usually are away from town by more than a couple of hours and camping. We won' t skin deer in the field. When we get home, we then skin them and butcher right away- directly into the freezer. If it is cold enough outside during the late season, we will let the deer hang for up to a week. I got an old, rutting buck one year, we let him hang for 4 days I think, and then butchered him. He tasted just as good as younger deer that we have killed. I really think that letting the meat hang for a while helps break down the meat and tenderizes it a bit more.

I' ve tried it both ways many times. Skinning it right away is much easier than it is after cooling, but will cause the meat exposed to the air to dry out significantly if you don' t plan to butcher it immediately. If you don' t want to butcher right away, then I suggest leaving the skin on until you' re ready. I' ve waited as long as 10 days when the weather was right, but I can' t really say that it made a difference in the taste. A lot of butchers say that it doesn' t affect game meat. And if you' re planning on grinding the meat (which I usually do with the vast majority of it), there' s no reason to wait.

As far as keeping critters off of the carcass, some hunters lightly coat the skinned deer in pepper. I' ve also seen sprays that repel insects and are safe to eat.

I can' t vouch for either, but I hope that points you in the right direction.

I' ve only killed two. Two does....one in last years bow season and then another a week ago in bow season. Both of them I butchered that night and soaked in ice water with a load of salt for several days. I' m toying wth the idea of actually paying someone else to handle it if I get decent buck this year.

We built a walk in cooler that stays about 36 degrees. When we have a load the proscessor comes by and picks them up and brings them back.