Hanging Deer.

[bowhunter15]

There was an article about this in Field and Stream a while back. Basically, if it's below freezing, you can hang it as long as you want to but at the same time the meat loses quality if allowed to freeze.

If it's a young deer, you don't necessarily gain much by letting it age, but with an old deer, there is a difference in tenderness and gamyness. Something to do with the collagen breaking down while it ages.

Since frozen deer isn't ideal, and deer can spoil if hung too long in warm temps, they set out guidelines for different temperatures. Although I can't remember the exact values, if hung in 35-40 (ideal) you can let them age for up to 10-14 days, but any longer and you don't get any extra benefit, even with the gnarliest, oldest buck. Warmer than 40 and the number of days you can let it hang reduces proportionately to the temperature.

They also said that it's a bad idea to butcher during rigormortis. If it's a young deer, butcher before rigormortis or wait until it goes away. Otherwise, doesn't hurt to age it.

[headgear]

Its not the "taste", its the tenderness that Ive noticed being affected.

Ok to be very specific when I eat the meat I taste or feel no difference in tenderness. Maybe others can, I just can't.

[BigHunt]

If you can get 40 degree temps hanging for a few days is no big deal. Get them gutted and hung as soon as possible.

Stanley, Do you think a week is out of line for a deer I hung in 10 degrees?

NO not even close ....i let my deer hang for a week in 40 degrees

my grandpa and grandma are crazy they let there deer hang for two weeks or when ever they are ready tocut it up under 40 degrees well ive never got sick so .....

[BigHunt]

If you can get 40 degree temps hanging for a few days is no big deal. Get them gutted and hung as soon as possible.

Stanley, Do you think a week is out of line for a deer I hung in 10 degrees?

it should be frozen by then

[NightwishMike]

Thanks for the responses guys! I've had to work a lot since I got my last deer so he's still hanging.

[ Post made via Android ]

[snoman4]

Can not hang them here in Florida cause it is way too hot most of the time. I have hung them in Kansas for 5 days and man they do taste better to me. They are also more tender. I wish I could hand all my deer.

[SaddleMaster]

From what I understand, true aging doesn't start until day 4 or 5. So that may be why those only aging a week don't see much of a difference. I will only let mine hang a day or two as weather/time allows and debone ASAP. The large boneless sections are put into gallon freezer bags which are placed in the crisper of the fridge. Once the meat is in there you've got plenty of time to process. I'll process does and small bucks over the course of the next week because you won't see much of a difference on aging them. But from now on I will age older bucks at least 2 weeks in the fridge before freezing.

This year's buck was old and rutty. You could smell him 10 feet away and even his tenderloins were strong. So I was willing to try aging to see if it would really make a difference and it really did. I let him age for 16 days. I would move the meat into fresh freezer bags every 4-5 days to get it out of the drainage. I would also do taste tests on these days and I could tell it was getting more mellow and better tasting. As bowhunter15 stated, I'd read that about 14 days was where you got the maximum benefit and had the time to wrap and freeze on day 16. This is honestly one of the best tasting deer that we've had. I was worried that loosing all that drainage would make it dry, but it hasn't. It's still very juicy. So try it sometime. If you're concerned, just don't do it with the whole deer.

[Milk Weed Seed]

I usually do 2 -5 days but it really depends on the temps.

[JakeJD]

I gut and hang for up to a week as long as the high temps don't get too far above 50. The aging should help make the meat more tender. The deer will taste better if you know how to butcher and handle the meat - cut off all fat and silverskin, don't let the meat soak in its own blood, plastic wrap then freezer paper, etc. I do not skin immediately; I would rather have a tough skin job than lose some of the backstrap meat (drying out). Everything I have heard says you should at least wait until rigormortis has set in.

However if you think you hit the guts or accidentally cut the guts open while field dressing, you should wash the carcass out and butcher ASAP.

[Uncle Lou]

saddlemaster interesting about aging in the fridge with it already boned. Never gave that much thought.

All this talk about aging got me hungry. And I have a heart in the fridge that has been aging since last Sunday. Its breakfast in about 10 more minutes.

[Uncle Lou]

just wanted to report that it was delicious

[dan]

Post Hanging Deer.
I couldn't find any info on this subject here (although I'm sure there is).

What are some general guidelines for hanging deer

I would want to be sure he got a fair trial...

[GRUD]

I have a fridge in the barn and I skin and quarter out the deer and put it in there. Its great because it buys you time early season. Typically I only leave it up to a week but I may try longer next year to see if it is more tender.

I would say the thing that most affects taste is making sure the deer is bled out well. I prefer a good double lung shot to make sure it is bled out well and I like to avoid hitting the shoulders with an arrow or bullet.

[gjs4]

The article bowhunter15 mentioned was a good one

To compare Kansas and Florida taste is easy- its what they eat. An early archery bow buck on soft mast may taste different then one on browse and will surely taste different then one that was shot tracked then kill shot on a deer drive (due to lactic acid).

Hanging drains blood- if it can exit but aging is about natural enzyme breaking down the meat (aka decomposing or rotting).

Never tried the fridge deal as I would want the blood to drain out....but that is the only contorlled scenario whereas anything outside is to variable to accomplish much (temp, humidity)

Deer that are dressed quickly and butchered properly (not frozen, no silver skin/hair or blood/urine tainted meat) should not be game-y or tough if the person cooking it has a clue. Never cook venison with high heat (pan) that is wet or grill it with out fat on the outside (bacon, oil oil)......has to be seared then cooked slowly then allowed to rest after cooking. Tenderizing devices like a jacard or meat mallet can help too. Just like killing big bucks, field dressing, butchering and cooking must be done with precision or the results are inconsistent

Too many people try to make venison tast like beef.....it is not...chicken cannot be made to taste like pork, etc.

[NightwishMike]

Post Hanging Deer.
I couldn't find any info on this subject here (although I'm sure there is).

What are some general guidelines for hanging deer

I would want to be sure he got a fair trial...

Ha. Ha. Ha.