Meat question

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Weaver.b
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Meat question

Unread postby Weaver.b » Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:32 am

I shot a doe on Saturday it has been under 40 degrees until today it got up to 45... The wife is sick and I dont want to bail on helping her out to cut this deer up. Tonight and tommorow it will be a high of 37 do you think it should be fine as long as I cut it up after work tommorow?


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checkerfred
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby checkerfred » Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:47 am

I think you're fine if it only got to 45 degrees. You don't want it to freeze and you really don't want it to get warmer than that when aging. Ideally it should be in the upper 30's but I think you're still good

here's a link on it too
https://www.biggamelogic.com/Articles-News/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/217/Aging-Venison
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Dewey
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:13 pm

I would skin/quarter and then get the meat in a refrigerator or packed with ice in cooler at the very least. Won’t take long and then you can cut the rest up later taking your time.

The temps aren’t excessively warm but if it’s been since Saturday I would be getting a little worried but that’s just me. Taking extra special care to keep the meat cool now will reward you later with much better tasting venison.
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headgear
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby headgear » Wed Dec 20, 2017 12:48 pm

I think you are ok but as Dewey mentioned if you can quarter and get it in a fridge I would.
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<DK>
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:07 pm

Anyone have some good quartering the field threads bookmarked? Preferrably for bucks planned to mount? I did a search but came up empty which is odd :think:

I found some good videos but most show starting by cutting up the spine to start skinny. Is this correct or just the fastest way?
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:13 pm

Weaver.b wrote:I shot a doe on Saturday it has been under 40 degrees until today it got up to 45... The wife is sick and I dont want to bail on helping her out to cut this deer up. Tonight and tommorow it will be a high of 37 do you think it should be fine as long as I cut it up after work tommorow?


With those temps I wouldnt worry too much. My sept buck had me super worried and turned out to be just fine. Just remember the side the deer was laying on and check out the meat for sure.
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tgreeno
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby tgreeno » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:25 pm

To skin...I hang it head down and start from the but and work my way down to the head. Keeping the hide in one big piece, with the head still attached.
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Jonny
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:39 pm

tgreeno wrote:To skin...I hang it head down and start from the but and work my way down to the head. Keeping the hide in one big piece, with the head still attached.


Exactly how I do it.

Personally, I find it best to skin right away. That is what helps cool down the meat the fastest. After that, process when you are ready with the temps you have. But you gotta get the meat cooled off
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Kraftd
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Kraftd » Wed Dec 20, 2017 1:54 pm

You're just fine. She is plenty cooled by now and seems to have been well within the safe zone the whole time. No worries at all. I just broke down two ducks I had hanging since last Thursday and we were warmer than you. Perfectly fine, smelled great. Nose will tell you if there are issues but there won't be.
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby checkerfred » Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:24 pm

We never have enough days of cold in a row to hang so I quarter and put in a cooler of ice leaving the drain plug opened for about a week. Then I process it
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JAK
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby JAK » Wed Dec 20, 2017 3:35 pm

I think u should be fine. Guys I hunt with leave them hang all rifel season (9 days ) and no issues that I know of. I prefer to at the least get it skinned and quarterd the same day I kill.
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby MikePerry » Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:29 pm

At 45 one day you would be fine especially if it is already skinned, would not chance it for to many days in mid to upper 40’s
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Stanley
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Stanley » Wed Dec 20, 2017 4:55 pm

The key is to get the meat cooled down as soon as possible. That kind of determines how good the meat will keep. If you got the deer gutted right away I am sure your ok.
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Jed33
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby Jed33 » Thu Dec 21, 2017 3:53 am

I'll mention what others here already have, field dress and skin the deer asap, to cool the meat. I hit the bare meat with a water hose if it is hot outside to help the initial cooling.

Another good tip is keep the deer out of direct sunlight. I got a doe during shotgun season, skinned her and hung her with temps in the 60's. With the wind blowing and the temperature dropping into the high 30's during the night I let her hang for two days, making sure to keep her out of direct sun. No issues with spoilage, meat smelled fine and tasted delicious.

I would not worry about the temps you are having at all.
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Re: Meat question

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Dec 21, 2017 4:08 am

Jed33 wrote:I'll mention what others here already have, field dress and skin the deer asap, to cool the meat. I hit the bare meat with a water hose if it is hot outside to help the initial cooling.

Another good tip is keep the deer out of direct sunlight. I got a doe during shotgun season, skinned her and hung her with temps in the 60's. With the wind blowing and the temperature dropping into the high 30's during the night I let her hang for two days, making sure to keep her out of direct sun. No issues with spoilage, meat smelled fine and tasted delicious.

I would not worry about the temps you are having at all.


Yep the biggest thing is getting the hide off. Any back country western hunter will tell you that too. Then you would be amazed at how long meat can be kept in a shady, cool, and dry spot. Doing some of that the last few years really opened my eyes I used to freak out (in hindsight for no reason) if I couldn't get it in the freezer in 24-36 hrs.


Western hunters routinely hang quarters for a week or more with daytime highs in the 60s and 70s in game bags to keep the flies off. Dry air and cool nights help a lot out there though and that isn't always available in the rest of the US. If the deer in question had the hide on for several days the damage is done its gonna be stronger tasting than it would have otherwise. Next time take the hide off first and with temps staying in the 40s and below hanging a week where its dry and with air movement would be no problem.


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