How long do you let your deer hang before you butcher it?

-

 

We'll, once I find the deer, I gut it out, then hang it up overnight. I wait atleast 24 hours to let blood drain


"The farther you go on foot, the better your chances"

 

Depends on the temperature in Maryland and time. Last night my doe hit the ground at 318 and was quartered by 630. Mainly because I had a buddy come hang out and had no plans.

 

I heard that there really is no advantage to letting it hang and age. Aging is a beef processing technique that doesn't actually transfer to deer.

Just what I heard on a how to process your deer video. Others may have real world experience that says otherwise.

 

I gut it out in the field away from where my stands are, load it up once in the garage I start right away cut the feet off and lower the winch and up it goes quartered and deboned in 2 hours, I do age the meat in the fridge before vacuum packing it and freezing it

 

I don't let mine age at all. I quarter it as soon as I get home. I'll cut and package everything within a day or two after that.

 

This exactly.

 

-

 

Letting it hang for 2 weeks will ruin the meat and make it bad I bet


"The farther you go on foot, the better your chances"

 

I usually skin it out that night then spend the following day butchering

 

Ive butchered them within hours and Ive also waited days if the temps were right.

 

What are your temps if you can let one hang for two weeks?

 

I let my deer hang to whenever I have time to process it. Sometimes it is the next day or Could be a week

 

-

 

I don't think aging is all the hype it's built up for.

I've had a deer from on the hoof to in the freezer in 11 hours, temps were horrible. I've also had two hanging in the garage for 2 weeks. Not to age, but it was late December and I was feeling lazy. I won't ever do that again because when I did decide to cut them up they were frozen solid and it took twice as long having to thaw them out into a manageable state.

1-3 days normally, it just depends if I'm at the beginning of my season or end. The more I've been hunting the longer I wait just to get motivated and rest up a bit.

 

Skinned as soon as posisble....Have never even let one hang overnight.

 

You bet wrong if the temps are right

 

I've butchered less than 24 hrs and I've had them hang for 10 days. Depends on conditions and circumstances for me.

 

Steven Rinella says it tenderizes the meat.... I have no clue. I have also heard people let them hand to let the rig come out of the meat or whatever. I have never let one hang and dont know how you would know even if you did.

 

Skinned and quartered either that day or the next morning if shot in afternoon. Usually completely done and packaged within 2 days.