I killed a doe on 1-20-14 and hung it up. . Today will make 8 days that its been hanging outside! The longest I've ever let a deer hang is 3 days and that was due to the weather because it warmed up outside! This year we are having the worse winter since the 1970's according to the weather man. . We've had a couple mornings below 0° and the highs for the day was only 15°. . The next couple of days its suppose to be -4° for the low and 20's for the high. Right now the doe is frozen solid! So, How long do you let a deer hang outside in the cold ? Thanks!
I have only done overnight due to the areas I hunt and live in (SE). Back when I hunter PA and NJ we would usually only do overnight as well due to us either leaving the next day or making room for other deer to hang. (only 2 hangers)
This Fall I shot my WI Rifle doe on opening Saturday night. It hung, frozen, through the 9 day season. That Monday I put it in my dad's heated garage to thaw. Butchered it on Weds. Freezing doesn't kill bacteria, but it stops it's growth.
I usually let it hang for 3-5 days, depending on a lot of factors. This bow season I shot a doe on Saturday, hung it in a pole barn from a skid loader, and got out to butcher the next Wednesday. She was partially frozen - not so hard I couldn't cut her up, but cold enough to make it unpleasant. I quartered and put her on ice until Saturday - now 7 days since I shot her, when I cut her into primals and packaged.
Being frozen I would say as long as you want we usually keep them cool but not frozen for 7-14 days them butcher them. By keeping them cool and not freezing it helps the tendons break down and they tack up so the meat is easy to clean.
It is all a bought the temperature Frozen as long as you want less dust ect from exposed to the outside. The best temp to cut meat is on the edge of frozen easier to handle and it grinds better When I was in PA we would let them hang a week frozen down here in VA overnight if I am lucky
Here in new zealand its common practice to hang our deer with the skin off for anywhere from 6-8 days in a chiller ( un frozen ) Once you get that dry skin set around the 6 day mark its time to bone it out and cut the meat up and bag it ready for the frezzer. When im going to eat it i will pull a pack out and leave it in the fridge for 4 days then cook it . It turns out so dam tender .
Longest I ever let any hang is overnight, and that usually never happens. I just like to get it cleaned up and put away as soon as possible so I don't have to deal with it later.
I usually pull the hide off asap, eat dinner, and cut the deer up. Usually a majority of any remaining blood has drained by this time. I then place the meat into large stainless bowls, cover the bowls and place into the fridge. The meat isnt warm any longer so hot spots are not an issue. Day two or three the meat gets rotated and excess blood drained off. Day three or four I finsih processing the meat and place into the freezer. I started this process because of the temperature flectuations which WI had during the last few years, I was worried about the meat spoiling. This way the meat is in a steady temperature controled envirnoment
