If I skin my deer tonight will it be okay to wait til morning to de-bone her? It's going down to 54* over night. Thanks !
54 is probably ok, though I know of a lot that would be hesitant at that temp... If you've got her field-dressed (that's the biggest culprit of keeping heat in) and perhaps are able to skin her and leave her hanging, you should be fine.
As long as its dressed, I would have zero problem leaving it hang overnight. Skinned or not. Prop the body cavity open with a stick and it will be fine. The only thing is, be sure to get to it in the morning before the temp starts to rise.
NO, that's too warm. 1/4 it, put it in a cooler with ice. Please trust me I've been a professional butcher for almost 40 years.
There ya go; wouldn't argue with a professional butcher! VA -- serious question for my own knowledge: What temp WOULD be ok to leave one hanging overnight?
Interesting. What if he'd let it lay, overnight, before recovering? I've left them overnight with temps a lot higher than that. Did I just get lucky?
Rob I have let a handful hang over night with those temps in my pole bard BUT I pack the body cavity with baged ice or frozen milk jugs of ice that I keep ready. Got 7 jugs frozed right now just for those cases. I usually just quarter right away if to hot and put in cooler with Ice for several days while the blood drains. Just keep iced! congrats Rob!
I've left bear laying overnight in temps higher than that and had no problems. Well, my father would. He started cutting meat at 13 and is now 70. He would have zero problem leaving it hang......and neither would I. Please elaborate on this. There is no way I would put my meat in a cooler with ice and risk the chance that it comes in contact with water.
Just an expression, Dan buddy I would too as I've left plenty deer in the 50's and never had a problem either.
I've done this probably 25X......without issue. Our season opens here in relatively early Sept.. Typically, I'll have a deer down inside 2weeks. With no access to a walk-in cooler, I don't know what else I can do.
Heck my butcher washes them with a water hose, and he's professional at two different places... "course they go straight into the cooler after that, but still, I usually wash mine off too, never had any problems.
We always wash our deer out with a water hose and leave them hang and we dont ever have a problem.... But also most deer we kill it gets no hotter than 40 and if it does we clean them and get the meat off asap
I've had meat hang for a week in those temps, literally. Go hunting up north or out west, and it will totally change your perception of acceptable meat care....If it is well ventilated and guarded from bugs, meat can last a long time. Our boned out meat in fly proof bags lasted well over a week in Alaska with temps from 40s-60s. Best meat I've ever eaten as well....trim out some edges and it was all perfectly fine. Main thing is to gut them immediately and get that body cavity open.
Thanks for all the replies guys. Since I was messy from skinning her I went ahead and got all the meat off and into the fridge. I'll do the processing tomorrow. Now it's time for a beer or two !
You made a wise choice IMO. I work as a meat inspector. The "Danger Zone" for microbial growth is between 40F-140F. Bacteria can grow rapidly in this range. Certain bacteria can double in number in as little as 20 min. I don't think it is worth taking a chance on someone coming down with food poisoning.
I've been told to never do this. Promotes bacteria growth. As far as the question... I dont' really know what the "acceptable" temp is. But, if I was going through the trouble of skinning her, it really isn't going to take that much longer to quarter her up and put in a cooler. Takes the guess work out of it. I wouldn't just skin her and leave the meat hanging. Leave the hide on if you're not planning on at least quartering it. JMO.
Good point Trevor!!! That meat will develop a "crust" on the outside, and the inside meat will be fine. A lot of guys don't even realize this. I know of more than a few guys who elk hunt and will have meat hanging for a few days in a tree before they pack it out. They worry more about a cat or bear getting into it than it going rancid!!! I personally like to bone 'em out sooner than later, and will bag it and put it in the fridge for a week or so before processing or freezing.....
Thanks again guys. Since I was messy anyway I went ahead and got the meat off the bone and into the fridge last night.
