How long do you hang your deer?

[Bakes168]

How long do you guys hang your deer before butchering? A book I have said that leaving them hang for ten days with temps 55 degrees or lower is best for the tenderest and tastiest meat.

What are your thoughts?

[Zbearclaw]

I pull them down after they start twitching!

I put in the cooler with a bit of vinegar, quartered, and age that way.  I have never been in an area where the weather was predictable enough to trust it.

Good luck

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

I don't like to leave mine hang in temps that are warmer than 40 degrees.  I work in a food processing plant and 40 degrees seems to be the "magic number" for preventing bacteria growth for them.  Coupled with the fact that my uncle used to be a meat cutter and he doesn't reccommend letting them hang in temps warmer than 40.  I've never actually checked for myself, I just figured after hearing it from two different places that it must be a good rule of thumb.

[Buckeye Trad Hunter]

As for how long I like to leave it hang for at least three days if possible.

[Horner]

Originally posted by Buckeye Trad Hunter:
As for how long I like to leave it hang for at least three days if possible.

X2
If the weather is cool.

[vtmtnman]

I think atleast three days is good if the weather is cool enough.

Hang at 55 and you're asking for rot.40 degrees is always what I've been told,as others have mentioned.

[Mr.Vic]

We had an ole chef help us for years. His theory was Kill it, hang it, skin it, cut it,take out all fat, freeze it. You wanted it tender, take it out day before you eat it. Soak the blood out, marinade it and eat it.

[sendero25]

I have the luxury of a walk in cooler, (can't hang one outside here in Florida!)
Like Buckeye said, it is set at 40.
I hang mine with the skin on for a week, sometimes a couple of days more if I get busy and can't get free to skin.
Always tender and never a problem with mold or rot.
Hogs I hang with the skin on for a 2-4 days at the most.

[Landshark160]

I don't hang 'em, I shoot 'em.      Kill it and grill it!

[lpcjon2]

I hang mine 5+ days minimum no warmer than 40 degrees I wouldn't do 55 by no means strictly my opinion.

[ArrowAtomik]

Last year in the late season I did 15 days in the garage as it generally stayed between 33-36 degrees with the door closed.  Very nice meat.  I kind of wish I had done one more week though.

[Stykbowslim]

I recently read that the optimum temperature is 40 degrees and the duration is 10-12 days, and if the deer’s hide has been removed, rub olive oil on the carcass and wrap with plastic wrap.

[mountainman]

I use to work in a slaughter house and I skin mine as soon as possible to let the meat cool evenly and let hang at least 5 days temp permiting we kept our meat coolers at 42 I have a friend who has a walk in cooler if the weather gets to warm I did let one hang for a month one time to busy to cut it up It was one of the best deer we had it is hard to let them hang 5 days when the kids are standing at the door with forks in ther hand

[bm22]

Whats the point of hanging the deer? Is it to drain the blood?

I hang it long enough to skin it snd cut it up, then i leave it in a ice chest for about 2 or 3 days letting the ice drain and refilling as needed, the meat turns real light all of the blood is gone and the meat slways taste great.

[JEFF B]

about 5 to 7 days in a cool place

[donnyjack]

I dont hang at all.  I skin, quarter up and put on ice for a week.  Keep the water drained off and add fresh ice as needed.  After a week, cut and wrap, very much like bm22.  I've never had a bad peace of deer or elk doing it that way.

DJ

[xtrema312]

Most of my deer are shot in bow season so it is warmer.  If it gets down in the 40's at night I will hang overnight on an evening shot deer.  I will let it hang a couple days max. if the weather is cold and I can be sure it will stay above freezing and below 42 where I am hanging it.  Most of the time it is skinned and quartered within 12 hours.  Then into the garage fridge at 40 deg. for a day.  Then I cut it up and bag it.  I let it set in the fridge another day before it is off to the freezer.  As long as the rigger is out I cut it up.  That doesn't take that long.  How you field dress a deer has way more to do with meat quality then aging as far as I am concerned.  You are way more likely to mess up the meat trying to age to long in too warm of weather than just get it in the freezer.  The deer I shot are mostly under 3 years old and agricultural area animals.  I find no need to age it at all for tender good tasting meat.

[SilverTip]

I'm with DonyyJack, mine is cutup the first day and I put it in a cooler full of ice water and drain and change the ice water everyday for 3 to 4 days. the meat is almost as light as pork when I wrap it up. no game taste at all that way. but some people like it to taste more gamey than I do.

 Billy

[Stone Knife]

I take mine to get it cut up the very day I get it, it will hang there with the hide off in a cooler till they get to it. The quicker the better.

[Don Stokes]

The best beef is well aged, and I think vension benfits from it, too. However, it has to be done right. I hung one for 17 days in the hide when we had unusually cold weather, under a cedar tree where the sun never reached, and on two warmer days (over 45) I took it down, wrapped it in a tarp and covered it with leaves until the temp went back down. On the coldest nights, the hide kept it from freezing. The meat was better than usual.

Aging is particularly important if you're lucky enough to kill a mature buck in the rut. They can be pretty strong, but aging at least a week will improve them considerably, in my experience.

If you age hide-on, be sure to field dress immediately, and cool the carcass as quickly as possible. Ice bags in the body cavity will do it.