What to do after you harvest a deer?

HANGING. Once the deer is transported to your destination, you should immediately hang it, so it is not touching the ground. Some hunters prefer to hang it head up, while others prefer to hang it head down. The key is to hang it, because this lets remaining blood drain out of the deer.

What happens if you don’t hang your deer?

Hanging Meat in a Refrigerator There will be times when you are forced to quarter a deer immediately. If temperatures are above 42 degrees, you run the risk of meat spoiling; and if temperatures are below freezing, a fresh carcass will freeze in its rigor mortis state.

How long should you leave a deer to hang?

Once the skin is off, I hang the carcass to age about 10 days as long as the temperature does not go above 6 degrees C or the carcass does not start to freeze. Too hot means the meat is going to rot and too cold (freezing) means the aging process will stop. You do not have to trim meat that is aged properly.

Can you butcher a deer right away?

you can let them hang if the temp. is just above freezing 35-40 if you have a cool dry place . young deer 2-3 days old bucks 4-5 days BUT THE TEMP HAS TO BE RIGHT! or YOU CAN TAKE IT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS A COOLER. some will skin it out and hang them for you or do the butchering job also.

Why do you hang deer upside down?

Better drainage Rinsing and draining the blood, guts, and other undesirables from a deer before butchering is more effective with its butt to the ground. Again, the chest cavity acts as a reservoir if you hang the deer in reverse.

Is hanging a deer necessary?

Why Do You Hang A Newly Killed Deer? The purpose of hanging a dressed deer is to allow the carcass to cool and the meat to age, increasing both the tenderness and the flavor of the venison. Soon after the death, the deer will go into rigor mortis, where the muscles will contract and stiffen.

Can I butcher my deer right away?

How long should I let my deer hang before butchering?

2 to 4 days
The deer stiffens during rigor mortis in the 24 hours after being killed. If it is processed during this time, the muscles shorten and contract causing the meat to become tough. You should let your deer hang for 2 to 4 days at minimum before processing to avoid this.

Should I skin my deer right away?

SKIN IT TO WIN IT When winter hits—especially in brutally cold areas—this natural insulation is what allows the animals to survive. But when you kill a deer, that same protective sheath needs to be removed quickly so the meat can cool.

Do you have to field dress a deer right away?

OK, No problem. First, you must field dress your deer. Field dressing means removing the animal’s internal organs, also known as the entrails, which is necessary to preserve its meat. This process also helps cool the carcass, slow bacterial growth, and remove blood and paunch (stomach) materials from the meat.

Do you need to hang a deer?

Some people will quarter the deer without aging it, but this is a major mistake if you want quality venison. The deer stiffens during rigor mortis in the 24 hours after being killed. You should let your deer hang for 2 to 4 days at minimum before processing to avoid this.