1olhunter Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 How long do you hang your deer? What is a good temperature range for hanging a deer? Does hanging a deer significantly increase the tenderness of the meat? I live in Oklahoma and usually I bone out my deer and have the meat on blocks of ice in an ice chest within hours of harvesting. I killed a buck on Saturday evening (December 2nd), after gutting him I put a bag of ice in his chest cavity to expedite the cooling process and hung him in the back yard. Saturday and Sunday night the temperature dropped to about 28 degrees and the daytime high was about 40 degrees. The bag of ice is still intact and the meat is very cold but not frozen. I have the carcass shaded by a tarp. The projected temperatures for the rest of the week are for lows in the upper 20s and highs in the low 40s. How long would you let the deer hang? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAstringking Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? i only hang mine over night. if its not cold enough then i take it directly to the butcher. below 40 is ok hangin temp for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tedicast Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? We will hang overnight if it isn't convienent to quarter it out that same day. We quarter out our deer, and put the meat in a refrigerator, and we butcher and package over the next day or 2. we have shot deer, and have them butchered and packaged and i nthe freezer that same day. I have never seen a benifit of hanging a deer for an extended period of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sskybnd Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? if its a pretty young deer dont realy let it hang but either cut it up or take it to the butcher the same day, if its old say 6 to 8 yrs old il hang it in a cooler about 40 to 45 degress to age the meat before cuting it up, or if sent to the butcher tell him to hang it for a week before cutting it up. some might not see the benifit of hanging it for awhile, but i have killed some old deer that the meat was tuff and chewy, and to me allowing it to age makes it tender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arrow32 Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? The two deer we have gotten so far this year we hung them and cut them up all the same night. Then a couple days later i had it all packed and in the freezer. Most of the time we will let it hang over night if we can just because were tired.lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NY_Bowhunter14 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? we hang ours for a couple days, its been in the 30's so the meat wont go bad or anything, however... we killed 2 yesterday and skinned and quartered them up tonight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Gut and skin ASAP regardless of the temperature. A person doesn't need to let them hang like you do beef because the meat is very fine textured! You can cut them up and freeze them as soon as you have skinned it out! I have found if you leave the hide on too long, the meat will be strong. With elk, the big thing is to get it gutted and skinned right away. Get the wind pipe out of either a deer or elk or the neck will sour on you if the temperature is too high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Get it processed as quickly as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom2008 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? In Montana we do our own butchering. We cut the hides off and then wash the body down. After that we hang them in the freezer in the garage and try to let them sit for atleast 36 hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HaDeRonDa Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? At those temperatures the deer can freeze at night and if left in the shade will not warm much during the day. A few days is fine. 5 days in my opinion is pushing it but the temps will dictate the hang time. Once upon a time before refrigeration all large animals were hung with their hide on until the animal was consumed. Ask and old farmer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? I process mine as quickly as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Xen Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? i've never hung a deer - always get them at least quartered and in the fridge over night, then bone them out the next day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Usually dont have the opportunity here to let them hang, but ideally would hang them for a week. For us with the warm temps I usually have them quartered and in the cooler on ice the same day we kill them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaskMan Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Mine usually hang as long as it takes me to bone them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgbennett6 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? I've got to ask..why do people cut them up right away? is b/c of the temp.?..well we let them hang as long as 7 days if need be, if it is cold enough for the meat to freeze then there is no need, if the meat freezes then the bacteria that will "tenderize" the meat wil be killed, so around 40 is perfect. we rarely let them hang less that 3-4 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WABS Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? We usually skin them within 24 hours - quicker if the temp is above 40 or below 20. We prop the chest cavity open while hanging to promote cooling. We'll then let them hang for a day or two to ensure they have cooled down -- since we do our own butchering we find that it is easier to bone the meat out if the meat is a touch frozen (ice crystals present not solid) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogg6 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? [ QUOTE ] We usually skin them within 24 hours - quicker if the temp is above 40 or below 20. We prop the chest cavity open while hanging to promote cooling. We'll then let them hang for a day or two to ensure they have cooled down -- since we do our own butchering we find that it is easier to bone the meat out if the meat is a touch frozen (ice crystals present not solid) [/ QUOTE ] I agree with WABS as far as the meat temp to debone, but we do not skin them until we are ready to butcher. This keeps the outter layer of meat from getting dried out and therefore have less waste. We normally try to butcher within 1 to 3 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? if its in the 30s i let them hang for a day or two, anything higher right to the butcher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWSmith Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Aging will help dissipate the game taste and permit natural occurring enzymes to tenderize the tissues. Proper aging also firms the meat, giving it better cutting quality. Aging should be conducted between 32 - 35° F for 7 - 10 days but can be extended to 3-4 weeks. Never age at room temperature. Leave the hide on to prevent drying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jason88 Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? usaually process immediately, don't know never really had a problem with tendernous or gamey taste either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bigdog_hunter Posted December 5, 2006 Report Share Posted December 5, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Depending on the temp, I put them on ice, and let the deer hang over night, with hide on. I quarter them the next day. Then put the meat in a fridge for a day, the process on the 3rd day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MoHntr Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? I have been told there is little value to hanging venison. Best to go ahead and process them as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LETMGROW Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Venison ain't cheese.I had someone tell me once he hung his deer until the meat just started turning green. I'll tell you I never accepted an invitation to go to his house for dinner! I will take a chance the deer hasn't hung long enough long before I will take a chance it has hung too long. Just my opinion or preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stellfox Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? Couple days if the temparture is right. Then get it to the proccessor right away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craig mack Posted December 6, 2006 Report Share Posted December 6, 2006 Re: How long to hang a deer? I let my 6 point hang 10 days. The temp was plenty cold. We do it every year and never have a problem. If it gets to warm we take them to the processer but if its cold enough we let them hang. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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