How much time do you really have...

[B W E]

Once you take a deer in 70-80 degree heat? Assuming it's quartered within 3 hours of shooting it, how long do I have to get it either to a meat processor or in a freezer? Theoretically, I can get from my hunting spot to my house in 2 hours once I've got it quartered.

[DirtyDave]

Plenty of time. You can leave it in a cooler with ice for days. Refrigerator temp is fine. Does not need to be frozen or processed right away.
I lay my quarters in the garage fridge on towels right on the shelf for a few days until I get around to butchering and grinding the meat.

[mofugly13]

I have let my deer hang for four days before I got it to a butcher. We spray our carcasses with white vinegar when done skinning. The skinning shed is usually 65-85 degrees during deer season, and protected from insects. When I hunted Oregon with my brother, he got a buck and it hung for a week in a barn in a game bag, it was fine for the week with 60 degree daytime temperatures. I think four days is typically max for me, but we were trying to fill my tag.

[Hunt]

problem is we have 90 deg heat, how long in 90 - 100 heat?

[JGon]

I tend to not take many chances with hard earned game meat...so not exactly sure what the limits of quartered game exposed to heat is...but the timing you describe would be plenty of time to get the meat back in great shape.

If taken in the afternoon, it is fine to hang overnight and get to a cooler or garage fridge the first half of the next day.

If taken in the morning, it can hang in shade for a few hours...but I wouldn't leave it all day. I occasionally see people leaving their deer hung in shade all day in 90+ degree heat, but I wouldn't do it personally.

If the meat will be in a garage fridge for more than four days before processing, I would suggest rubbing it down with some white vinegar.

I think everyone has their own way of doing all of this, but this is how I do it.

[taperxz]

The key to cooling game is to open up the animal to allow air into it. It will cool the animal in the shade naturally. It is just as important to get the hide off.

You would be amazed at how cool the meat can actually get on a hot day in the shade with the hide off vs. how the meat feels with the hide on.

[DSMeyer]

Keep it dry and away from bugs and out if the sun. I've seen elk come into the processor that were completely ruined from improper or too long outside storage. Its a sad sight to see a 600lb carcass all green and nasty. I asked one processor what comes of it. He told me some use it to feed dogs, but most just fill out the necessary paperwork, cut it up and toss in the trash.
Personally i'm not that good at butchering, so once I harvest and imediatly field dress it, i'm off to the processors so tgey can work thier magic and get it back yo me in a couple of days frozen solid and ready for travel.

[MJB]

Debone the animal.......so much heat is trapped in the bones.......remember the deer's body temp is around 103 so it will cool fast with no hide or bones

Last year I had a small bag of deer that I forgot to processes, I do mine own butchering and so it was wet aged for 44 days before I found it. Red no stink or off color cooked it up WOW a little more flavor and tender. Now I've had bull elk killed during the rut that after a year in the freezer tasted great compared to freshly killed. And spiny lobster are the best after 3-12 months in the freezer......sweet & tender

My key has always been keep the air off the meat so I'll wrap it air tight. I have never done the vinegar thing. But I use contractor plastic trash bags in the field and the meat stays in the bag until I process the meat.

[B W E]

thanks for all the replies and advice guys!

[mchava]

Didn't want to start another thread so I'll add a question to this one. Do you guys quarter your deer in the field or drag/carry the deer to your car? Then quarter at home? This will be my first hunt and solo as well.

[taperxz]

Didn't want to start another thread so I'll add a question to this one. Do you guys quarter your deer in the field or drag/carry the deer to your car? Then quarter at home? This will be my first hunt and solo as well.

That depends on where you kill the deer. Strictly a judgement call.

I try to take the deer out whole if possible. The hide protects the meat from dirt, water ect..

If thats not practical for the location i would have no problem quartering and taking a couple trips. (also depends on the size of the animal)

[MJB]

Unless it dies up hill of the truck or on within 200' off the road it gets gutless debone then haul out.......hack & haul! It's easy and if you take it to a butcher it's cheaper to get processed when deboned.

Another trick to cool the meat or stash it for a few days while hunting is to submerge the meat in creaks or small ponds if they're cool. Of course you have to use plastic bags. I use a rock to hold it underwater and leave the tied/zip ties end above the water line. Alaska hunters do this to keep the Bears off their kill but they use expensive ziplock bags and a mesh bag with a rock to hold it completely underwater. I've done this twice with elk and one local deer and it worked great.

[Dano3467]

^^^this

I myself don't want to chance any problems, so always keep a couple 2liter bottles frozen in truck.

When finished cleaning I'll throw 1-2 of those frozen bottles inside the animal, and bag him up, this works really well for me...