After the shot.

[BiggA]

I have never harvested a deer bow hunting and am a little nervous about what to do after the field dressing process. In November you hang them outside or in the barn for a couple days and its no big deal. But now its 70 degrees during the day and 50 at night. How long do you have to get your deer to a processor? What if you shoot it at night and the butcher is closed? Just a couple questions Im sure someone can answer.
Thanks,Aaron

[22lex]

I guess from my experience is that I usually get the deer back to where you can hang it like your garage or someone's outbuilding. The next thing I do is immediately get the skin off as this is the insulation that keeps most of the heat in. Even if it is 55 or 60 out you can still start the cooling process to prevent spoilage. From there I cut out the straps, steaks, and roasts and place them in labeled bags. After cutting out the quarters I de-bone the animal and label the meat as scraps for hamburger, or J for jerky.

Not to get off track, the main thing if you haven't cut up your own meat would be to skin it, quarter it, throw all the meat into bags, and to get it into a freezer or some type of cold storage so you can take it to a processor the next day.

If you are by yourself you are in for a 1-1/2 to 2 hour ordeal, with a friend it usually takes about half the time.

[BiggA]

I was told when I started hunting that you should not butcher a deer without hanging it for a couple days. Something to do with natural acids or enzymes that do something with the meat. Ever hear anything like that?

[22lex]

Absolutely,

It is something that I have tried doing depending on the temperature. Unfortunately unless you have a beerwagon, or a cold storage unit, when it is 70 during the day you are kind of screw$$.

If you get to know the local butcher shops, or small town butchers you may (depending on their cold storage) be able to hang one there and get a late night number you can call if you end up harvesting one.

I've taken one buck, and numerous early season does that I had to stay up until midnight and butcher and I really haven't noticed any difference in the taste. Then again I truthfuly have only shot a couple deer in mid-late November with my bow. I really haven't had those 2-3 grace period days to hang them, then cut them up, so I am probably not the best judge.

I am sure a "seasoned" deer hanging veteran will read this and chime in.

[kenhuntin]

I was told when I started hunting that you should not butcher a deer without hanging it for a couple days. Something to do with natural acids or enzymes that do something with the meat. Ever hear anything like that?
 This is true with marbled with fat meat like beef. But it is hung at refrigerated temps. Hanging keeps air flow around the exterior which helps prevent spoilage and ground contaminants.Venison  benefits little from hanging or ageing. Cool your harvest as soon as possible.

[HD]

I would have to agree with Ken, hanging deer has no benefit other than draining the deer of blood because most deer don't have the body fat to age the meat, such as beef.

If you don't have access to a processer right away, cool the meat as fast as possible.
If you can't skin and quarter the animal by yourself, the least you can do is pack the cavity with ice. As stated before, it's a matter of getting the animal cooled down.

If you can skin and quarter, pack in coolers with ice, or better dry ice (depending on how long before you can get it to a processer)
And DON'T use garbage bags!
A lot of garbage bags are treated with perfumes and chemicals, that you don't want getting into your meat.
Use food grade plastic bags.

We process over 400 deer a year, and we have turned away our share of deer due to poor handling.

Hunter

[deadeye]

Kenhunting and 22lex pretty much nailed it.  The big thing is to have a plan on what you are going to do with the meat.  If you cannot find a place that will take a deer after hours, plan on skinning it, and cutting it into small enough pieces to fit in coolers or some refridgeration.  Unfortunatly when it's warm out there isn't a lot of time to sit around celebrating the kill. 
P.S Everything I've ever read says venison does not contain the emzymes that break down and make beef ternder so there is no real benefit to "age" a deer. 

[Fallenhorn]

As soon as I read a few of these posts I remembered an article I stored on my computer from field and stream. I was able to find it online again (link below, may have to cut and paste)
 
http://www.fieldandstream.com/article/Outdoor%20Skills/Deer-Hang-Time

It supports that the science of aging venison is very similar to that of beef. I encourage everyone to read it because it is pretty interesting!

Tony

[22lex]

A very good informative article, which contradicts what others have said.

From my viewpoint and tastebuds I truthfully don't believe there is a difference, and there really is no possibility of me or any other average joe keeping meat between 35 and 40 degrees for a period of a week during the early season. As we read from this article there is an enzyme process that helps out the taste/tenderness of the meat.

Interesting!

[Cody Gruchow]

well with the way the weather has been i personally would let it hang, but like they said if its real warm out you have no other option but to skin it and cut it up right away.(dont forget to register it first)

[NDGUY]

Here is my two cents... warm weather, wash the inside out with cold water, lye it on a concrete floor thats slightly cool and put ice in the chest and thigh area. I hate to skin them it tends to dry the meat out. we try and hang for 5-7 days O so good, I'm a bit old fashiond and even age my ducks and pheasants,grouse ,geese for 3-5 days also! all of the people who have tryed it swear by it. no more cooking in crock pots here

[Cody Gruchow]

5-7 days seem to be a little extreme for me, we usually let it hang for 2 days if weather will allow it. geese ducks and pheasants get cleaned right away because i dont want to do it later than i have to

[cva54]

I just went throught that last week end  8 point buck 1st year bow hunting not all luck got hours of scouting and tracking in back 2 the deer I just layed it on the garage floor and packed the in side with block ice the next morn brought it to be prossed all with in 12 hours now I got a ? there has to be a better way to drag deer than a tub slead I can weld one up build it out of wood can we all come up with a idea CHEEP and FAST got a lot more tags to fill