Moisture on the carcass quarters

[Big10gauge]

This is what works for me after 30 yrs of trial and error and I realize that conditions can be less than optimal for hanging meat.

I usually hang my deer for 5 to 7 days in my walkin cooler kept at 35 Deg + or - 3 degrees with a defrost time of 15 min set at every 4 hrs. Then "reskin" it and have had excellent results using this method even up to 10 days. I pull the tenderloins off after about 3 days. If you have a walkin cooler with minimal insulation you will have quite a bit of run time which will pull moisture from the meat. Would probably look like a piece of jerky in 7 days. If you are unable to keep the meat under 40 deg then you will have a bacteria problem and will need to wipe it down with a weak vinegar solution and made sure there is no blood clots in the shoulder pocket etc. or it will spoil rather quickly. For elk we hang the meat for 10 to 14 days and again have excellent meat. Before I had the walk in coolers we hung the meat for up to 3 days if the weather stayed under 50 deg with nightss in the low 40's and as long as it was in the shade and had ventilation usually in a garage it was good. If not it went into a cooler with ice. IMO I could definitely tell the meat that was in the walk in cooler was superior to the meat hung outside. Probably because it was hung longer and may be because the temperaure was more consistent. For a bear I hang it for 3 to 4 days since I don't usually cut all the fat off it as I do for the deer and elk. For beef 10 to 14 days, For a hog, butcher then hang overnite and cut it up the next day.

[PA BEN]

I shot my first deer 34 years ago. Hung-em a week before I cut them up. Now I'll give-em 4 days. Even if it's getting up to 70 during the day hang-em in the shade, it cools down at night to keep it cool all day. Moisture will spoil meat. Back when we had lat buck on Thanksgiving day, I shot a large 4 point in heavy rut, it was 22 below zero. By the time I got the hide off it was froze solid. When we had a January thaw I cut it up. Best tasting deer I have ever had. 

[Bean Counter]

Thanks again, guys.  Again this is the second time processing my own deer and it'll be up to me to clean from collective wisdom and save me a couple decades of trial-and-error.

I cut up about half the meat last night (exactly 4 days after the kill) before gettin' too tired and callin' it quits.  I wrapped the hind quarters up in a large bath towel and put it in the fridge.  I'm going out again for two days right now and when I get back, it will be 7 days from the first kill.  If we get another we'll have to pay a butcher to hang it until I can get to it myself.  But the first deer I'll do when I get back and I'm hoping that a combination of wrapping it in a towel and it being refrigerated should keep it okay to day 7.  Oh yeah, I used a separate towel to dry off everything I could after pulling it out of the cooler. It was never in a pool--just damp from all the melting ice.

I got my second fridge yet so as I said I'll need to pay a local butcher to hang it. Any suggestions around the Lynnwood area? I think there is one in Snohomish or Monroe but I only called them on the phone once.