Deer down!!! have some meat hanging questions

[Bigtine96]

For years growing up I was always told to hang my meat for several days before processing....then I talked to the local meat processor and he said to get the meat to the processor ASAP.  So since then I've gotten my meat to him ASAP and he was right, the meat has been much better, so I'd suggest getting it processed ASAP.

I was told by a guy who has been a butcher all his life that the longer the animal hangs the more gamey the meat will taste.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Get your knifes out buddy!

[BOWHUNTER45]

everyone has there opinion ...but I have to tell ya a little story  I know one hunter who has let there deer hang until there was mold on the outside ...In cooler weather of course ...And I am not the one to do that but he had me come over one day while he was cutting his meat and I have to tell you it was the best looking damn meat I have ever seen ,,,The meat gets a hard membrane on it as it air dries and then a mold forms on it ...the meat is now sealed ....when you cut that membrane off the meat is tender as hell and looks great ...It took me a long time to try it but I did and I tell ya what it was unbelievable ...I do not do that but I know its done and a few people do it that way .....I never like cutting meat unless it has time to hang ...I can not stand all the blood in my meat from a freshly killed deer or elk ... Hang it in a cool place with air hitting it and its good to go !

[BOWHUNTER45]

For years growing up I was always told to hang my meat for several days before processing....then I talked to the local meat processor and he said to get the meat to the processor ASAP.  So since then I've gotten my meat to him ASAP and he was right, the meat has been much better, so I'd suggest getting it processed ASAP.

I was told by a guy who has been a butcher all his life that the longer the animal hangs the more gamey the meat will taste.

BS ...Yeah if it is during the rut maybe ...put if you cut those scent glands off his back legs that helps ...It is alittle warm at this time So do what needs to be done but come next month I would hang them for days 

[Smossy]

Great work!

[steeliedrew]

Great work!

Thanks Smossy.  Great work on arrowing that grouse too! My first game kill ever was last year when I arrowed a grouse. Tasty little buggers. Enjoy it!

[Bigtine96]

For years growing up I was always told to hang my meat for several days before processing....then I talked to the local meat processor and he said to get the meat to the processor ASAP.  So since then I've gotten my meat to him ASAP and he was right, the meat has been much better, so I'd suggest getting it processed ASAP.

I was told by a guy who has been a butcher all his life that the longer the animal hangs the more gamey the meat will taste.

BS ...Yeah if it is during the rut maybe ...put if you cut those scent glands off his back legs that helps ...It is alittle warm at this time So do what needs to be done but come next month I would hang them for days 

According to him the taste comes from the bone marrow seeping into the meat as it hangs. Is it true who knows but I butcher as soon as possible and have always had excellent meat, and I know of people who let it hang and have excellent meat.

[BOWHUNTER45]

like I said ..everyone has their own opinion and I do not think anyone has died from it ....

[Huntboy]

like I said ..everyone has their own opinion and I do not think anyone has died from it ....

If you can, let it hang.

[bullseeker]

I say cut it up now and get it frozen. If you want to age you meat take it out a few days before you want to eat it and let it age in the fridge. If you let the outer get hard you are just wasting that portion of meat. Just my 

[wt]

Golden Steer in Bellevue has a good reputation (I haven't used them yet but wouldn't hesitate) I have stopped in and bought other items from them and spoke about wild game in anticipation of using them in the future , Double D in Mountlake terrace screwed my deer up worse then I would like to remember, cheep though.

[wildweeds]

My grandad had a butchershop/slaughterhouse, he never hung game meat,when I asked why he explained that the reason you hang meat is so the marbled fat weakens and flavors/tenderizes,Game meat tallow is nasty and also does not have marbleing which is why he never hung anything,it hung in the tree to cool off enough to cut and then was cut/wrapped/thrown in the cabin freezer.He was a second generation butcher,my uncles the third generation do not hang theirs either,but their meat all gets turned into sausages of summer or pepperoni because.............. thier wives won't cook deer steaks.As grandpa told me........... you don't want tough meat,drop em in their tracks dead,you want tough meat wing em three or four times and get the adrenaline running through them.And has been mentioned above, the refrigerator with a closet rod acrossed it is an excellent way to cool em off and hold em until you can deal with em,my buddy shot a deer a few years ago and had it hung in his shop on the opener,I saw tons of flys on it(in game bags but..) I helped him quarter and the whole buck fit in the fridge hanging from a 1 inch pipe,Took a little finagaling but it worked SUPER!

[7mmfan]

The beer fridge kicks butt for storing game. I got a fridge off craigslist last year and was able to store most of a big cow elk, and then 2 nice bucks during the late season. Made a world of difference as opposed to letting them hang in the garage. Keeps the wife happy too not having to look at it.

[timberhunter]

if you are planning on cutting it up and you need a couples days to get the time to do it i say just leave it in the cooler, but make sure it is not going to lay in any water from melting ice. i have kept meat in a cooler for five or six days while in wyoming in september and it was a lot hotter than it is now. if you are going to take it to a butcher though i would just take it in now cause it will hang in his cooler for several days before it is cut up.

[wilsongideon]

we have always hung deer whenever possible in a cooler for 4-7 days I dont like hanging them untill they mold personally which is 7+ days. I honestly dont believe it effects the flavor as much as it helps with the tenderness. I just butchered 2 deer on thursday 1 was killed sunday and hung for 3 1/2 days and was on ice for 1 1/2 days then there was mine which was killed tuesday and hung 1 night and part of a morning then on ice for 1 day. the one that was hung longer it was much easier to slice up and all the silver skin and fat peeled right away from the meat because it had hardened up and the meat had softened. mine took alot to more to peel the silverskin off because it was still soft as the meat and stuck to it better. either deer though is going to be good eatin its just a matter of tenderness I think.