How long to hang your elk?

[Salmonmoocher12]

I killed a bull in oregon on Friday morning, just got home last night and im headed to my buddy's house today on sunday to hang in his locker.  I have always started the butchering in the past 2-3 days after the kill but they were never in a locker before . I was planning to let hang all week and process the meat on Saturday. So they would be 8 days hanging  2 days outside and will be the last 6 days in the cooler. Is this too long?  Does it make the meat taste different?   Any help would be great I just don't want to regret it. If need to butcher it sooner I need to change some work schedule to get to it during the week. Any imputed is greatly appreciated.

[Magnum_Willys]

5 to 8 days for me but have a buddy who does at least 25 days and his is always more tender.   Skin gets dark but he trims it off.

[PolarBear]

Wild game are not like beef, they do not benefit as much from hanging.  I hang mine long enough to drain and cool off (usually overnight to one day depending on the temperature) then cut.

[zwickeyman]

In good hanging weather I like to hang 1 week before butchering and that's for Elk and Deer. I just hung my buck for 8 days but thats just because of where and when I shot him. Weather was OK and it turned out very good

[Sakko300wsm]

No reason to hang wild game

[trophyhunt]

Let it hang for a week, won’t hurt it at all.

[PolarBear]

No reason to hang wild game

[Curly]

It won't hurt it.

[duckmen1]

Long enough to debone cut and wrap. Everyone loves any game we've processed ourself. Sometimes stuff from certain butchers have a stronger taste and I know it's because of aging or handling practices they use and not on us. Cause I've never had a gamie piece of meat we've butchered and tenderness isn't noticed much of a difference.

[h2ofowlr]

I let mine hang for about a day before I start butchering it up.  If you don't have cold storage or temps in the 30's it will sour on you if hanging to long.

[Eric M]

I let mine hang for about a day before I start butchering it up.  If you don't have cold storage or temps in the 30's it will sour on you if hanging to long.

Temperature needs to be at or below 40.

[BULLBLASTER]

I put a processed buck in the freezer today at 4 pm that I killed at 230 pm yesterday. It never hung but was in a refrigerator overnight.

[MtnMuley]

I put a processed buck in the freezer today at 4 pm that I killed at 230 pm yesterday. It never hung but was in a refrigerator overnight.

Oh, it's gonna be terrible. You totally did it wrong......

[BULLBLASTER]

I put a processed buck in the freezer today at 4 pm that I killed at 230 pm yesterday. It never hung but was in a refrigerator overnight.

Oh, it's gonna be terrible. You totally did it wrong......

 I can’t do anything right!

[carpsniperg2]

I put a processed buck in the freezer today at 4 pm that I killed at 230 pm yesterday. It never hung but was in a refrigerator overnight.

Oh, it's gonna be terrible. You totally did it wrong......

 I can’t do anything right!

It's a creedmoor thing