How long do you let them hang?

[superdown]

Not at all I want mine cut as fresh as possible. I built a dry aging box so i will age portions as need be. there is no room for error when it comes to processing my animals. after one really bad experience with a former local processor I don't take any chances  

[JLS]

I hang my deer for a day or two.
Growing I was taught by my uncles to only hang deer for no more than 1-2 days. I asked them why they don't hang their
Deer for longer periods of time like my friends dads? they told me that Deer get gamier the longer the meat is on the bones.

Elk I hang for 3-7 days depending on outside temps.

There is no biological process that supports this claim.  Being on the bone does not contribute to gaminess nor does the length of time hung.  "Off taste" in game meat typically comes from poor trimming of connective tissue/fat, or overcooking the mat.

Hanging meat or "aging" it does not change the flavor of meat.  It simply allows enzymatic breakdown of fibers that makes the meat more tender.  I've hunge meat for as little as 12 hours and as much as 10 days.  A young animal won't benefit a whole lot from increased hanging time, but an old one sure can.

Dr. Ray Field did a lot of research on this at the University of Wyoming.  Life begins at 40, and extended aging should take place at 40 degrees or less.  You can "quick age" meat for up to three days at 60 degrees.

[BigD]

We try to hang all of our four leged animals about 7 days. I have gone as long as 21 but don't like to wipe the mold off with vinigar.

[400out]

We try to hang all of our four leged animals about 7 days. I have gone as long as 21 but don't like to wipe the mold off with vinigar.

[teanawayslayer]

I usually let them hang for two to three days depending on the weather.  The guy that cuts it up will let it hang in his walkin for 3 or 4 days.  I haven't never had a problem and the meat is oh so good

[bobcat]

I don't hang animals for any specific amount of time. Generally I just do the cutting/wrapping as soon as I have time. But if the weather is right I will let them hang for as long as 4 to 5 days.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I see I fit in the same category as most respondents, if I am not eating off carcase, it gets cut and wrapped ASAP.
as far as enzymes breaking down...IDK, but was told long ago that when you deep-freeze, the crystallization of ice (moisture) in the meat tenderizes it for you,
I have had the pleasure of eating my own, and other peoples game, and you can tell who hangs, and who doesn't by the gaminess of meat.
Leave beef in its own blood for a week, and it will taste just as "wild" as most peoples venison.
Cut and wrap a good Apple and Blackberry fed Black-tail as soon as it hits the ground, and you will have some of the best tasting meat in the world, hang it for a week at 40 degrees, and it will taste like a sage-brush eating rutting desert mule deer...  

[Jason]

I hang my deer for a day or two.
Growing I was taught by my uncles to only hang deer for no more than 1-2 days. I asked them why they don't hang their
Deer for longer periods of time like my friends dads? they told me that Deer get gamier the longer the meat is on the bones.

Elk I hang for 3-7 days depending on outside temps.

There is no biological process that supports this claim.  Being on the bone does not contribute to gaminess nor does the length of time hung.  "Off taste" in game meat typically comes from poor trimming of connective tissue/fat, or overcooking the mat.

Hanging meat or "aging" it does not change the flavor of meat.  It simply allows enzymatic breakdown of fibers that makes the meat more tender.  I've hunge meat for as little as 12 hours and as much as 10 days.  A young animal won't benefit a whole lot from increased hanging time, but an old one sure can.

Dr. Ray Field did a lot of research on this at the University of Wyoming.  Life begins at 40, and extended aging should take place at 40 degrees or less.  You can "quick age" meat for up to three days at 60 degrees.

JLS  
Everyone has their own theories, that is my family's theory and it has been thoroughly tested,
so take it for whats it is and keep reading your books.

[jeepasaurusrex]

What the animal was doing (running vs standing still) and how it is cared for after the shot has more to do with the taste than length of time hanging.  

[buck man]

I hang my deer for a day or two.
Growing I was taught by my uncles to only hang deer for no more than 1-2 days. I asked them why they don't hang their
Deer for longer periods of time like my friends dads? they told me that Deer get gamier the longer the meat is on the bones.

Elk I hang for 3-7 days depending on outside temps.

There is no biological process that supports this claim.  Being on the bone does not contribute to gaminess nor does the length of time hung.  "Off taste" in game meat typically comes from poor trimming of connective tissue/fat, or overcooking the mat.

Hanging meat or "aging" it does not change the flavor of meat.  It simply allows enzymatic breakdown of fibers that makes the meat more tender.  I've hunge meat for as little as 12 hours and as much as 10 days.  A young animal won't benefit a whole lot from increased hanging time, but an old one sure can.

Dr. Ray Field did a lot of research on this at the University of Wyoming.  Life begins at 40, and extended aging should take place at 40 degrees or less.  You can "quick age" meat for up to three days at 60 degrees.

I am glad to see I am not the only one to age his deer and elk! I have killed several deer over six years old and before I started aging them they were always tough and gamey. To make matters worse all my deer are killed in late archery when they are in real poor  shape. Now I usually hand them for up to 28 days and monitor the enzimatic breakdown of the muscle tissue daily after about day 10. I realize in order to hang an animal this long the temp has to be controlled and regulated. Since my deer are all bow kills I take it a step further and I leave the hide on....I know that is going to bring ridicule but if no major musle group was hit then there is very little blood shot damage and leaving the hide on eliminates any "rinde "the meat gets when it hangs this long. You can only do this in cold weather to inssure propped initial cool down. Since I have started this EVERY buck tastes like a doe with NO gamey flavor or toughness. The old butcher that taught me this said that the biggest reason people don't like venison is because there field care sucks and they don't age their meat.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

how it is cared for after the shot

not to nit-pick, but hanging is part of this....
getting the blood out is the main reason to hang (as far as I know) and because I bone most of my animals (no need to pack extra weight) and bleed out to kill (Archery) I dont even think about hanging.
But agree that the sooner you get it cooled down to prevent spoiling, and keeping it clean is of utmost importance.

[Ray]

If I am out hunting with other people I'll leave it up until we depart a camp. Otherwise I prefer to cut it up and place it on ice. Then completely butcher as soon as possible. Preferrably within 48 hours of the kill. In the late season when it is colder outside I'm not in such a hurry. However in the early season I will definitely be getting that thing cut up and into the freezer asap.

[millertime89]

at least a week if the weather allows... even the tough old deer and elk taste delicious if you can let the enzymes go to work for a while..

I'm not necessarily in favor of the mold idea but there's a pretty prestigious steak place in new york (can't think of the name) that will charge you over $100 a plate for steaks that they have to trim the mold off and i've been told its the best you'll ever have  

[buck man]

I see I fit in the same category as most respondents, if I am not eating off carcase, it gets cut and wrapped ASAP.
as far as enzymes breaking down...IDK, but was told long ago that when you deep-freeze, the crystallization of ice (moisture) in the meat tenderizes it for you,
I have had the pleasure of eating my own, and other peoples game, and you can tell who hangs, and who doesn't by the gaminess of meat.
Leave beef in its own blood for a week, and it will taste just as "wild" as most peoples venison.
Cut and wrap a good Apple and Blackberry fed Black-tail as soon as it hits the ground, and you will have some of the best tasting meat in the world, hang it for a week at 40 degrees, and it will taste like a sage-brush eating rutting desert mule deer...  

Usually if a deer is hit in the vitals its "blood" is on the ground and in its body cavity and is not in the body tissues that is why you can hang a deer or beef or any animal for that matter for extended periods of time. If you gut shoot or hit your animal poorly and it couldn't bleed out properly then by all means cut it up early.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Usually if a deer is hit in the vitals its "blood" is on the ground and in its body cavity and is not in the body tissues that is why you can hang a deer or beef or any animal for that matter for extended periods of time. If you gut shoot or hit your animal poorly and it couldn't bleed out properly then by all means cut it up early.
 
 
 

The main reason I bone mine out is I dont hunt near open roads, I have to carry it on my back.
The only time I had one that was "gut-shot" was caused by taking a longer shot than I should have (because I knew I could hit it with my compound  ) and it spun, causing the arrow to penetrate from front shoulder to opposing rear ham, through body cavity, because I was not happy with hit, I backed off and came back in morning (this was September even 60-70 degrees) Deer was dead within 30 yards.          I boned it out and washed the meat (yes with water) and it was damn fine eating from the time I got it to camp, and every morsel after.