Rotten Meat

[Instinct]

Do u need to age? Cuz if and when i harvest my animal i was gonna drive down back hhome and put the meat in the freezer then process it later

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

Do u need to age? Cuz if and when i harvest my animal i was gonna drive down back hhome and put the meat in the freezer then process it later

There is a whole 'nuther thread on that !
I dont do it, but others do... 

We have gotten meat wet before in the process of cooling and did not get a bacterial issue. We have iced deer and bear down in creeks, then hung them and patted them dry, kept good air circulation and no problems. Even when meat is iced down it often gets wet...  Heck, it seems that most Elk I bone out are during a freakin downpour... 

  X2
been there
Water is not the enemy, warmth, moisture, and lack of circulation are the enemy.
It might sound confusing, but meat can sit in water, water cannot sit on meat.  as long as it is rinsed thoroughly, then allowed to dry, you are fine, it is when the water stays on the meat w/o circulating, that you get stagnation, and bacterial growth.

[DoubleJ]

Do u need to age? Cuz if and when i harvest my animal i was gonna drive down back hhome and put the meat in the freezer then process it later

You don't need to age, thats a personal preference but, I would not freeze, thaw to process, and then refreeze.  That will KILL your meat.  Unless you're talking about burger meat.  Then it's OK to do that.  Steaks and roasts?  No way.

[TikkaT3-270Shortmag]

Mt grandfather would hang meat til it started to get a little mold on it then wipe it off with vinegar.  He said its more tender because it is broken down.

[Annette]

Don't forget open the hind quarters up just cut down the inner seam to the bone, thats your biggest chunk of meat and the heat will hold there the longest.

[PA BEN]

Do u need to age? Cuz if and when i harvest my animal i was gonna drive down back hhome and put the meat in the freezer then process it later

You don't need to age, that's a personal preference but, I would not freeze, thaw to process, and then refreeze.  That will KILL your meat.  Unless you're talking about burger meat.  Then it's OK to do that.  Steaks and roasts?  No way.

You have to Waite 36 hrs. Rigger to set in and then go out of the meat. I try to go 4 days. I hung a deer in 70 degree temps when the temp went down in the 30's at night for 4 days once, no problem. Hang in the shade and put a tarp over it to shade the meat. BTW, I shot a deer thanksgiving day, it was 22 below. By the time it got the hide off it was froze solid. We had a January thaw and that's when I cut it up. It was a 4 point w/t in the rut. Best eatting deer ever.

[cohoho]

I agree in aging deer, bison and moose...  But not Caribou, Antelope and Elk...  Such yummy morsels they do not need aging!!!!  On almost every trip I bone it quickly then get it cool as possible.  We all know that is darn near impossible sometimes.  We carried large bags and drop the meat into river to get it chilled if we do not have time due to packing the rest back, etc...  Once it is dry- Keep it dry as possible- moisture is a killer...  Cooler spot in shade by a creek is always good... Most times as long as the hide is removed immediately your fine, but most leave it on way too long- especially Antelope and Caribou types...  I have a 150 quart cooler with a rack that sits on either bags of ice or three or four blocks of ice.  Keep the drain open and let the water melt and drain.  The rack will keep the meat in heavy canvas game bags or TAGS bags, off the water slurry...