Post by: wooltie on September 30, 2013, 08:30:44 AM
Been reading all the great info and have a question regarding hanging time / processing boned out meat.
My buddy and I are off to my cabin for a week during modern this year on the peninsula. The packouts should be easy, with a 5-5 mile walk back to the truck, and a short drive (20-30 min) back to my cabin. At first I was going to bone out any deer we get, but now I think I may just remove the rear hinds, and bone out the rest with everything going into game bags. We'll be there Sunday through Friday and I have an uninsulated garage plus fridge in which I can place the meat.
I am looking for advice regarding what should be done with the meat during the week.
We will be there Sun-Fri, or until we both get our deer. Getting the meat off, into bags and into the garage in reasonable time is not an issue. But suppose we get one deer on Monday, and the other Friday (the we leave Saturday morning), etc. Just want to avoid spoiling any meat.
Thanks.
Post by: SFD2015 on September 30, 2013, 09:45:09 AM
First, the meat needs to stay cool, so it depends on the weather. We usually use an igloo cooler on our meat for a couple of days if the temps aren't cool enough (wrap the ice in plastic and double layer the meat and plastic). PERSONALLY (and I say this because I don't age my deer longer than needed to get it to our processing area and packed and frozen), I would de-bone and process it right there in your cabin and freeze. Not saying grind and season etc, but cut and wrap then straight to the freezer (I am assuming that because you said you have a refrigerator there is at least a freezer as well).
If you hang it, you need to get the meat below 40 Deg F. Also, if you hang it, I would bring some vinegar to coat it to keep the flies off. 5 days is to long without consistent temps being below 40 Deg.
Post by: 300rum on September 30, 2013, 11:13:55 AM
Post by: JLS on September 30, 2013, 11:56:27 AM
If you are hanging quarters, I would leave bone in. If you are going to throw them on ice in coolers, I would bone out. If you are going to process immediately, I would bone out.
Good luck.
Post by: deltaops on September 30, 2013, 12:12:15 PM
My main issue is if one or two of us take down our deer, that will leave two or maybe three of us left to get ours. It could be a few days or it could be quick. The main concern is the drive back to the west side. I do not have the funds to buy several big coolers to store meat in. I do have a med size cooler and a couple small ones. The other thing I was considering is that in our Small motor home, under the back seat is a huge storage spot. I was thinking of lining that with plastic and throwing the meat in that with ice covering it.
I can see it now, driving home with the ice melting and blood mixed with water dripping out the back. Someone sees this and calls the cops. That outta be a great discussion. :chuckle:
Post by: wooltie on September 30, 2013, 12:24:47 PM
So the process might look something like this:
1. Bone out, meat into game bags.
2. Return to home base.
3. Remove meat from bags
4. Wash off meat with water and pad dry.
5. Put meat in coolers on ice, barrier the ice to prevent it from contacting the meat? :dunno: or
6. Cut, package and put in freezer until you pull the thing out for a tasty dinner.
There's also a butcher shop not far, which I could drop off the boned out meat for cutting and packaging at some point after the kill--maybe the next day. I could have a deer cut/wrapped for $00.69/lb. I'd pay that.
Sounds like some people let the meat age in <40 degrees for a number of days before cutting, packaging and freezing, while others go straight to the freezer.
Post by: TheHunt on September 30, 2013, 05:26:20 PM
Post by: Ductsquatch on October 04, 2013, 04:44:20 PM
Will make for great stories around the campfires for years to come.. :rolleyes:
I can see it now, driving home with the ice melting and blood mixed with water dripping out the back. Someone sees this and calls the cops. That outta be a great discussion. :chuckle:
Post by: carlyoungs on October 04, 2013, 04:55:06 PM
Post by: MagKarl on October 05, 2013, 08:44:50 AM
Post by: bow4elk on October 05, 2013, 09:36:08 AM
Water and meat are a bad combination in warm weather where moist, warm meat is a breeding ground for bacteria. I cringe every time I see a deer or elk whole in the bed of a truck with the hide on in September too. :bdid: I have made it standard practice to split the hams all all big game, even during late season hunts. The upper hind leg holds a lot of heat for a LONG time. Bone sour is common on elk and most people don't even know it until their meat comes back with a strong flavor. You need to open up those hams and remove or expose the femur to allow all that heat to escape. You'll be glad you did!
Post by: Ductsquatch on October 05, 2013, 06:29:53 PM
Stupid question maybe........
Where does all this ice come from? When I go out for extended period of time.......five days or so and I got water.....that's IT! :'(
Post by: bow4elk on October 05, 2013, 06:43:38 PM
OK............
Stupid question maybe........
Where does all this ice come from? When I go out for extended period of time.......five days or so and I got water.....that's IT! :'(
One word: YETI ;)
Or fill your coolers with cubed ice and insulate them with a couple opened up sleeping bags. I do this for elk and the $30 on ice is worth it when your first load out is 2AM and you arrive at your truck with all the ice you need. It will last over a week if well insulated, even in Sept. Sometimes I put a 1" styrofoam plank under the coolers too, for extra insulation.
Post by: bow4elk on October 05, 2013, 06:46:44 PM
Post by: 300rum on October 05, 2013, 08:48:51 PM
Post by: sakoshooter on October 05, 2013, 10:15:24 PM
I would never, ever take ice like that before a hunt. That's like taking a net with you when you go fishing, or bananas on a boat. You just don't do that sort of thing, ever.LOL
I usually take my largest cooler(80qt)Coleman with just block ice in it just in case. The times I've had to fill a cooler w/meat, I put some small limbs or boards across the bottom of the cooler to create a space for drainage and leave the drain port open like mentioned above.
You can also drive into the nearest town and locate a cold storage or a walk in cooler like we did last year in Conconully. They let us put our meat coolers in their walk in coller. Nothing melted for a week.
Planning(like you're doin)and knowing where to locate the rest of the stuff you might need in the nearest town can save you some headaches.
Post by: Huntergal on October 06, 2013, 12:23:43 AM
Post by: PA BEN on October 06, 2013, 06:00:13 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 06, 2013, 06:16:32 AM
Post by: dreamunelk on October 06, 2013, 07:32:02 AM
Bag your meat in game bags. Hang under trees in a low bottom, tarp over the meat to keep dry. If it's down in the 30's at night you can go 4 days like that. I hung a deer under a tree whole and tarpped, it was in the 30's at night and low 70's by day. Cut him up on day 4, meat was just fine. I do it all the time.:yeah:
x2