dog1

Here in Ga. it can reach 95% plus, in the afternoons. I wouldn't want to hang a deer in anything less than 40%. So I skin mine out, quarter and put it in a large cooler of ice and water. I have kept them this way for 3 or 4 days. This also helps draw out some of the blood. I normally change the water every day or so and add ice.

dog1

buffhntr

you could hang it in 60 degree weather if you quarter it and cover it with pepper then put it in a alaskan game bag

crokit

IMHO, you need to skin it out as soon as possible. I've seen steam come off the flesh of a deer, after skinning it nearly 24 hours after a kill.

gregrn43

most of the meat lockers are around 40 degrees, i have hung them in the 50's at night with no problems, but i wouldnt want to hang one in the 70's during the daytime

wis_bow_huntr

if the tem drops to about 50 at night you should be fine as long as you have the hide off and its shaded or in a shed where the temp should be about 8-10 degrees cooler. then as soon as you can get to a processor and have them stick it in their cooler, or learn how to process your own meat, it saves a TON of money and time, not to mention you will always get your own deer meat back.

marshall9779

I would gut it and only hang it overnight until I can get to the processor the next day. I figure if it's gutted it would be better than shooting one and having to back out and find it in the morning.

JNTURK

if gutted, skined, and washed then put in a mesh bag and a deer bag (like a giant pillow) i would say lows in the 60's. i am speaking only of blacktail experience. we have killed them sat morning..proceeded with the above, hung all day in 90 degree heat (under tree in off and on shade), let it sit over night in the 60's. then leave sunday morning and drive 3 hours home and process myself. We have NEVER had one spoil because of it.... but, if you are going to hang you need to make sure it is in a pillow type bag and not a mesh bag.

if you just want to hang it without skinning it, i would not know, but i would say it would have to be much cooler then the 60's i mentioned.

marshall9779

Just found out that the processor I am going to use is open until 9pm, so it wont be a problem anymore as long as I can get it gutted, drug out, and make the 45min drive. That might be a littlework if I don't shoot one until 7pm before the time change but I think I can manage.

jamesw319

keep it cool,,, use ice,,temp will effect the meat in some way.....jpw

flyinfeathers

OK fellas here is the scoop on hanging your deer and keeping it safe for later consumption.

I am a Servsafe instructor for the National Restaurant Association Education Foundation. Yeah it's a mouthful.

Bacteria need 6 things in order to grow.

Remember the moniker FAT TOM.
1) FOOD
2) ACIDITIY LEVEL
3) TIME
4) TEMPERATURE
5) OXYGEN
6) MOISTURE

The temperature danger zone for potentially hazardous foods (DEER MEAT) is between 40 and 140 degrees. Any temp between these ranges are conducive to high bacterial growth.

Having said this, bacteria also need time. It is imperative that if the temperature of a potentially hazardous food (DEER) remains in the temperature danger zone more than 4 hours then you are seriously contributing to the growth of bacteria and causing a potential food-borne illness.

I would strongly suggest that you ice down your deer with bags of ice until you can get it to a processor. Just because some of these "old timer ways" seemed to have worked in the past for some hunters does not mean that their deer was safe to eat. One thing that very well could have protected them is if the meat was cooked properly after the fact therefore killing bacteria that may have been present, BUT, this will not kill all forms of bacteria that can infect food.

It is best to be safe than sorry and handle your kills properly from the beginning.

There are countless varieties of bacteria that can infect your food in which several can make you sick and several that can kill you. I won't go into along dissertation about each of them but trust me on this. Scary crap out there.

Sorry for the long post but I would rather see you and your family and friends safe.

Good luck.