When i lived in the hills north of Melbourne our winter days and nights were always cold...around 10c for the days and colder big frosts at night (cold for Australia) and i always hung my sambar deer from a big pine tree limb as its always cold under a free standing pine and there is plenty of shade even if the sun decided to show one day...i have hung a sambar stag in the skin for ten days in this manner without any problems what so ever and it in my opinion is the only way to treat game meat and DEFINATELY improves the meat....when you get a fair amount of game one needs to know how to look after and improve it and it is certainly my recommendation to hang for AS LONG AS POSSIBLE = my two cents blah blah blah..

What gryphon said.
Except, most of my deer taken are Fallow, and five days seems about right. I prefer to take the hide off, and leave the critter inside a flyproof meatsafe. Pinetrees are good, usually plenty of shade, and since there always seems to be one handy, until I get a coolroom at home, they will do.

Cheers, Dave.

"Your Opinions On Hanging Deer?"

Only if they're REALLY guilty.

I don't believe in hanging deer.

I prefer to get the critter skinned, quartered & meat cleaned ASAP. I then store in cotton game bags (king size pillow cases bought on sale at one of the local Mart's). Then I age the meat in an old refrigerator @ 34-38 degrees F for 5-10 days depending on the schedule that allows me to process the meat.

In my experience, I have found that aging meat increases tenderness, and improves the flavor and aroma.

My only wish is that I had a walk in cooler so I could age the whole carcass.

We can't bring ourselves to hang a deer for more time than it takes to skin, quarter, cut up and package it. Get it done and in the freezer. I believe the stories, but it just gives me the willies letting it hang for a week. Never had a problem with flavor or tenderness, either.

quote:

Originally posted by Brad:
"Your Opinions On Hanging Deer?"

Only if they're REALLY guilty.

and this wisdom from Montana is about the best advice on this thread so far.....am I'm kidding of course....but good humor there.

quote:

Only if they're REALLY guilty.

Yeah that was my first impression.....

Depends on:

How Guilty they are....
And
What the Crime Was....

Personally I'd rather hang a liberal or two.... or a couple of Lawyers ( especially from the ACLU), or a couple of Anti Hunting Idiots from PETA would also be a satisfactory afternooon....

You might find that butchering goes easier after the meat has had a chance to "age".

quote:

Originally posted by old4x4:
We can't bring ourselves to hang a deer for more time than it takes to skin, quarter, cut up and package it. Get it done and in the freezer. I believe the stories, but it just gives me the willies letting it hang for a week. Never had a problem with flavor or tenderness, either.

Wal-

Thanks for the info guys. I hung it in a deer bag, in my metal shop trailer with heavy wood floor, and it was always around 32-35 dgrs.

I had to becasue of time needed elsewhere. It hung for about 4 days.

Had some back straps pounded and grilled last night, and the meat was tender, and flavorfull.

So I think hanging or ageing is OK if it's done under the right temps, and conditions.

Next one I'm gonna try not ageing at all, and see what happens.