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As of today archery season is open here. Will I be out there? No! Too hot and humid. It's essentially still summer and will be for awhile yet. Can't hang a carcass in this weather. Much as I love the hunt I more than likely won't be 'out there' until late October. I don't have a cold room and generally wait for cool weather so I can hang the carcass in my shop building for a few days. That said, what do those of you who live in similar warm climates do for early season deer to cool the carcass and age the meat properly?  ~Ann   | ||
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If its too warm to hang outside I debone and put in an old frigerator on the coldest setting. I like to age my venison well; even old bucks are tender if aged properly. God Bless, Louis PS I saw one once that had a pipe ran through the top with S hooks to hang quarters. I liked it but haven't been able to drill holes through mine yet. | |||
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84 in northern Wis on opening day I could go shoot a deer today. but I won't I even passed on turkey too dang hot. | |||
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I too like to let mine hang and the bow season in September is more "go to the beach/lake/creek weather". Don't limit your challenges . . . Challenge your limits | |||
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September is actually warmer (on average) than June in many areas, especially the upper Midwest. | |||
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Unless you have a walk-in refrigerator or a huge spare standing unit. You simply don't age it in hot temps. I have never aged any of my deer, elk, or moose and it all still tastes great so I see no issue of not hanging/aging meat. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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An option some of us here in Texas use, is to quarter the deer or hog, and put the meat in an ice chest that has a drain hole and ice the meat down real good. The ice chest will have to be set on a stand at enough of an angle so that the drain hole is at the lowest point and the water will drain out as the ice melts. Lora and I have done this for years with no problems. You just have to monitor the amount of ice in the cooler. One added benefit we have found is that it helps get all of the blood out of the meat. Depending on the outside weather, we have kept meat that way for a week to ten days, processing what we can daily. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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The very first deer I ever killed was an older doe with an arrow one early October. This was back when I lived in Michigan. It was mid to high (and humid) 80 degree weather and so me and my friends cut up the meat ASAP. The result was as tough as shoe leather, even once ground for burger. Horrible! My dog ate well but I sure didn't. Unfortunately, I don't have a walk in cooler, just an average sized SxS refrigerator. I tend to arrow yearling bucks for my meat supply. Not enough does to justify shooting females here in the hot, rocky and dry Ozarks. There is no crop agriculture to feed good deer populations. I have learned that those spike yearlings, prior to rut, sure make for some really tender meat. Question, Randall, do you put the quarters in plastic bags or just leave the exposed meat covered in ice while it is in the cooler? Does that matter? I can certainly do this method. I know if I wait another month to arrow a little buck he'll have more weight on him. I just love to hunt so that adds to the dilemma. I have cameras out and no, sadly, I see no mature bucks this year. My area has suffered bad drought for two seasons in a row now. Only one of the resident does has live fawns (twins). This is the worst I have seen things here and is very unusual. In the end I process my own meat and vacuum seal my cuts. ~Ann | |||
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We don't age meat on purpose. ________________________________________________ Maker of The Frankenstud Sling Keeper Proudly made in the USA Acepting all forms of payment | |||
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No, we just put the cleaned quarters in the ice chest and keep it covered in ice. That way it soaks all the blood out of the meat. We do that for 7 to 10 days, just make sure to put cheese cloth or similar over the drain hole to keep out insects. Lora and I have been using that method for most of our 26 years together. I can remember only one time that the weather here in north Texas was such that we let a buck hang and just cut enough meat for a meal off of it for about two weeks. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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It's been 97 nearly everyday here for the past ten. Some down to 85 or such. Dry here though, 25%. Buddy went for M/L elk last weekend, was going this one too but his son couldn't go. Knows if he kills one back where he can't drive to there's no way to save it alone. CO used to have antelope season last two weeks of August in the heat of summer. Lot's of meat wasted then. Ten yrs ago season was early to mid Sept. He said it's now in Oct too. I haven't been able to go since '11, haven't kept up on the regs so I wasn't aware of that change for the good. When there's snow, I like to skin & quarter, toss the hunks out on the snow. Each piece that comes off, flip the prior pieces over. By the time I'm done, it's all too cold to handle. Then half fill a big enough cooler with snow, layer the meat and snow til it's all in. Pack the top with more snow. Even in 50-60 temps I've opened the coolers and nothing has melted in a week. It does take several coolers to hold an elk. No matter what, it has to be cooled down soon as possible. George "Gun Control is NOT about Guns' "It's about Control!!" Join the NRA today!" LM: NRA, DAV, George L. Dwight | |||
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There are too many ticks, chiggars and mosquitos still active for me to go out and try to sit still. I have killed a few deer on very warm days. It seems to be OK if you get them chunked up and on ice in a couple of hours. I don't specifically age deer, but when hunting from a camp it may be in the ice for two or three days. I did see some deer yesterday standing by the side of the road in the middle of the day. Our "front yard" doe has twins this year and I got a picture of a young looking buck with a pretty fair antlers last week. Our area in the Ozarks is recovering from a die off about three years ago and is beginning to recover some but still waiting to see how much effect CWD has on the population. I should probably start triming shooting lanes and set up a new blind or two so I can be ready for hunting when it cools down some. | |||
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Mike, I am in SW Missouri. I have only been here 5 years but noticed a significant difference this year in the local to me deer. Specifically, I am not seeing normal populations of deer this year so far. NO mature bucks and only one doe out of several resident females with fawns. Is there a disease factor going on this year? Specifically from two years of drought, etc? I have never seen things like this before.
~Ann | |||
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Randall: Does cleaned mean these quarters are skinned too? I would think so. But the other day I was reading somewhere about leaving the hide on in the ice , so I thought I'd get your input. Thanks. | |||
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some info on wildlife disease in Missouri https://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/hu...ng/wildlife-diseases You can also look at the historic harvest numbers by county for population trends. | |||
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Yep, that's what i always have done. . | |||
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I would not want to expose meat to water for an extended period of time. If doing the ice chest method, I would definitely bag it in heavy duty contractor clean up bags so it doesn't get wet. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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The meat is not exposed to water. Once the meat is iced down the ice chest is set up at an angle with the drain hole end placed so that it is LOWER than the solid end. The drain hole should be about 10 to 15 degrees, below the solid end with the drain OPEN so that as the ice melts the water and blood drain out, hence the need for a layer of cheese cloth or similar over the drain hole so t6hat the water will drain but bugs can't get in. This isn't Rocket Science, a lot of us here in Texas do this with no problems, I am knocking on the door to 30 years of doing deer and pigs this way. With the proper angle of tilt and replenishing the ice, the meat is never in any standing water. As for putting the meat in plastic bags of any kind, two things happen. 1. The melting ice is not able to help drain off any residual blood in the meat, and 2. With the meat in a closed plastic bag, any blood that does seep out of the meat, the meat will be stting in that blood which is not a good situation. Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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what is separating the meat from the ice? Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Ann, Sounds like you may be basing your concern over your experience with 1 doe. Thousands of big game animals are shot and butchered every year without being hung and without being tough on the table. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Nothing, that is the point thec melt water from the ice is constantly drainig out of the ice chest, so the meat is not laying in water or blood. If I had not been doing this for as long as I have and knowing plenty of others doing the exact same thing ANNUALLY with the same results, I would not have recommended it! I am NOT saying to leave the meat in the ice chest for WEEKS, a week to 10 days at most, processing whatever you have time to DAILY!! Again this is not Rocket Science! Shoot the deer or whatever up to and including an elk or bear and then after getting it iced down, process some part of the meat daily. How long does it take to cut two backstraps off of even an elk into cutlets/steaks an hour, maybe two? How about boning out a neck? The hind quarters on anything are the most time consuming in my experience, depending on what cuts a person wants. Trimmings, sausage/hamburger meat can or should be placed in plastic bags and be the last meat that should be dealt with in my opinion, steaks/cutlets/roasts should take priority. As I say, I would not be posting this if I had not been using this method with good results for almost 30 years, game meat is simply to damn valuable on so many levels to waste and if I did not know other people that do basically the exact same thing. So many things come into play when doing this that contribute to the determination as too how long a person has to process the meat! Sometimes, especially here in Texas, the window may be 3 or 4 days because of the day time temps, sometimes it approaches 2 weeks simply because it is cold enough the ice is not melting during daylight hours. I am not claiming that it is the perfect, Be All/End All way of handling game meat, just a method that my wife and I and several other folks we know and have talked to use down here successfully! Even the rocks don't last forever. | |||
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Thanks to all, for your input. ~Ann | |||
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There's no realistic way to dry age here in southern NM - even in winter it's too warm - unless you have a walk-in cooler, which I don't. I use Randall's method. When possible I leave as much of the meat as possible attached to bone. Quartered, I then place it all on ice and drain the water and replenish the ice daily. Do this for 2-5 days depending on my schedule. I've done this with hundreds of big game animals (hogs, deer, pronghorn, elk, oryx, etc.) without issue. _____________________ A successful man is one who earns more money than his wife can spend. | |||
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