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Shooting and field dressing a deer in warm to hot weather?

17K views 24 replies 21 participants last post by  bowmedic 
#1 ·
I would like to go hunting this weekend it's going to be in the upper70's to lower 80's.After field dressing. What are the right steps to take, in butchering a deer, so you don't get spoilage of the meat.Do you hang a deer for a period of time?I'm really not sure what steps to take. It's not like late season when at that time it's not as much of an issue,because it's cold outside, you don't really have to worry about spoilage. So if there anyone out there have some good Idea's or give me some detailed steps on what to do, Thanks for your help
 
#4 ·
If its going to be that hot I try and get it home as quick as posible. Pack the chest cavity with ice and a bag between the back legs. tie it in with rope. When I get home I quarter it and put it in an old refridgerator I have in the basement. I leave it in there for a week and then butcher it.

I knew a guy that made a cooler . Made a frame out of insulated plywood and used an airconditioner to cool it. Worked pretty good.
 
#5 ·
I quarter mine asap. then place in a cooler. I put a grate on the bottom of the cooler. supported by 2x4's fill the bottom with ice then set the quarters on top of the grates. leave space between quarters if you can. I use a large 14cu ft cooler so I can spread them out.
then if time does not permit i freeze the quarters, at the end of the season
i defrost them all at once and spend a weekend making sausage.
 
#7 ·
I field dress mine,Then head to my butchers cooler!

Saturday, took me from shooting Deer then field dress to cooler 48 min.
 
#8 ·
My cold weather and warm weather techniques don't differ that much. I immediately skin the animal, deboning as I go, and put the meat in a game bag. Then strap the bag to my pack and take it out. If warm weather I put it in a 120 quart cooler with ice; if cold weather, I hang the bags on a meat pole. Either way I try to get them home as soon as I can to finish processing them.
 
#11 ·
I have read that it is best not to put your meat in water,....
They are refering to not using a lake, stream, or pond to clean the carcass as there are parasites and other organisms that will make the meat unfit to eat.
 
#10 ·
Did it this morning.

I generally don't gut anymore.I run a slice down the back bone and pull the skin back. Cut out the back strap on one side, and then take off the front and hind quarters, minus the lower legs, then turn animal over and repeat. I don't enter the cavity, until I go between the ribs and cut/peel out the tenderloins. Last is the neck meat and whatever grind may be left(not much). I like this method bcause it gets the meat cooling faster, and you don't mess with the gut and risk getting offal on the meat. I then get it, to a fridge or cooler and usually clean it up and finish deboning that night.
 
#23 ·
Elkkat Method - 1st Timer

I generally don't gut anymore.I run a slice down the back bone and pull the skin back. Cut out the back strap on one side, and then take off the front and hind quarters, minus the lower legs, then turn animal over and repeat. I don't enter the cavity, until I go between the ribs and cut/peel out the tenderloins. Last is the neck meat and whatever grind may be left(not much). I like this method bcause it gets the meat cooling faster, and you don't mess with the gut and risk getting offal on the meat. I then get it, to a fridge or cooler and usually clean it up and finish deboning that night.
Tried Elkkat's method tonight on a whitetail, worked like a charm. I packed the entire deer in one trip - packing sure beats dragging. I put the quarters on ice when I got back to the SUC (sports utility car). Just finished up boning out the meat and it's in the fridge cooling down some more. I'll finish processing everything tomorrow. I'll never drag a whitetail again. Thanks for the great advice Elkkat!
 
#14 ·
i just dress it quarter it and put it in a cooler with a few bags of ice and it is good.
 
#18 ·
Elkkat, can you explain the tenderloin removal better for me. I often cut mine up simalar to what you describe but leave the tender morsals. Do you use a saw to remove some ribs?

Water bad for meat? I have always soaked mine overnight to remove blood from meat. Should I not be doing this?
 
#19 ·
Loins



I just, take the muscle out behind the back rib and cut the end of the loin, then it will mostly peel out, with just a little help from the knife tip. Then cut the other end. Younger deer are tougher because the muscle is more tender, so be delicate. Just move the gut out of your way and you can get both loins from the same side. Some guys go ahead and just unzip em to make more room , as you don't have to worry about getting offal on the meat anymore.
 
#24 ·
Warm weather hunting:

Black pepper, never leave home without it!

Yellow jackets and flies will not land on the carcass if you dust the exposed meat, eyes, nostrils, ears with the stuff.
 
#25 ·
I gut mine where it falls and hurry back to camp to skin and quarter it.. Like has been said before its always hot down here in Texas during bow season. Usually after quartering I pack it in ice and leave it I get tit to the butcher. I leave the water in as it helps keep it cool and takes any blood left in the meat out.. Steve
 
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