As long as it isn't to hot outside, meat will still be good.

 

I never leave a deer over night.There's are far to many coyotes around here and I'm very picky about meat handling/quality.

 

Totally depends on the weather. Temps below mid/low 40s should be good. I've let one lay overnight, grabbed her at 1st light, and meat was fine. Temps were high 30s/low 40s though. Gutting in full rigor kind of sucks. If temps were anywhere near 50 and above, I'd be skeptical about saving the meat. Best to get after it as quickly as the situation allows.

 

In general, if temps stay below 40 degrees, the meat will be fine. (Factors such as humidity and wound location also play a role)

Of course, this says nothing about predators...

 

I'd never leave one overnight. Too many coyotes.

 

Once it gets later in the season here in WI if I shoot one late and there is any question I wont look for it til the next morning. Never had a problem with the meat going bad. Only problem is now we have a lot of wolves.

 

I will never leave one overnight, coyotes got to it before I did, learned that one the hard way

 

all depends on temps, ive left several over night never had problems

 

i shot a doe last year and she set over night in about 55 degree temps and i found her the next morning when it was around 65 and she was fine. meat was great lol.

 

Shot a doe a few years ago, it was probably around 50, got down to maybe 40 overnight. I walked up to her dead that night, knew she was dead where she lay. I dragged her over to a little bit higher elevation, but could not field dress her... because I forgot my knife. At home, about 4 hours away.

Made the 20 mile drive into town to Fleet Farm, bought a knife, and got her the next morning. It isn't fun at full rigor, but I'm glad it was a clean shot, it could've been far worse, and the meat was perfectly fine.

We don't have any more yotes since the wolves ran them off. :77:

 

The only way I'll leave one overnight is if I have no clue where I hit the deer, like a shot in low light and deer runs off where I can't see it bed down or anything. The weather also plays a factor. If it's too hot I don't want the meat to spoil so I'll go sooner rather than later. If it's going to be cold overnight (40 or below) I have no problem leaving one lay. I had a button buck get chewed on when I was 13-14 years old but haven't had that happen since then.

 

It seems that on hunting shows, they often do this for no apparent good reason. Even on shots that look very good, they let deer lay overnight. I'm not saying I'll never do it because if I make a bad enough shot, I may have no choice. But it would take a lot for me do so otherwise.

 

I see this too, I feel it is because they want a recovery shot in daylight where they have time to clean up and pose with their trophy. Remember their number one goal is good fotage, #2 recovery the animal at all cost, #3 promoting sponsors, and so on im sure they dont ever intentionally waste meat but when most the time they give it away if it comes down to good fotage and better recovery chance but maybe the meat wont be good we all know how they are deciding..

If they recover a 182" buck but his back side had been tore up by coyotes do you think they are sad at all. Make that a doe from a hunter that shoots 2 deer a year for the freezer and he's devistated... The MEAT was his trophy

 

I have left a couple over night and they are just fine as long as its cold outside..

 

Got to get those beautiful daytime shots for the camera.

 

Its all about the quality of shot for the camera. Its silly, but that is the only valid reason to wait until the next day. The only time you see them recover at night is when it is the last night of the hunt and they are leaving early the next day, so they HAVE to recover it right then and there.

 

can't do it around here. the bears and coyotes are on them within a couple hours of being shot.

 

had it happen in camp last dec. temps were cool enough but the coyotes had that deer gone before it got cold........

 

Have done this on several occassions, twice on deer that I knew the hit was good but it was last light and I didn't want to risk bumping the deer. Temps were right so I let him lay overnight, found him within 100yds both times. Third time was on a questionable shot with a gun 2 years ago on an absolute stud. Had the whole thing on video, watched the deer disappear about 300yds away over a hill. Backed out and watched the footage 100 times and decided it was low and back and should let him lay. This turned out to be the best decision I ever made as he bedded several times and no doubt I would have bumped him and likely lost him if we would have looked for him overnight. All three times the meat was fine and we have lots of coyotes, not problems with that.

Kratz

 

I left one overnight two years ago. It only went down to 56 that night...found it at first light the next morning...it was perfectly fine.

 

I asked my butcher this question, he said even if the temp is 10 degrees outside you need to get the deer field dressed with in 2-3 hours. He said all the heat is trapped inside and the stomach acid starts breaking down causing bacteria to grow. When you leave it over night when did the deer die? 9PM? 4AM? You would not know. Said it is not worth taking the chance of getting sick. I know if a bad shot is made you have no choice but to leave it over night so not to bump deer. Guessing meat that has gone bad, bad is easy to tell with the smell and meat color, but what about meat that is right on the fence going/just gone bad? Can you tell easy?

 

I tend to agree with this butcher. I am particular about meat that I would feed my family. I clean them right and as quick as possible. Many people say they don't like deer meat. Much of that reason is poor cleaning. I have never had a bad tasting deer. But I have never had to recover a deer the next day. Two years ago I shot a Buck, hit him in the shoulder and had to give up that nights search. Never did find him the next day. With a shotgun or rifle, I have never had a problem, but I know that with a Bow, it could be more possible. I hope it never happens, but if it does, I will give it my best effort to recover, and if I have to wait until the next day, I will try to recover the meat. BUT hope it never happens.

 

There is no bad meat...just undercooked meat! :wink:

 

Can't do that here in Louisiana coyotes tear up the meat and as much as I love big horns I love meat way more lol

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2

 

For different reasons I left the last three deer I shot overnight. No problems with coyotes or meat, but as stated dressing a stiff deer is a pita. I did have a fisher try to claim my buck two years ago but other than him marking it, biting a hole in my carbon arrow and watching us the whole time we dressed and drug it wasn't an issue. We do have a lot of coyotes around but for some reason I got lucky so far. In the case of an unsure hit you're better off waiting every time. I think there's a greater chance of pushing the deer and loosing it than coyotes getting it.

 

That is funny you mention a fisher... i had NO idea what one was until this past year when my mom got one on camera during the season. Had to contact DEC to identify it. Apparently they are making a comeback in New York State. After that we were able to identify a "scream" that we kept hearing in the woods with no explanation. Them suckers are mighty loud when they want to be. Haven't seen it since last season, but I hope it is still around, cool animal. Our land is in Steuben County near South Dansville.

 

I have let them go overnight a few times. Matter of fact the 10 pt I killed last year, I left overnight. Took the shot at last light & was unsure of the hit. I heard him run about 40 yds or so then nothing. I got down quietly & slipped over to find my arrow & look for blood. But didn't find anything so I back out incase he was laid up. That night was in the low 60's. The next morning I recovered him around 8am. The meat was find I quarter him up & packed him out.

A good friend of mine who has killed his fair share of deer over the years gave me this advice - cut a plug of meat out of the inside part of the hind quarter & smell it. You'll know if the deer has went bad right away.

 

I did it once. On my big KS deer I wasn't quite sure of the shot and followed blood for about 100yds. Backed out came back the next morning found him 75 more yds away frozen stiff. Was right around 10 degrees that night possibly colder. I was freezing as ran out of firewood and no heater. Greatest hunt of my life!

 

Probably will be ok
Just mark the inner tenderloin which is the only meat near the guts.
This will be the first meat to go bad




PSE EVO 57 Lbs.
Blacked out

 

No... I Don't leave them Overnight...