Sadly in our area and for sure further south, many times you need a cooler to let the venison hang for several days. This year would be no problem though.
As a whole I think the biggest thing hunters don't do is properly take care of meat. Bacteria will grow between 40*F to 140*F. I believe miss handling of meat leads to the biggest disappointment of quality of game harvested. I have seen folks do some crazy things when it comes to handling wild game. A few years back was coming home from a midnight shift, and saw a fellow that had harvested a moose. It was the rare at the road harvest, that they had the moose on a trailer, whole. I went home and to bed. Then had to go to town for something that afternoon, 5 or 6. Low and behold there that moose was still whole on the trailer in 75*F heat with full sun. There is no way that meat was in its prime. I treat the meat by the 40*- 140* rule, and do my best to honor the life of the animal I harvest. I want to make sure my harvest is at its best quality. As a family we want the best quality meat.
Thats whats done around here, you dont skin it though but a few days is a the fridge is a must. On the other side i heard the swedes skin elk and let it hang in the cold...naked in the cold it must have looked like a balloon eh?
I have hung both skinned and un skinned. I prefer skin on, skin off it really depends on the game bags. The high quality ones work well the cheaper ones I don’t like at all.
Never tried those ones, heard of it though. In the end everybody has to decide himself how its done. On the other side i can imagine its easier to field dress, when youre way out there. Would you still let it hang to let it mature if you would field dress?
It was puffy Yes sir, always. I always age the meat, as long as I can. Always past rigor stage. Alaska typically had temps that assist in allowing meat to hang.
Here is this years moose in bags. I kept meat on bone, as long as I could still lift it. There is some I had to cut, that was ground up.
Great pic, did you have any problems with flies? i reckon its autumn as i cant see any snow. Had lose hairs, inside the bags, any influence on the meat?
No issues, it was in the 20’s at night and 30’s in the day. The bags are to keep everything off the meat. In the field they are awesome. When home hang them up. If flies are present use citric acid to spray on the meat. Places like Cabelas and Bass Pro Shops carry citric acid powder. Mix with water and spray on the bags/meat it will keep flies away. The hair stays tight enough not to make a mess.
