Deer hanging temperatures

[Jsin]

Just wondering how everyone feels what temperatures are safe to let deer hang with this type of recent weather? The reason I ask is because I knocked down a doe last night, hung her all night. Low of 33 overnight. Highs of 58 today. I had to work today. A little nervous about temps today so ran to a friends restaurant and grabbed ice and loaded her up with bags full of ice until after work.  Years ago when my family and I went to Steuben Co. we would knock down deer all week and let them hang. But back inthem there days the weather was cooler… lol. 
 

 

[crappyice]

The overnight cold temps will carry long into the day ... breeze is up today and keep in the  shade. Ice in the cavity is good too and should rest any fears/concerns.

I always wondered if a meat thermometer is a good thing to keep around for early season hanging

[Jsin]

16 minutes ago, crappyice said:

The overnight cold temps will carry long into the day ... breeze is up today and keep in the  shade. Ice in the cavity is good too and should rest any fears/concerns.

I always wondered if a meat thermometer is a good thing to keep around for early season hanging

It’s funny you mention the meat thermometer. I was thinking the same thing this morning to see how cool it got last night. 

[CharlieNY]

19 minutes ago, Jsin said:

Just wondering how everyone feels what temperatures are safe to let deer hang with this type of recent weather? The reason I ask is because I knocked down a doe last night, hung her all night. Low of 33 overnight. Highs of 58 today. I had to work today. A little nervous about temps today so ran to a friends restaurant and grabbed ice and loaded her up with bags full of ice until after work.  Years ago when my family and I went to Steuben Co. we would knock down deer all week and let them hang. But back inthem there days the weather was cooler… lol. 
 

 

That doe will be fine and there is nothing to worry about. If you hang a deer in those temps in an unheated garage, shed or barn and the deer is out of sunlight the meat will stay cold from the overnight temperature. I have done this countless times over the years and have never had a problem with any spoilage of meat.

[Versatile Hunter]

We place frozen water bottles (gallon) inside the cavity when hanging in warm weather. Gets them really cold and you avoid drip from the ice bags. 

[Jsin]

3 minutes ago, CharlieNY said:

That doe will be fine and there is nothing to worry about. If you hang a deer in those temps in an unheated garage, shed or barn and the deer is out of sunlight the meat will stay cold from the overnight temperature. I have done this countless times over the years and have never had a problem with any spoilage of meat.

I think I need to find a new hanging tree. It is on the edge of the woods/lawn, kind of south facing.  I did move the deer this morning into a shaded area. Just need a more permanent hanging tree in the shade.

[dbHunterNY]

with all the things we spend money on for hunting, a 2nd fridge is a great investment. I pull tenderloins, backstraps, neck, and rib meat from the carcass along with four quarters. I keep it all in meat totes in my deer and beer fridge that will have nothing in it but maybe cans and bottles of alcohol on the door. there's things to consider but it stays in there until when i can get to it and basically dry ages. trim for grind or smaller cuts I can in produce tupperware that has a drain basket.

if you have to hang it's better in a garage or someplace with air circulation not in the sun. temps lower than 40 and not much above are needed. when i had to it's best to leave the hide on and like others said freeze larger jugs of ice to put in the cavity. remove the head, wind pipe, and esophagus as they're massive sources of bacteria. same for any entrails like intestines if you didn't field dress well. never leave the tenderloins in.

[Ausable]

Best $3,800 I've spent

[Robhuntandfish]

For future times If you have a chest freezer you can quarter up a deer and put it in garbage bags (non scented of course) and put in the freezer overnight.  It will not freeze enough to give you problems finishing up the next day.  But like others said shade or a garage and should be fine for later today 

[Wolc123]

Best nothing I ever spent (Thank you sis):

[Lawdwaz]

All the walk in coolers are great if you’re hunting at home.   
 

If not you need to get the hide off PDQ or get the deer to a qualified butcher, one who’ll get the hide off now and start the cooling process.  
 

The hind quarters are obviously the last place to cool and if the hide stays on the meat can start to spoil fast.  
 

I got the hide off mine shortly after hanging Friday morning then quartered and placed in the cooler yesterday morning.   I’ll butcher this morning.   
 

I keep a big cooler and meat saw at camp. 

Edited November 10, 2024 by Lawdwaz

[Lawdwaz]

Before I spent $3800 on (spend your money as you wish, I surely do lol) I’d build a cooler and get a CoolBot and a window a/c unit.  Probably be in it for $1500 or less……my issue is I’d need one at camp and one at home.  

 

[Wolc123]

I like to leave the hide on if we get the typical 30’s at night and 50’s in the day during gun season.  At night,  I open up the windows of our insulated, concrete floor garage to let in the cold air, and close them and draw the shades in the day.  
 

The concrete floor holds the cold and the hide helps to insulate, so the meat temp stays in the ideal 33-43 F range.  None of my family likes tough meat and even grind is tough if you don’t let it get past rigor mortis, prior to freezing.  
 

My free non frost-free “deer fridge” works great most of the time but I’m usually dealing with multiples on opening week of gun season and it only holds one average sized carcass comfortably.  
 

I’ve been doing it this way for over 40 years and never had one turn on me.  

Edited November 10, 2024 by Wolc123

[crappyice]

4 hours ago, Lawdwaz said:

All the walk in coolers are great if you’re hunting at home.   
 

If not you need to get the hide off PDQ or get the deer to a qualified butcher, one who’ll get the hide off now and start the cooling process.  
 

The hind quarters are obviously the last place to cool and if the hide stays on the meat can start to spoil fast.  
 

I got the hide off mine shortly after hanging Friday morning then quartered and placed in the cooler yesterday morning.   I’ll butcher this morning.   
 

I keep a big cooler and meat saw at camp. 

The ease of skinny a warm deer vs the misery of a cold deer makes that a no brainer for me...and if I then plan on hanging outside ill  throw it in a game bag 

[BowmanMike]

7 hours ago, Wolc123 said:

I like to leave the hide on if we get the typical 30’s at night and 50’s in the day during gun season.  At night,  I open up the windows of our insulated, concrete floor garage to let in the cold air, and close them and draw the shades in the day.  
 

The concrete floor holds the cold and the hide helps to insulate, so the meat temp stays in the ideal 33-43 F range.  None of my family likes tough meat and even grind is tough if you don’t let it get past rigor mortis, prior to freezing.  
 

My free non frost-free “deer fridge” works great most of the time but I’m usually dealing with multiples on opening week of gun season and it only holds one average sized carcass comfortably.  
 

I’ve been doing it this way for over 40 years and never had one turn on me.  

Leaving the hide on still slows down the initial cooling and I don't see any advantage of that. The tiny amount of extra dried meat that needs to be trimmed is marginal.

A concrete slab is a great thermal storage and equalizer for the temperature swings. I used to butcher in a friend's insulated garage with a slab and that worked amazing for hanging...in November. The downside was we were cutting up deer in 30 degree temps with a slab that felt even colder,lol.