# Safe temperature to leave deer hanging



## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

With higher than normal temps right now, I am curious as to a temperature zone that is safe to leave a deer hanging overnight. 

I'm thinking mid 50's would be about the max.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

If you are hanging one long term, 37 is the max. But, nobody does that in Texas outdoors. If you can get him cooled down (i.e. liberal application with a water hose), low to mid 40s is fine. 50s might be pushing it.


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## Trouthunter (Dec 18, 1998)

I wouldn't leave a deer hanging over-night if the temperature was over 50 degrees. That's just the way we've always done it.

Opinions will vary, lol.

TH


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

Miss. State U. did a study a few years ago. They came up with the ideal temp to be in the low 50"s to properly age deer meat. I can't recall much more than that.....


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Remind me not to eat deer meat in Mississippi.


Captn C said:


> Miss. State U. did a study a few years ago. They came up with the ideal temp to be in the low 50"s to properly age deer meat. I can't recall much more than that.....


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## Maddog (Aug 12, 2005)

If it's above 40 I butcher pretty quickly.


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## mdmerlin (Oct 10, 2006)

Yeah, Maddog, and from the looks of your avatar, you obviously speak from experience...:wink:


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## Main Frame 8 (Mar 16, 2007)

Link here says 34-38 degrees for proper aging.

http://mtruncatula.com/Ag/Wildlife/ProperCareOfVenison/index.html

I don't think any processor waits 16-21 days for the aging process to complete.


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## Jack Daniels (Oct 23, 2007)

As a former butcher, I can tell you what we maintained our temps at. Our work area where the processing took place was a steady 56 F. You had to really watch the temp of the meat and limit the amount of time in 56. Max I would let meat climb to would be 45. The hanging cooler (where we stored meat for processing and also aged carcasses) was maintained at 36 F. Then our blast freezer was -10 F. Keep in mind that bacteria is growing at any temperature, but the colder it is, the slower the bacteria grows. I personally would not hang a deer in more than 45 F for more than a few hours. You might be fine eating a deer that was hanging out all night in the mid 50's, but why expose the meat to that much bacteria if you can quarter it and put on ice?


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## MLCinNCTX (May 30, 2007)

Jack Daniels said:


> As a former butcher, I can tell you what we maintained our temps at. Our work area where the processing took place was a steady 56 F. You had to really watch the temp of the meat and limit the amount of time in 56. Max I would let meat climb to would be 45. The hanging cooler (where we stored meat for processing and also aged carcasses) was maintained at 36 F. Then our blast freezer was -10 F. Keep in mind that bacteria is growing at any temperature, but the colder it is, the slower the bacteria grows. I personally would not hang a deer in less than 45 F for more than a few hours. You might be fine eating a deer that was hanging out all night in the mid 50's, but why expose the meat to that much bacteria if you can quarter it and put on ice?


*Jack* *Daniels -* provider of excellent advice and a fine drink for the evening.
It is just to easy to undress the deer, quarter it, and put it in a cooler.


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## bountyhunter (Jul 6, 2005)

40F max for overnight hanging and that would only be if there is some reason I can't get him in the cooler. Mid 30s or lower and he can hang without worry.


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## wiserwithage (Jul 13, 2007)

Good post. It is amazing how many deer I see on trailers or in the bed of trucks. They haul them from South Texas and expect the meat to taste good. Go figure!

I like to quarter my deer and place in a cooler full of ice. Let it age in the cooler for several days. This removes the blood and makes the venison yummy. I feed my guests venison all the time and they think it is hamburger. I always have a little snicker when they leave and tell me how good the meal tasted.


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## idletime (May 11, 2005)

I agree with what was said above. I usually quarter mine within the hour. However, here is another perspective... My grandfather, who lives in Eagle Pass, hangs his older deer for 3-4 days in a fly proof open air area (kind of like a sealed screen porch). He claims that as long as the flys don't get to it, it is the best way to age an older tough animal.


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

My memory must be worst than I thought...I can't find anything to back what I stated in my earlier post, but I did find a cool link that has a bunch of info on the subject:

http://www.best-venison.com/whatsmeat-05.html


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