QA

Question: How To Gut A Deer Hanging Upside Down

Do you hang a deer upside down?

Head Up or Down? Hang deer with the head up or down. Some hunters argue that hanging deer by the hind legs will prevent gastric juices from the esophagus draining down onto the hams. I also find it easier to skin and butcher deer with the head up, but this is purely personal preference.

Is it better to hang a deer head up or head down?

With the hind legs up, gravity helps make your meat better. If you hang the deer with the head up and the hind legs down, some fluids will settle into the hind quarters where they stay in the meat. With the head down, you skin the deer, remove his head and discard it.

How do you hang a deer by its head?

Which way should you hang a deer?

The ideal way to hang your ungulate for aging is using a technique called the tenderstretch method. The tenderstretch method is done by placing a hook beneath the pelvic hip bone or below the ligament passing along the backside. When done properly, the hindquarters of your deer will hang at a 90-degree angle.

Should you hang a deer before butchering?

You should let your deer hang for 2 to 4 days at minimum before processing to avoid this. A general rule of thumb is, the older the deer, the longer the hang time. Longer hanging times will allow the deer’s natural enzymes and acids to break down and tenderize the meat and give it a smoother, less “gamey” flavor.

Should you skin a deer right away?

Skin It. In September or early October, it never hurts to skin a deer as quickly as possible so the meat will begin to cool down. This is a must if you don’t have access to cold storage and intend to hang your deer in the shade of a tree. To do this, the air temperature needs to be 40 degrees or cooler at night.

How long can you let a deer hang in 40 degree weather?

It was as solid as a rock and had no way to thaw it out. I know some beef is hanging for 40 days in a properly chilled coolers. If you are below 40 degrees you are fine IMHO for as long as you might want. Had a buddy hang one for several weeks at about 32 degrees and it was just fine.

How long can a deer hang in 50 degree weather?

A meat cooler at a butcher shop is set around 42 degrees. Being 50-60 deggrees out this weekend I would not hang it for long that is for sure. I would say no more then a 3 hours at the most.

Why do you hang a deer upside down?

Better drainage Rinsing and draining the blood, guts, and other undesirables from a deer before butchering is more effective with its butt to the ground. Again, the chest cavity acts as a reservoir if you hang the deer in reverse.

How long can a deer hang at 38 degrees?

38-40 degrees seems about perfect. You can hang it a long long time. Much over 50-55 is getting too warm probably, at least for very long. But we’ve hung animals in the shade in the 50s (high of the day) for 2 or 3 days no problem.

How do you gut a deer bandana?

Here are the essential steps to getting it done. Step 1: Cut through the skin around the anus, completely freeing the rectum. Step 2: Begin gutting incision; do not pierce abdominal wall. Step 3: Pierce abdominal wall at the base of the sternum. Step 4: Saw or cut through the pelvis to allow passage of lower intestine.

How long does rigor mortis last in deer?

First, the muscles go into rigor mortis, a stiffening lasting at most 24 hours. Butchering a deer during rigor mortis is one of the worst things you can do. It can cause a phenomenon called shortening, where the muscles contract and remain tougher than if butchering took place a day later.

How high should a buck pole be?

About 12 foot is the right height , need to get them high enough that a dog or other critter can not get on them at night.

How long do you have to gut a deer after killing it?

Depends on weather conditions and temperatures. If it’s cold it can be good up to 24 hours. If it’s warm and depending on how warm, it’s much less than that before meat spoilage will occur.

What temperature can you let a deer hang?

If you’re thinking about hanging your deer or elk meat in order to age it, the first and most important consideration should be the average temperature. The ideal meat hanging temperature range that should be maintained should fall somewhere between 33 and 40 degrees.

Should you wash deer meat before freezing?

However, avoid rubbing the glands on the meat and avoid handling the glands and then handling the meat without washing well. However, meat does not go bad when it freezes during the aging process. The meat should be kept clean and dry throughout field dressing, cold storage and aging processes.