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How long to hang a deer?

30K views 29 replies 23 participants last post by  SFT 
About the mold... yes it is common when hanging and aging both elk and deer.   Something my grandfather taught me long ago was to wipe down any big game carcass after skinning, both inside and out with a solution of 1/2 water and 1/2 white vinegar.  

The solution will not only somewhat neutralize anything on the carcase from tarsal glands and perhaps leaked paunch juices, but will also act as a natural anti-bacterial agent, greatly reducing spoilage possibility.  The vinegar/water solution also inhibits mold groth.

If you get mold on the carcass. simply wipe off with the vinegar/water solution prior to butchering for the freezer.

Bon Appetite'

Marshall
 
I'll have to second that motion on the pronghorn.  When hunting these, we actually carry a setup that cantilevers off of the ladder rack on the pickup, so that we can hang and skin our pronghorn literally within minutes of them hitting the ground.  In fact, we jerk the hide so quickly, that we wait to gut them until the hide is pulled off, then open them up and let the intrails fall right on the ground, never the chance of a broken paunch or bladder, no neat little pellets deposited in the carcase either!

Not only does this system allow the hide to come off quickly to cool the carcase, but the tailgate of the truck acts as a great work-table  as well.  Once skinned and gutted, we quarter them and pop into well filled ice chests in the back of the truck for immediate chilling!  Once back where more ice is available, we pull the quarters from the ice chests, empty them and reload with fresh ice, on and around the now firmed up meat which we place into garbage bags before icing down.

Never have had a bad piece of pronghorn when taken care of this way.  

Blessings,

Marshall
 
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