How Long Can a Harvested Deer Be Left Out?

[Woods Walker]

One more point that I think we ALL can agree on........

NEVER, EVER cover or put that meat in a PLASTIC BAG OF ANY SORT until you are ready to freeze it! If you want to keep it clean, then use the cheesecloth.....always.

[JPH]

ORIGINAL: Woods Walker

One more point that I think we ALL can agree on........

NEVER, EVER cover or put that meat in a PLASTIC BAG OF ANY SORT until you are ready to freeze it! If you want to keep it clean, then use the cheesecloth.....always.

Really? Tell me more.

Do you mean meat that is exposed to the outside elements? I usually put my meat in bags as it goes in the cooler. It has never created a problem that I am aware of, but I'm always willing to learn.

[Woods Walker]

I was refering more to meat that is outside. Plastic is airtight, and bacteria growth is rapdily accelerated when the meat is sealed up like that. I know of several cases where a quartered deer was put in plastic bags and it spoiled in 24 hours. Granted, it wasn't at 38 degrees, but most times a deer carcass will see temps that vary 20+ under most camp conditions.

Part of aging venison is allowing it to breathe, and air circulation is crucial. From what I know of how you handle your deer, you are not really aging it as much as just making sure that it's completely cooled out before you freeze it, which is also crucial.

[fave]

I would have to agree with WW that air flow over the meat is of top priority in marginal temperature situations. If you have access to ice and coolers the problem is already solved. Contrary to that, you might have to deal with common field care in moderate or extreme temps. My buddy and I had to deal with two 1500-1800 pound moose in Alsaka in the same week. Temps were 30's to 70's the whole two weeks we were in the bush. We had two moose down the first three days. It took five days to get them to camp then we chunked them, laid it on a cloth tarp and put another tarp over the top propped up by sticks so air could flow between the two tarps. In the morning we would uncover the meat and let the sun dry the outside, turning the meat every other day so it would crust over. As soon as the temps rose we covered the meat back up. 1200 pounds of unspoiled meat left Alaska with us. I told the processor to take the scaps and make hotdogs from them. My mistake, you can only eat so many moose hotdogs and 100 pounds of them is tooo much!