Letting them lay

[Njkoren]

What are your thoughts on letting a deer lay in this type of weather? Is recovering a deer shot at last light in the morning too long?

[Buck619]

That is real tough to say. For meat I would venture to say not a good choice unless the deer were to live for about 6 hours after the shot. These temps on meat are real bad but to push the deer and never recover is also real hard. I have been in your spot and these are hard choices and sleeplessness nights.


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[Bones]

Mid 60’s over night no bueno 

[JHbowhunter]

Has to be in 40’s overnight - or die close to recover time. 

[Njkoren]

What is the right thing to do in this case? I still have to report it to f&g and tell them the animal wasnt salvageable right?

[Njkoren]

I will probably call in and explain when i find the deer

[Greybeard]

Not good.  Not good in any weather really.  There will be some effect because deer cavities stay warm a long time even when it's cold, allowing bacteria to grow.  The longer it's on it's feet, the longer bacteria has to spread through the bloodstream.  Nothing beats a quick kill and recovery, but when that doesn't happen you have a tough choice to make and have to consider other things like coyotes, or pushing it into a development.

[Greybeard]

2 minutes ago, Njkoren said:

What is the right thing to do in this case? I still have to report it to f&g and tell them the animal wasnt salvageable right?

Did you call regional law office last night to let them know you shot a deer and did not recover it yet?  Then let them know if you do or don't find it in the morning, and submit a harvest report it if you do.  You can ask about a salvage tag if meat is no good or a coyote got it, but I'm not sure what the outcome of that will be

[tcook8296]

52 minutes ago, Greybeard said:

Did you call regional law office last night to let them know you shot a deer and did not recover it yet?  Then let them know if you do or don't find it in the morning, and submit a harvest report it if you do.  You can ask about a salvage tag if meat is no good or a coyote got it, but I'm not sure what the outcome of that will be

I would say the meat will be no good. If its a good buck and you find him, use your tag that way at least you will be legal with the antlers. I never call and report a deer that is hit and not found the same day unless its the last day of that season

[Psehunter]

I've had the same and imo get it out of the woods clean it out the chest cavity the best you can and get it over to an experienced butcher for his opinion. Most of them guys can tell right away I it's any good or not but like others said it was too warm lastnight. Do what I said just for a piece of mind that you did everything you can.

[Greybeard]

Cut a slice in the hind quarter and stick your nose in it.  If it smells like your neighbors septic is overflowing it's not going to taste good.

[Nomad]

Chances are a gut shot deer is going to be alive most, if not all, of the night anyway, so the temperature won't matter.  On other hits you might want to follow up sooner than you would normally.

[Mixbaghunter]

I would go get deer and see you may loose  some but not all take to your butcher and see what he says . May get the quarters but nothing by  gut cavity 

[JFC1]

26 minutes ago, Mixbaghunter said:

I would go get deer and see you may loose  some but not all take to your butcher and see what he says . May get the quarters but nothing by  gut cavity 

I don't use butchers. But in cases like this I do the smell test on hindquarters mentioned above and I use nothing from chest cavity. I do, however, cut out the back straps and quarter it if passes the smell test. Key thing is to butcher quickly and get it on ice/in the freezer right away. Liver is also a good indicator. If really bad, then you're in trouble. If just bad, rest of meet OK. If sweet, fry it up with some onions and mushrooms in a vermouth sauce, pour in heavy cream at the end, flambe it with some good Maker's Mark, and when the flame goes out shut off and eat on top of mushroom raviolis. That's a dish fit for the king and you're using something that most people throw out. Oh, and have I mentioned lungs??

[bushden]

It is cool enough at night where the deer wont spoil,as long as you get to it before you start getting sunlight. The biggest problem is coyotes and fox, once a deer it eaten open I wont touch the meat.

Edited November 11, 2020 by bushden