aging/hanging your harvest

[jkkoplin]

I wanted to get a sense from folks, how long do you like to hang/age your harvest and what kind of results/changes do you see, especially between doe/buck meat, turkey etc. 

[BHC]

depends on the temperature and time of day I got my deer

If it's cold enough I may let it hang for a day or two, if it's late in the day I will get to a butcher ASAP if it's warm out.....But most of time I just take it to the butcher after getting it

[Tarhunt]

If it never gets above 40 degrees consistently then, I will hang the deer for as long as possible. I believe that it really tenderizes the meat. 

[nmc02]

The longer the better....just don't want it to freeze. 34-38 is perfect 

[mazzgolf]

I'm with @BHC - same. If it's cold enough, hang it in the garage for a couple days is good enough for me (or for however long my wife and kids can stand it before they start bitchin' about "ewww! that dead deer is still in the garage!" -- that is usually by day 3 or 4 ) .

If it's warm (over 40 degrees or so), I won't hang it. I don't want to risk spoiling.

[electricstart]

I have been doing this for 40 years. When I harvest a deer ,gut in woods as cleanly as you can . Take home most of the time because I bow hunt early season it is a little warm to hang over night . I have extra refrigerator in basement that I turn on . I skin and quarter animal ,wrap in plastic wrap . I put in refridge and usually stays at 38 degrees .You can keep in for up to two I weeks I usually start cutting up my steaks after ten days grind after that . You do not have to do all at once . Wrap and freeze . If it is cold enough 40s you can hang over night no problem .50s I would hang put bag of ice in chest cavity until morning . If you can wash out cavity that is good too . A lot of videos on you tube on gutting ,butchering quartering deer .

[vdep217]

A couple old timers I know would let hang skinned until maggots were in the black crust of the meat and pull the crust off.  Probably the mist tender meat I have had but I cannot bring my self to do it.  I will hang depending on weather early season I quarter and wet age in my fridge