Your method on keeping a deer cold overnight?

[Ramapo Mountain Man]

As we all know, it's sometimes hard to get your deer to a butcher immediately after a kill.  Whether it be due to a late night recovery, or your butcher might be off for the day, or maybe you hunted before your kid's football game and need until tomorrow to get to a butcher.  Life happens.  I personally live a solid hour drive from a butcher so it's not always easy to get out ASAP.  Although I haven't had this issue in recent years, my fear of it happening seems to lurk before most of my hunts- especially early season.

For those who do not have a walk-in cooler, what is your preferred method to keep a deer cold for a day assuming day/night time temps are still in the high 40's, 50's, 60's or even higher during early season?  How long does your method seem to last and in what temp?  Are you leaving the hide on? (One butcher I've been to only accepts deer with hide on).

Would also love to hear from butchers with experience.  Thanks!

[Turkeyslayer]

I know this isn’t exactly what your looking for but if my butcher isn’t open i typically try to find a butcher that’s somewhat close that has a 24 hour drop off 

[archer36]

If temps are above 60 degrees, I pack the chest cavity with ice and ice between hind quarters. I always make ice chunks pre-season by filling quart (not all the way) size "ziploc" bags and freezing them. Also use ice cubes in bags because they could be formed into the carcass easier than blocks. Deer must be kept in the shade. 

Below, 50 degrees it's not critical if it's only a day or two. As long as the deer was gutted and kept in the shade it will be fine for a few days. Below 40 degrees it's not an issue at all but try to avoid getting a deep freeze on the carcass. 

These are average temps. If daytime is 60 and evenings are 40, then consider it 50 degrees, etc. 

I do not skin the animal before bringing to butcher. 

Edited November 20, 2023 by archer36

[username]

I never go to the butcher.

You need to control the temperature from above freezing to around 36F in order to help cure the meat and breakdown the collagen.  As long as the maximum temperature does not go above 40F (where hanging) during the day I am happy.

If you get a deer during the warmer weather, quarter the rear haunches, remove backstraps, and anything else you want and place into the fridge for a few days.  I have heard that the cuts may not be as nice as they can be since you are cutting during rigor mortis. 

I always skin sooner than later.  However, I suppose it could be another layer of protection should temperatures spike enough to wake up the flies.  Skinning and crusting also depends upon your taste.

Edited November 20, 2023 by username

[Ramapo Mountain Man]

21 minutes ago, archer36 said:

If temps are above 60 degrees, I pack the chest cavity with ice and ice between hind quarters. I always make ice chunks pre-season by filling quart (not all the way) size "ziploc" bags and freezing them. Also use ice cubes in bags because they could be formed into the carcass easier than blocks. Deer must be kept in the shade. 

Below, 50 degrees it's not critical if it's only a day or two. As long as the deer was gutted and kept in the shade it will be fine for a few days. Below 40 degrees it's not an issue at all but try to avoid getting a deep freeze on the carcass. 

These are average temps. If daytime is 60 and evenings are 40, then consider it 50 degrees, etc. 

I do not skin the animal before bringing to butcher. 

Great insight.  Seems like this is probably the best option for me.  Have you ever done this up into the 70s?  There have been a couple very hot days that have rolled through over the last few seasons.

[vdep217]

5 minutes ago, Ramapo Mountain Man said:

Great insight.  Seems like this is probably the best option for me.  Have you ever done this up into the 70s?  There have been a couple very hot days that have rolled through over the last few seasons.

When it's that warm I quarter and put in ny fridge

[Lunatic]

26 minutes ago, username said:

I never go to the butcher.

You need to control the temperature from above freezing to around 36F in order to help cure the meat and breakdown the collagen.  As long as the maximum temperature does not go above 40F (where hanging) during the day I am happy.

If you get a deer during the warmer weather, quarter the rear haunches, remove backstraps, and anything else you want and place into the fridge for a few days.  I have heard that the cuts may not be as nice as they can be since you are cutting during rigor mortis. 

I always skin sooner than later.  However, I suppose it could be another layer of protection should temperatures spike enough to wake up the flies.  Skinning and crusting also depends upon your taste.

That’s ok if you seal your ice. If you let the animal get wet you seriously risking introduction of bacteria, which thrives in wet environment. Keeping meet dry is a key 

[Greybeard]

I fill juice bottles about 3/4 with water to allow ice to expand and keep them in the freezer.  I usually debone and keep in a cooler with the jugs overnight when I have to, but have also packed the deer's cavity with ice jugs or even bags of ice then wrapped the deer(hide on) with wet towels to keep from drying out.  jugs work best because they contain the melted cold water.

Edited November 20, 2023 by Greybeard

[Black Bear Bowhunter]

I did all my deer so far by myself and at this point we’re talking about 36 of them.

Early season is always a challenge but I typically quarter the deer out and hang it in a fridge over night or two to be processed further. Also used a cooler with crushed ice in it and put plastic bins in it with the smaller cuts for further processing.

 

As others stated the 2 main factors is cool and dry and obviously it goes without saying clean.

Processed several deer before rigor mortis and never had an issue.

[archer36]

1 hour ago, Ramapo Mountain Man said:

Great insight.  Seems like this is probably the best option for me.  Have you ever done this up into the 70s?  There have been a couple very hot days that have rolled through over the last few seasons.

If over 70 degrees, you have no choice but to cut up into pieces and refrigerate. 

[smittty]

Skin quarter and refrigerator takes 15 min then when I have time butcher vacuum seal freeze 

Edited November 20, 2023 by smittty

[bushden]

28 minutes ago, smittty said:

Skin quarter and refrigerator takes 15 min then when I have time butcher vacuum seal freeze 

You must be pretty good if you can SKIN and QUARTER in less that 15 minutes.

[electric10162]

If its going to be over 50, we pack the cavity with ice. Like many others said, no direct sun or allow melting ice to taint the meat. 

[smittty]

38 minutes ago, bushden said:

You must be pretty good if you can SKIN and QUARTER in less that 15 minutes.

I believe I can I never timed myself but Jeeze I think I can.  I know it’s much less than a half hour. Sharp knife a little muscle and a sawzall. Been braking brown deer since I was eight as I’m sure a lot of us here were. Might take 20 minutes but if it takes longer than that you should buy a dairy farm because you really know how to milk a job 

[vdep217]

53 minutes ago, bushden said:

You must be pretty good if you can SKIN and QUARTER in less that 15 minutes.

Quartering a deer is very easy.  If I do a whole deer start to finish its about 1.5 to 2 hours nit including grinding or vacuum sealing

Edited November 20, 2023 by vdep217