Hanging Deer

[Blinginpse]

I know in the initial stage of slaughter animals are stunned and shackled by a hind leg and then stuck and hoisted so they can bleed out. Their transferred to a gambrel after that, it may just be easier to keep them hanging by the back legs to finish the processing. The last part is the splitting of the carcass, it's helpful to have an attachment point on each half. They also have the tendon on the back legs that make it easier to hang them by. Blood can't collect in the pelvic area if it's properly cored in the field dressing stage. If you don't overly expose the hind quarters during field dressing they should remain covered and protected by the hide. The interior of the pelvis is protected by the pelvic bone which when cut away during processing exposing fresh meat on the inside portions of the hind quarters. I'm thinking that at the point that we get them hanging either way would work. If someone could say for certain that one way is better than the other meat quality wise not just carcass management wise it would be have to be a consideration. Maybe the differences in hanging posture are just handed down, and or copied from the meat industry in some cases. Maybe someone with computer skills could conduct a poll , with a short explanation of why on the forum and see if there are any regional trends, or if it's mostly handed down.

Always hung beef pigs deer by the back legs. Always was taught by old.timers has to do with draining purposes

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[parkconner]

Temps in the 30’s, let’em hang. I’ve never let them hang with the hide on thou, always skinned it then let it hang for alittle while. Always head down. I just think it’s easier to cut them up that way.

 

[gcr0003]

So I seem to drag deer with a girth hitch around the neck and both front legs. That said, I gutted this deer in the woods then had a 1.5 mile drag to civic. When I got home I hung her up from the same rope I drug her with so head up. In the morning she was nice and stiff from the 34 degree night. I grabbed the top of an old cougar claw hand climber and hunt her up side down to skin. All and all I would say that it was easier to skin then the other deer I’ve done. No issues from me.

 

[GCTerpfan]

Stumbles across this video this morning. He makes some good points about hanging deer.

 

[gcr0003]

Stumbles across this video this morning. He makes some good points about hanging deer.

I think both work for sure. I just might try head up for skinning next time. What would it hurt.

 

[GCTerpfan]

I think both work for sure. I just might try head up for skinning next time. What would it hurt.

Yep, I've done both also. I personally tend to get less hair on the meat when head up but, they both work.

 

[gcr0003]

Yep, I've done both also. I personally tend to get less hair on the meat when head up but, they both work.

I like that reason even better. I never even thought about that but I have definitely experienced fighting the hair. The tips never stop here!

 

[iamcorey]

Post up pics man!

Small six


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[jm42]

I hung my buck in a cooler @ 34 degrees for 12 days with the hide on this year ( head down). The longest by far. Usually I would only hang them for a few days. I was hoping to notice a difference in my steaks tenderness but I could not.

 

[rakbowhunter]

I shot a doe that was probably a year and a half at most. Usually cut up right away, but decided to "age" the loins awhile. I put the loins over ice for 2 weeks before freezing them. Best loin I've cooked to date. Mafeva big difference to me. Highly recommend, plan on going a month next time.

 

[weekender21]

I hang deer when I have access to a cooler but never with the hide on. Having dirt and hair in the same environment with raw meat is counter intuitive.

I prefer cutting meat that has been hanging for a few days but it doesn’t make a difference in tenderness or flavor in my opinion. Boning a deer out at the kill site and refrigerating the meat works just fine too.


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[Skeeter]

Just remember, if you're ever going to hang the deer in your garage you should probably mention it to your family. My daughter still brings up the time she went in the garage to get something, turned on the light and found herself face-to-face with a field-dressed 6pt.

A frozen doe propped up by the washing machine to thaw also gets a good reaction