# How long do I have to get a deer to the processor before the meat spoils



## RipperIII (Sep 12, 2008)

If I am fortunate enough to kill a deer tomorrow, how long do I have to get it to a processor before the meat spoils?
I have never field dressed of quartered a deer and so I don't feel comfortable doing so at this time.


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## Greg Tench (Sep 12, 2008)

You need to field dress as soon as possible. Take a bag of ice and stuff it in the chest cavity until you get it to a cooler/processor.


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## germag (Sep 12, 2008)

As hot as it is, I'd waste no time at all. I'd get the innards out of it and get it to the cooler as quickly as possible.


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## Howard Roark (Sep 12, 2008)

My deer can be in an ice chest within an hour.


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## Rabbit Hunter 101 (Sep 12, 2008)

ASAP especially with this heat. If you are with anyone get them to help you dress it since it will be your first.


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## Acrey (Sep 12, 2008)

Man I would definately gut the deer and do the ice in the chest deal, if you are not going to get the deer to the processor in a hour i would buy several bags of ice and cover her up in the bed of the truck. Man every hunter needs to know how to gut a deer, I can hang a deer and debone the straps,hind quarters, front shoulders,  and neck. That way you can put it in a cooler and put ice on it.


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## merc123 (Sep 13, 2008)

Last year we took 2.5 hours to find and drag.  Gutted and no ice and 45 mins b4  we quartered.  It was good and 85* out


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## 4wheeling4life (Sep 13, 2008)

unless I could drag it out of the woods and to the processers door, chill it asap!!!


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## whitworth (Sep 13, 2008)

*Unrefrigerated ?*

What do you think?  

I've seen ground beef, right from the grocery store meat department to the refrigerator, start turning bad after a couple of days. 

I always gut my deer, after the shot.  I get it home and package up the deer for the refrigerator and freezer that night.


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## straitshooter (Sep 13, 2008)

in warmy weather immediately. i 1/4 my deer up right in the woods and pack it on ice. if you get some place where it is cold (around 20 degrees) i usually hang my deer for several days. the blood flows out of it that way and gets rid of a lot of the game taste


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## JustUs4All (Sep 13, 2008)

You need to get the meat tended to as quickly as possible.  The no. 1 most important thing is to get the guts out immediately.  This is even more important if there is a possibility that your shot has perforated anything in the gut area.  Spillage from here will impart a tainted flavor to meat very quickly.  

There are instructions all over the Internet on how to gut a deer.  I did my first more than 20 years ago by myself from reading the written instructions.  (Dad wasn't a deer hunter).  It is pretty basic and not difficult.  You are going to feel soooo good about yourself when you have done this.    Give yourself a pat on the back from me.

Once gutted put ice in the chest cavity if you have it.  If not, wedge the ribcage open with a short stick to let air help cool it.  Only wash it out if the meat has made contact with gut contents.  The blood will dry and create a barrier that will help keep the meat from drying out.  

Good luck, great hunting, and enjoy eating what is one of the best meats in America.

Get it to a processor or process it yourself as quickly as you can.  Once you have a deer on the ground it is ever so much more important to take care of that meat than to try to get more.  Get more later.

Good Luck.


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## VenisonMan (Sep 13, 2008)

Hey if you're close enough I'll show you how, for some of the meat  But seriously there is alot of info on the internet. Maybe until you know how you should hunt in a group. I didn't take a deer my first year and it's probably a good thing. The year after that I went with some ol' country boys who gutted, quartered and even ground their own meat. What I learned people would pay good money to learn. I ended up buying my own grinder from Northern Tool and I do it now also. Admitedly taking it to a processor is a more cost effective way but for me the quartering etc. is part of the hunt camp routine. And you also know for sure that you are getting all the meat from your deer.


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## brofoster (Sep 13, 2008)

You actually have quite a few hours before it gets crazy.  The first thing to go bad is the intrails.  Get the thing gutted ASAP. In SC we would shoot deer at 8 in the morning in August and not skin em out til after lunch.  Never a problem.


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## Lead Poison (Sep 13, 2008)

brofoster said:


> You actually have quite a few hours before it gets crazy.  The first thing to go bad is the intrails.  Get the thing gutted ASAP. In SC we would shoot deer at 8 in the morning in August and not skin em out til after lunch.  Never a problem.



Bro's right. I live in south Florida and you'd be surprised how long you really have, even in our hot weather. 

Obviously, I like to get my deer in the cooler as quickly as possible, but in reality, you really have a good 3 hours or so.


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## chambers270 (Sep 13, 2008)

I agree, the faster the better but even in hot weather you have a few hours. I always load mine up, drive the 45 minutes home and start cleaning. I have never gutted any of my deer and they have always been fine.


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