There can be considerable confusion about just how long venison should be hung up before it is cut and wrapped. New hunters, and more seasoned ones, have pondered this question for a long time and part of the problem is that opinions can vary significantly.
This is understandable when you consider that the conditions can vary between extremes. Some beliefs and ideas also don’t make a great deal of sense. For instance, many hunters might tell you that the reason for aging the venison is to let it bleed out. The truth is that once the deer is dead, the heart stops pumping blood through the body and the blood coagulates, so it actually doesn’t bleed out.
There is a good reason for hanging and aging a deer, though, and this is meant as a practical guide.
Hanging The Deer
As soon after killing a deer as possible, it should be hung up, whether that is in camp or at home. This allows air circulation to cool the meat and keep it colder while also allowing a hunter to skin the deer more easily. There are a lot of opinions regarding whether it is best to hang the deer with the head at the bottom or with the head at the top (regardless if the head has actually been removed), but this really makes little difference and is up to the hunter and their personal preference.
Once the hide has been removed using a quality skinning knife and the carcass has been thoroughly cleaned, the rib cage of the animal should be propped open. This allows more air to get to the meat, and this is really what the hanging and aging is all about. Even butchered cattle are hung and aged, though a lot of people don’t realize it. If they aren’t, the meat tends to taste sour or ‘gamey’. Some people like that flavor, but it is safe to say that most don’t.
Key Takeaways:[yes_list]
- The Deer should be hung up ASAP after the kill allowing air circulation to keep the meat cool
- The Deer then needs to be skinned and cleaned
- Prop open the rib cage to allow for more air to the meat
[/yes_list]
How Long To Hang A Deer
Now we get to the real crux of the matter and the reason that there is confusion. Some hunters will tell you that a deer needs to be hung a minimum of a week and preferably two weeks. Others will tell you that three or four days is enough. Believe it or not, both are right.
A hanging deer should be kept as close to 40 degrees F, or below, as possible. The reason is that at higher temperatures, meat can spoil easily. That is about as simple as it gets. If you shoot a deer on a mountain top with the air temperature at close to freezing, you are afforded the luxury of letting the deer hang longer. If the deer is taken when the air temperatures are 70 or 80, it obviously can’t sit out as long because of the proliferation of bacteria that spoil the meat. On the mountain top, a couple weeks of hanging wouldn’t be uncalled for, but in the warmer temperatures, a few days would probably be the maximum, and even then, it would be hoped that the deer would be placed somewhere that it could stay cooler.
Aging involves allowing some of the proteins in the meat to break down a little. Letting it rot is going way overboard.
Key takeaways:
[yes_list]
- Most important thing is to keep the deer as cool as possible
- 40 degrees F is ideal
- The cooler you can keep the deer the longer it can age for (weeks)
- The warmer the temp is the less it should age for (days)
[/yes_list]
Keeping The Venison Dry
It needs to also be mentioned that whether you have two weeks or three days, the venison should be kept as dry as possible. If necessary, pat it dry several times a day. If you don’t keep the meat dry, molds can form on the meat. These aren’t the same as bacteria and they can be removed if caught quickly enough, but they sure don’t lead to the best tasting deer meat. This is the reason that the deer should be thoroughly dried after it has been skinned and completely rinsed off.
Key Takeaways:
[yes_list]
- Keep the deer dry patting it often
[/yes_list]
Hanging and aging a deer results in very good tasting and exceptionally healthy meat. Not doing it properly can lead to sour tasting meat at best, and a good case of diarrhea as a possible consequence. There is no ‘best’ amount of time to hang and age a deer because it depends on the circumstances. On the other hand, there is easily a worst way to do it. It is my wish that you can honestly enjoy the wonderful flavor of properly processed venison. It truly is one of the best tasting meats, and healthiest, available to American sportsmen.
Image sourced and remixed from Lance Fisher
