Hanging deer in freezing temps

[mabr]

Never been an issue with the years past but there calling for mid to low teens here tonight. I shot one on friday evening and he has been hanging outside sense. I was planning on skinning and quartering him up tomorrow but now im concerned he may freeze up on me.

I have a heated shop I can put him in to thaw out tomorrow and skin as planned but im not sure that would be the best idea. Thoughts?

[Gordie]

They will still skin out some what froze but your fingers take a freezing as well. I use the thermo - rubber skinned work gloves. If you can get thawed all the better. I have thawed deer before and butchered no problems here with it.

I have also quartered deer and put them in a fridge for a week cause I could get at them and no problems either.

[Alagnak]

Not that it freezing hurts anything, but if you're going to cut it up right away anyway- there's no reason to let it freeze just to thaw it out the next day. Don't you have an 'unheated' garage/shed or something to put it in for the short period of time until you cut it up? Wrap an old blanket around it for the night?

[DonBo]

Yep, they're a beeotch to skill when frozen. If you can get them inside to thaw, then go for it. If you have to deal with it when froze, well just get 'er done. Either way the meat will be fine. Me? I'd rather skin 'em while still warm, then butcher later.

[mabr]

Yeah DonBo, that's how i have done it forever. This year is different no garage as of yet on my recent move to Alexandria area. I may just take him into my shop tonight before it gets to frozen.

[B-man715]

I would leave it hang for the night outside. Doubt it will even freeze the deer at all. With the warm temps lately I bet the meat is around 40 degrees (it will keep the hide from freezing). It would have to be cold for a few days before you would have anything to worry about.

Hope this helps!

[mabr]

Went ahead and gave up the last night of hunting to get it done. Feel alot better knowing its in the cooler

[hockeybc69]

Good call mabr. If you shot it Friday, that thing was already plenty cooled by now. Temps plummeting today/tonight woulda made the skinning task a bit more frustrating tomorrow.