Warm temps for firearm deer opener

[cavalierowner]

I'm looking at the long range forecast for firearm opener for Isabella, near where our group hunts. Right now it's showing highs in the mid 50's and lows in the mid to upper 30's for the weekend, then dropping off slightly after that. I'm concerned about those high temps, should we get a deer. If the forecast holds, I'm thinking we may buy a bunch of ice on our way up Friday afternoon, as finding ice last minute up there can be pretty hit and miss. I have even thought about laying a deer on the cold ground in the morning, then covering it with hay and a tarp.

 

What are your thoughts/plans? 

[DonBo]

You get the hide off them and they can hang at those temps for several days with no problem.  Just make sure they're in the shade and you'll be fine.

[certified jumbo]

Mid 50s is getting borderline in my books.   As donbo said get skin off quickly. We will let ours hang overnight, probably put them in fridge next day if daytime high temps hold true for next week. 

[ESSGuy]

I checked my journal and the last 2 bucks our group took was in 2010, one was took Sunday morning, that day's high temp was 58. Second was taken Monday morning, that day's high was 60. Both hung in shade till Tuesday midday and were perfectly fine eating. But as my father always says, "ya gotta shoot em first"

[Todd Caswell]

No need to worry with those temps, and  wouldn't bother taking the hide off either, you take the hide off before butchering and it will only dry the outer meat out,  hang them in the shade, cool night time temps will cool them off fine. I'm liking the warm forcast no reason to freeze your AZZ off if you don't have to..

 

[96trigger]

Keep them in the shade. It will be at or below 45 degrees for the majority of the time. If it was highs in the 60s I'd be more concerned.

[CANOPY SAM]

With all due respect guys, it can be a little thin on "shade" when all the leaves are down off the trees.  We're looking at temps possibly kissing the 60's on Sunday up in NW Minnesota.  Wherever, and whenever possible, I'd get em' at least inside a garage, shed, or some kind of building where those overnight 30's-40's will at least keep them reasonably cool all day.

 

Also, if you can wash out the inner body cavity, and inner hind legs, anywhere and anything that might have been touched by the viscera or body fluids, that can REALLY help to prevent any spoilage.  Cool, clean water, but try to dry em' out pretty well once they're clean.  Cool and dry is best....at least for the first few days.

 

The best you can hope to do is keep the bacterial growth to a minimum.  As long as it stays reasonably dry outside (dry air) the bulk of the meat should be fine.  But if it's climbing into the high 50's, or low 60's, you better find a way to cool that meat down at least a little bit.  Even quartering up the animal and hanging the quarters in a semi-shady area can really help to keep the internal temp down a bit.  If you can get your animal into an area where the temps remain in the 40's you're golden!  

[leech~~]

I call friend. They say 3-4 day 60 degrees no one die.  Yet!

Edited October 31, 2016 by leech~~

[cavalierowner]

9 hours ago, Todd Caswell said:

No need to worry with those temps, and  wouldn't bother taking the hide off either, you take the hide off before butchering and it will only dry the outer meat out,  hang them in the shade, cool night time temps will cool them off fine. I'm liking the warm forcast no reason to freeze your AZZ off if you don't have to..

 

Talked some more with our group and everyone can get their hands on a couple gallon jugs that we'll put in the freezer and bring up with us. Shade can be a little hard to come by, so I have a silver tarp I'll bring up to loosely cover a deer; that'll reflect most of the sun. But, like someone said, we still have to actually shoot a deer. They're pretty scarce where we hunt.

 

I don't know, I kind of like the cold weather! I can stay in my stand longer than anyone in our group, so they get the deer moving when they get down to walk and warm up!! Although last years muzzle loader season was a bit too cold. We hunted in -10 degrees, but the morning we woke up and it was -22 and windy, we said screw this and went back to bed. That was the first time since I started hunting in the mid-60's that I wimped out.

[certified jumbo]

I see high temps are going up.  Mid 60s for Central mn and low 60s for Northern mn on Saturday .   I would be prepared for a plan B.

Edited November 2, 2016 by certified jumbo

[ZachD]

On ‎10‎/‎31‎/‎2016 at 5:40 AM, cavalierowner said:

Talked some more with our group and everyone can get their hands on a couple gallon jugs that we'll put in the freezer and bring up with us. Shade can be a little hard to come by, so I have a silver tarp I'll bring up to loosely cover a deer; that'll reflect most of the sun. But, like someone said, we still have to actually shoot a deer. They're pretty scarce where we hunt.

 

I don't know, I kind of like the cold weather! I can stay in my stand longer than anyone in our group, so they get the deer moving when they get down to walk and warm up!! Although last years muzzle loader season was a bit too cold. We hunted in -10 degrees, but the morning we woke up and it was -22 and windy, we said screw this and went back to bed. That was the first time since I started hunting in the mid-60's that I wimped out.

Man I hunt 601 so my season goes longer into the month the other year when it was -24 me and my uncle went out he planned on staying out all day of course he was on the ground in a hut and I was in a ladder stand in the open over looking the swamp. I cant believe I made it till 11am I didn't want to get down and be the one to go in early. Was I ever glad when my uncle came walking up to my stand saying lets go in. I wish I would have been as smart as you and stayed in bed.

[Satchmo]

I suspect there will be far more ice used this weekend than propane.

[Wanderer]

Personally I carry large game bags with me and use them in this type of weather.

 

We have an insulated garage we can manage the temp on at camp if we're sensible about when doors are open.  I'll skin the deer after the high fives are over, spread that chest cavity open with a stick and pull the bag over it after the steam slows down.  The bag will let the carcass breathe but not dry out too quickly.

 

A note of caution that WAS mentioned about using water - dry the meat after putting water on it, if that's your practice. The water left on the meat can accelerate spoilage.  

 

Cavalierowner,

 

Traps trap more heat than help keep cool.  They're big on the greenhouse effect.  I wouldn't do anything more than try to block the sun with one.  And then still have a way for the heat to escape.  Ever notice how even on a cool night it's just a little warmer under the easy up?

 

The MN Deer Hunters Assc. Has mentioned to please not put your donated hides in the boxes, inside plastic bags of any kind - the hides spoil faster that way.

[leech~~]

[cavalierowner]

I have GOT to stop looking at the forecast! Now it has 60 degrees for a high temp both Saturday and Sunday in Isabella. Not sure how I'm going to stay awake in the stand when it's that warm.

[Boar]

shot em if ur worried. deal with the work at that time. bring some cooler and quarter it up and go get some ice. i deal with higher temps than this with bear. just dont let it hang by the hind legs where blood can pool and bacteria form in the chest cavity. weve  delt with these temps before, that why im waiting for muzzy, my fave!!!

[ESSGuy]

I always thought the best way to hang was head down, because the heat goes up so the chest cavity doesn't trap the heat. Plus most of the meat is in the rear quarters so the blood drains away? Maybe I'm wrong.

[MJ1657]

4 hours ago, ESSGuy said:

I always thought the best way to hang was head down, because the heat goes up so the chest cavity doesn't trap the heat. Plus most of the meat is in the rear quarters so the blood drains away? Maybe I'm wrong.

You're not wrong. 

[cavalierowner]

I've always hung deer head up. And I've always washed out the body cavity as soon as we get back to the cabin. I want that body cavity clean as a whistle. The only difference this year is that we'll put the deer in a trailer, rather than hang it, so we can get our ice in the body cavity. 

 

I'm with Boar, firearm season is nice, but I LIVE for muzzle loader season!

[Satchmo]

14 hours ago, Boar said:

shot ttm if ur wotemps. deal with the work at that time. bring some cooler and quarter it up and go get some ice. i deal with higher temps than this with bear. just dont let it hang by the hind legs where blood can pool and bacteria form in the chest cavity. weve  delt with these temps before, that why im waiting for muzzy, my fave!!!

Yep!!!  Compared to bear hunting, these temos are a piece of cake to deal with. All It takes Is Ice!

Edited November 4, 2016 by Satchmo