another field dressing question

gogo · Post by **gogo** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:11 am

It seems to me that it is very important to field dress a deer asap after the kill. But if you cannot find your deer till the next day is the deer meat still good. You might not field dress the deer until 12 or more hrs go by.

bojangles · Post by **bojangles** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:35 am

depends on the temperature.....as long as it stays cool out it should be okay

bzz · Post by **bzz** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:42 am

well if the temp is colder you should be ok . if your tracking for a couple hundred yards and no sign of it then just stop for a bit a let it lay down chances are evrn if you find it 10 or 12 hours later it may hve omly died a coulple of hours .one time we left the buck out over night and went back for him in the mourning he was still warm when we found him just a couple yards from wher we decided to stop looking .

Missouri_Hunter · Post by **Missouri_Hunter** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:26 pm

just an opinion here, but it could depend on the location of the shot...

by that I mean....if it is gut shot then you will have some bacteria in the body cavity...it could shorten your time before meat spoilage...

but temperature is a key factor...I have field dressed a heart shot deer and let it hang for 48 hours in 60 degree weather with no problems at all...

I butcher my own deer so I always take care to watch for meat spoilage...

lots of variables to work with...

but I think recovery within 24 hours is probably OK...

after the deer is dead the only way to contaminate the meat is through contact with the bacteria...

the blood is no longer pumping to carry it through the meat...

someone with an advanced knowledge of biology/medicine may have more information...

these are just my observations and not the advice of a professional...

flintman · Post by **flintman** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:39 pm

Just remember the three things that spoil meat are heat. dirt, and moisture. I would go ahead and tag the animal and check it in no matter what I end up doing with the meat.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 5:07 pm

If the deer has been dead for very long I would not field dress it. I would tag it in whole, then hang & skin it and remove the meat from the outside.

michiganman · Post by **michiganman** » Wed Oct 07, 2009 10:29 pm

if you happen to open the guts with the shot,then wash out cavity with cold water.i use my hose.also your inner loins might not be good. i aften wash the inside out after i get the deer home.meat man by me has done this for years and they do 500 deer a year.