Hot Weather Meat Care

[Runnin_Chupacabra]

I've found a promising spot for taking a buck, it would be my first buck. The terrain is steep (1k elevation change in 1.5 miles) with occasional patches of junipers but really no trees. The area gets hot (up to 100+ a lot of times) although this weekend should be in the high 80's. My question is, if I get a buck down in the late morning, far from the road, in the bottom where there aren't any trees, in steep terrain, what is the best way to get the buck out of there? I'm thinking of quartering it (CA blacktail) and making a few trips and hoping nothing spoils in the heat. Maybe also take my first load to a juniper somewhere to stash before packing the remaining meat to the truck.

Another question is hanging the deer. It may not be an option to do so, as the coolest it will get overnight is the low 50's and up to the 80's during the day. Best to just throw it in the fridge for a few days then into the freezer?

Thanks for helping a newbie deer hunter out. Much different than taking care of ducks after a morning of the refuge!

 

[hank4elk]

Always a challenge on the CC, heat early in season. Skin ,quarter and get meat in bags and shade with a breeze. I have had to use my truck for shade for second trip.
Get it in a cooler ASAP. Or a fridge. Work the meat at night or in AC.

 

[pabearhunter]

Always a challenge on the CC, heat early in season. Skin ,quarter and get meat in bags and shade with a breeze. I have had to use my truck for shade for second trip.
Get it in a cooler ASAP. Or a fridge. Work the meat at night or in AC.

X-2

 

[Pucky Freak]

Even if it’s hot outside, skinned quarters in a shady, breezy location will cool rapidly from evaporation. If there is not much wind, there is always a location on the mountain where thermals move the air well. Make sure to use multiple game bags so it is not a giant lump of meat in one big bag. A few years ago I hung an antelope in 75-80 degree heat for a few hours and the meat was just fine, packed out in the dark, then in the cooler on ice for 2 days, deboned, processed, and froze after that. Meat was delicious.

 

[Scott85]

I would also keep the meat bone in if possible so it has more surface area to cool over.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Also should mention important factors of finding the dead animal quickly, getting hide off quickly, and careful field dressing to include no contamination from urine, intestinal tract contents, or dirt. Wear nitrile gloves, and make careful cuts.

In most hunting TV the personalities wait overnight after a shot to maximize potential of recovering antlers, and when they get to the animal it’s stiff and meat mostly ruined. Makes for likes and $$$. I get it there are some marginal shots where this is justified, but if the shot is good it’s best to attempt a recovery sooner IMO

 

[hank4elk]

For years I used the hay barn to hang blacktails in for the day to cool,skinned in a bag. There was always a breeze. If I had work that day.
Then I could work at night when it cooled down and the meat bees not so active.
I later had a fridge just for game meat, in bags.

That was deer. I use the pinion trees to hang elk in now and it works great.

 

[Bullshot]

I packed out a quartered (not boned out) muley about 2 miles in one trip with MR Pintler pack, all my gear, rifle, and I carried the head by hand. Holy crap that was a load, but I did it. So in hot weather I’d say hunt light, with very little gear, bring a GOOD sturdy pack with a meat shelf. Bone out the deer, cut off the skull plate only, and get it out of the mountains quickly, in one trip if you can. You can always stash your gear and just pack the meat, come back for the gear later.

(I see that other comments talk about bone in quarters, which do cool better, pack better, and stay cleaner, but if you are not able to haul it all, and its really hot, boning it out to shed that weight and making a run for the cooler may be best bet).

 

[Runnin_Chupacabra]

Always a challenge on the CC, heat early in season. Skin ,quarter and get meat in bags and shade with a breeze. I have had to use my truck for shade for second trip.
Get it in a cooler ASAP. Or a fridge. Work the meat at night or in AC.

The A zone heat def adds another element! Thanks guys for the guidance, I’ll let ya know how it goes this weekend!

 

[cahunter805]

A zone is definitely hot and can be a challenge. Debone the meat and you can usually haul it out in 1 load but even if it takes you 2 trips get it into game bags and in the shade. It will be ok.
Good luck! This weekend should be a little cooler than the past few!