skinned moose or deer in rain
- Thread starter fogducker
- Start date
I would guess it depends on a few things, such as temperature, humidity and duration of hanging. I would place a tarp over it, you could be in for a quick appearance of mold on the meat, requiring a reskinning of the meat.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Rain itself I don't think is a big factor, meat temp is the biggy.
Where rain can be a factor, is if your game is nice and cool outside, and you get a warm rain. Warm water will warm up the carcass fast.
Now if you want a real challenge, skin a deer after it's been outside in a freezing rain storm.
Frozen hide comes off in strips, having ice on it as well isn't nice.
Thankfully, those of us who hang their deer head up, know that the hide will shed water nicely if hung in this direction.
Where rain can be a factor, is if your game is nice and cool outside, and you get a warm rain. Warm water will warm up the carcass fast.
Now if you want a real challenge, skin a deer after it's been outside in a freezing rain storm.
Frozen hide comes off in strips, having ice on it as well isn't nice.
Thankfully, those of us who hang their deer head up, know that the hide will shed water nicely if hung in this direction.
- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
I wouldn't leave it outside without some sort of cover for any length of time. At our meat pole anyways, it would have pine needles stuck to it in short order.
The 'experts' tell us that wetting down a carcass is inviting bacterial growth.
But, I've washed out a few gut shot deer with no ill effects. Should have made the guy who did it do it, but he was too busy puking.
The 'experts' tell us that wetting down a carcass is inviting bacterial growth.
But, I've washed out a few gut shot deer with no ill effects. Should have made the guy who did it do it, but he was too busy puking.
Canuck, nice subtle point about hanging a gutted deer the right way, by the head. It sheds any rain/snow/debris easier to skin and washout. The only time I found it appropriate to hock hang was when ready to butcher into halves and quarters.
M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
Out west most hang deer by the hocks. Skin out the hocks and cut rear legs off just above. I always skin my animals ASAP and clean carcass off with warm water and a bit of vinegar. Let the carcass dry off for the night and firm up. Next day I wrap the carcass lightly with the plastic packaging bag that matresses are shipped in. Wise to keep it out of the sun and weather if possible.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Great advise indeed. Make sure the neophites fully open up the carcass, including getting the windpipe out (not just cut off) and splitting the neck open to let out any trapped heat.
PS: If you like your tenderloins at thier best & fullest, this is the time to carefully cut them out in the inside of the critter.
Clean them using M12's water/vinegar, double wrap & freeze immediately.
If you leave them in for say 4-8 hours, they skrink due to moisture loss & become darker and smaller too, like jerky.
Blasphemy.......Tenderloins must be lightly fried up and eaten immediately after the kill!
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
That's always a great option too!
Fresh backstraps, coined up, & fried up with garlic/onion downed by a cold Bud is another thing I do to.
Cheers!
If you plan on tanning the hide or using the cape for a mount, it should be done as soon as possible. Proteins from the blood will deteriorate the skin as well as the hairs to the point where it pulls out. I skin mine when I get home. I have enough hides and rugs, and usually just toss the new ones or give them back to nature on my next trip out. I prefer to get them home whole,clean, and in one piece. It makes butchering and cleaning so much easier.
M12shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- East St. Paul, mb
I just spent 5 days in -25C, I'm not hunting from home. Theres no problem. It needs to hang for a bit anyway. My trips start in mid September for 3-7 days at a time. As long as you cool the meat by opening up the chest cavity, there is no problem in warmer weather. It makes a big difference to the hide, almost none to the meat. Your meat gets home clean with no extra parasites. No Problem.
That's always a great option too!
Fresh backstraps, coined up, & fried up with garlic/onion downed by a cold Bud is another thing I do to.
Cheers!
Excelent idea!..
Tenderloins are always celebrated at the host house or camp, with beer of coarse.
No tenderloins leave before theyre marinated and bbq'd.
so according to that bozo you don't need to worry about rain on the meat?
Rain? No, but road gravel, salt, sand, oil, ect. Eewwwww Its no wonder that some wives don't want to cook their husbands wild game
Here is my take on this: I took a meat cutting/butcher course when I was 18. 1/4 of the course talked about how to poison and ruin meat and what causes this to happen, the other 3/4 of the course was how NOT to poison and ruin the meat, but rather how to care and cut it properly. I'm 46 now, have a complete butcher shop on my acreage. For many years I've heard a lot of very strong opinions of how to care for and cut meat . Yet, I stick to what I've learned and the hygiene practices that go with it.
I don't cut meat professionally at this point in my life and probably never will, but I have a lot of wild game animals of my own, my friends, and several hogs, cattle, lambs, goats, and the occasional buffalo that gets hung and cut. One of the things that I will not allow in my shop, is meat that has been dragged through mud, leaves and , road grit.
Its my opinion, that if you need to save the hide for tanning or caping, then take it off immediately before the proteins break down the skin and hair. Its also my opinion that it is better to get it home in one piece where it is clean. Having the hide on it for several days is a good defense against parasites and dirt. Make sure your animal is blead good, always hang it so there is no blood pooling on any parts of the body, and open the cavity so it cools as quick as possible. Once cooled, cover the opening to keep birds and other foreign invaders out of your animal by simply throwing a tarp over top of it. Bird crap in your fresh meat is a big no-no.
I skin my animals when I get home. If the meat is still fresh and warm, then I use an air compressor turned on high to separate the skin from the animal with little hair left behind on the meat. I make my skinning cuts first, then blast off the excess hair before I proceed to skin it out. If there is any hair left on the meat when done, I use a hand held propane torch to quickly burn off any hairs. It is also my opinion that the oils in these hairs cause dis-flavor in the meat. If my knife or any other utensils touch the metatarsal gland on a buck, then I discard the item for a clean one. Every and all items are sterilized in the dishwasher, and all garbage is removed daily.
Some people feel they have better ways to care and cut their game. If it works for you, then stick to it. I have close to a thousand pounds of meat stockpiled in the freezers waiting for January for sausage making, jerky, pepperoni, smoking, and various mixtures of grinding. I'll have to butcher at least 2-3 large hogs for mix meat, after I take the good cuts for bacon and hams.
I'm not suggesting that anyone should change their ways after 20 or 40 years of doing it their own way. I'm posting this for thought for those who are not convinced that they are doing it correctly, or have never done it before. Other than that, if someone knows of a better method that works for them, they should stick to it.
I learned that trick 20 years ago from a Lady who was a sheep farmer in New Zealand. It works like a hot damn ! It only works well when the animal is still warm. If its cold, make all your skinning cuts first, then blow off the loose hair before removing the skin. Its a very clean way to take off teh hide.
