Deer question...Might be stupid but I need to know

[NorthernPF]

Hey,

I've noticed in pretty much all the pictures of deer hunting that I can remember, people have the deer hanging with the head upright. Is there a special reason for this? I've only successfully hunted moose and we hang those upside down and cut off the head to better flush the blood. I know it might be a stupid question but I thought I would ask

 

[wade]

i thought it was different to, i hang mine head down,, head up would be better if you were gutting it, i do that on the ground,, wade ,

 

[NorthernPF]

Same here, we just gut the moose in the bush

 

[Kenny_G2]

I hang head up with the hide left on if hung outside at camp, it sheds rain and snow better. Once in the garage, it is hung by the back legs so it is ready to skin and butcher. Hide stays on if cool, if warm, hide comes off and I will butcher immediately if necessary.

The amount of blood drainage due to gravity is minimal either way IMHO. Blood doesn't really flow without the heart pumping.

 

[tigrr]

I've noticed on a trophy pole all the bucks are hung head up, to compare them against each other.
In a hunters camp the deer are all hung with their hind legs up to spread the deer open to assist cooling.

 

[Fox]

We hang head down, better to drain the blood, we skin then right away as well, just have to make sure you cover the meat with cheesecloth and use a tarp it if looks like rain.

 

[Scott_N]

We hang head down using a gambrel. I find it helps cool the meat quicker with the rear legs spread and also is easier to skin.

 

[scottay_one]

I think it's a West vs. East thing.

 

[DVXDUDE]

we always hand em head down. That way you can hold and measure the rack better. I've heard that hanging them head down is better, keeps the fluid from the head running down into the body and onto the meat.

 

[beefman]

I usually hang bucks head-down. Don't like the rope marking the hair on the cape if I'm going to mount it.
And we always hang beef that way, so its habitual.

 

[archie126]

I usually hang bucks head-down. Don't like the rope marking the hair on the cape if I'm going to mount it.
And we always hang beef that way, so its habitual.

Strange cause in the roadkill thread the buck is hanging head up???


We've always done them head up.

 

[beefman]

Too small to mount.

 

[John Marshall]

I usually hang bucks head-down. Don't like the rope marking the hair on the cape if I'm going to mount it.
And we always hang beef that way, so its habitual.

The taxidermist told me to hang them head up if you want to keep the cape so the blood doesn't accumulate in the cheeks, but I am not an expert.

 

[double gun]

The taxidermist told me to hang them head up if you want to keep the cape so the blood doesn't accumulate in the cheeks, but I am not an expert.

Yup, and keeps the cape as clean as possible - no blood running down the cape.

 

[smokin'stoegie]

I think someone said it best, east vs west, however one good point was hanging outside, head up, rain/snow stays out. Inside, hind end up as that is the way it's gonna be skinned anyways.
Long time ago someone said that hind end up releases body heat quicker...
..don't know, never tested it

 

[heavyBullet]

Have always hung em head down, a hook in each leg and seperated about 3 ft. makes cooling more effective I think.