Hanging birds

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Bustercluck

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Fort McMurray
i’ve talked to other pheasant hunters who say they hang their birds at whatever outside temperature is for several days as long as the feathers are on and guts in. I’ve hung bitds for a couple days before, but it’s pretty warm out. The ole google search gets weird and says to get them on ice or they’ll spoil in hours. What to do….

How many of you would hang a bird with highs of 20?
 
the only pheasant I ever got way back then in Europe was hung like this for 4 days in the shade before cooking.
I was quite young then and didn't know how to cook it but my mother did.
I still remember it being the best tasting bird I ever ate.
 
Old World Tradition/Logic...
I would hang a brace of birds after a night flight till I got home from work the next day for plucking.
The Elders from the Gun club I was a member at didn't really have much opinion one way or the other as to how long hang them.
Some did others didn't based on timing of harvest to the table.
I do know that plucking your limit of Snowies and ducks with your buddies Snowies and ducks is very time consuming ...as in almost half a shift worth.
If you hang them, make sure there is a bucket underneath them to catch the blood and water running off them and out of direct sunlight, no need to cook them from the inside out ;)
Rob
 
Well, it was 3c overnight so that was fine and around 10 this morning I put some ice in a big ziploc bag, laid it on a pad in the box of my truck and put a cloth reusable grocery bag betweennthe ice and birds. Shpuld be fine until I get home tonight or tomorrow morning.
 
If you're into bird hunting, whether its upland or waterfowl, you need to keep Hank Shaws website bookmarked. He's a wealth of knowledge on bird processing and recipes. He has a few very good cook books and does big game as well. However there's few out there that do as much experimenting and research with game birds as Hank.

https://honest-food.net/on-hanging-pheasants-2/
 
leveractionjunkie said:
If you're into bird hunting, whether its upland or waterfowl, you need to keep Hank Shaws website bookmarked. He's a wealth of knowledge on bird processing and recipes. He has a few very good cook books and does big game as well. However there's few out there that do as much experimenting and research with game birds as Hank.

https://honest-food.net/on-hanging-pheasants-2/
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That seems like a good resource. The big thing I’ve read is the humidity and moisture. The hanging lets air flow around them. If they’re laying flat on something than it has a chance to get moist and probably cause some of those ecoli type things. That’s why I put a cloth bag between my ice and birds.

I got two more today and the lst one a few hours ago. I’m thinking the one I shot this morning migbt be iffy because I put some pellets centre of mass at close range.

And I’m guessing that’s why people don’t notice the difference in an aged bird is because most of them are probably fairly young coming from release site.
 
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Bustercluck said:
i’ve talked to other pheasant hunters who say they hang their birds at whatever outside temperature is for several days as long as the feathers are on and guts in. I’ve hung bitds for a couple days before, but it’s pretty warm out. The ole google search gets weird and says to get them on ice or they’ll spoil in hours. What to do….

How many of you would hang a bird with highs of 20?
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I think this idea of hanging any gamebirds with the guts still intact is dangerous and quite frankly disgusting..............:oops:

Are people trying to get ill?............:unsure:

https://scienceinsights.org/how-long-after-an-animal-dies-is-it-safe-to-eat/

This idea is absolutely barbaric! I understand a game animal is different than a bird, however leaving the guts in anything for an extended period of time causes bacterial growth and will spread to the meat, making it gamey and dangerous to eat!......:(

https://iere.org/can-you-leave-guts-in-a-deer-overnight/
 
Thunderhog said:
I think this idea of hanging any gamebirds with the guts still intact is dangerous and quite frankly disgusting..............:oops:

Are people trying to get ill?............:unsure:

https://scienceinsights.org/how-long-after-an-animal-dies-is-it-safe-to-eat/

This idea is absolutely barbaric! I understand a game animal is different than a bird, however leaving the guts in anything for an extended period of time causes bacterial growth and will spread to the meat, making it gamey and dangerous to eat!......:(

https://iere.org/can-you-leave-guts-in-a-deer-overnight/
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Oh man, if you think this is bad, don’t buy any food from a chef who might be a muslim. Ever heard of instinja? Furthermore I’d say there’s way worse going on at most restaurants.

Aside from that though I think humans have been aging birds for thousands of years. I think the idea of having the bird intact is nothing like flies are getting into it until you open it up. Heavy bloddshot meat is obviously going to be dangersous because bacteria can get in. The article buddy posted above breaks things down pretty well. As far as science goes it’s fairly safe to store whole birds under 60f.

For the record I don’t plan on hanging birds to age them for any reason. I was just out hunting and trying to figure out the best way to store my catch until I could get home. I was going to clean them and put them on ice, but I think leaving them whole is the best option for a day or so. I shot two yesterday and two today. I’m going to keep the two from yesterday for myself just in case but I really don’t think there’s anything wrong with them. The meat was nice and cool on all four when I pulled the feathers off. The guts aren’t like a deer or moose either, they’re kind of contained and just pop out without much mess.
 
The French call it "Haut Gout", which translates to high taste. :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

I have not so good memories gutting birds being hung for one to two weeks.
The stench was unbearable, especially when the intestines were perforated by shot and the intestinal fluids started to ferment.

Never missed hunted birds with pellets and feathers in the flesh.
 
Bustercluck said:
That seems like a good resource. The big thing I’ve read is the humidity and moisture. The hanging lets air flow around them. If they’re laying flat on something than it has a chance to get moist and probably cause some of those ecoli type things. That’s why I put a cloth bag between my ice and birds.

I got two more today and the lst one a few hours ago. I’m thinking the one I shot this morning migbt be iffy because I put some pellets centre of mass at close range.

And I’m guessing that’s why people don’t notice the difference in an aged bird is because most of them are probably fairly young coming from release site.
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Yes you need the air flow combined with the cooler temps in order to do things properly.
Hank goes through all those details including the bacteria expose and gutting vs hanging whole.

Modern people have no clue how their food was traditionally processed or treated and for lots of them they would rather keep it that way. Which is obviously fine too.

If you’re out hunting and just worried about getting home I would suggest a game strap. Hang birds by the head and allow air circulation. They will be perfectly fine unless temps are into the twenties like here in BC during September.

Side note they pluck way easier after hanging for a while till rigor is gone.
 
Bustercluck said:
Would you eat a hot dog?
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Next thing we will be eating Liberals!.........:ROFLMAO:

Well maybe Melanie Joly!..........:) ;) :ROFLMAO:

For the record, hot dogs are not carrion, yes they might be lips & @ss-holes, but not carrion........:)

Canadians drink Corona Beer, the Mexicans piss in the vats of beer at the plant. So enjoy your rotting pheasant, and wash it down with a Corona!.......:ROFLMAO::oops:;)
 
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