whitetail, after the shot, how to handle meat？

[MiG25]

Hang it til it's green is what an old timer told me.

 

[canadian hunter312]

All mammals go through rigor mortis.and should be hung for at least 24 hours.and yes a butcher knows how to handle meat

All land animals we'd eat go through rigor, no? Even a tender 8 week old chicken can be tough as heck if butchered, frozen or eaten before this process is completed. Let it sit 2 days and that leather is turned into tender and juicy meat.


Once the rigor process is completed there is nothing gained from allowing a deer to hang. I have ate plenty of deer that have been hung from two days to 2 weeks. No difference. Field dressing/handling and final processing on the other hand can have an enormous impact on the final outcome.