Great responses and I agree with almost everything here. The only thing I would add is that I'm a FIRM believer in sinking quarters in running stream ASAP, but I do NOT put them in plastic garbage bags to start. Cold RUNNING water on meat for a little while does NOT cause bacteria problems that people associate with "damp" meat, but it DOES help wash away blood. NOTHING beats a cold stream for rapidly cooling meat in the field, but even if you keep the quarter just above freezing, blood can still spoil and taint the flavor. By sinking the quarters in a clear, cold stream and allowing the water to flow over them freely, most blood gets washed away as it seeps out of the meat, and all you're left with is great tasting meat! ...and a nice cool chunk of meat to pack out on your back. For newer pack animals, the "washed" quarters are often "accepted" by new pack animals easier than "smelly" ones.
Chris Roe