Processing a Deer In Hot Weather, By Ben Baker

[Justin Crossley]

Hey Roksliders, I would like to introduce Ben Baker. Ben is a lifelong hunter and fisherman from South Georgia. He collects deer and hogs all year long for the local food bank so he has plenty of experience butchering animals in really hot weather. In a good year he'll process 30+ animals.

If you're heading out on an early season hunt or expect possible high tempuratures this year you may benefit from Ben's experience. Take a look at his article Processing a Deer In Hot Weather.

 

[realunlucky]

Great article Ben, thanks for all do to feed the hungry.

Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk

 

[Redneckgenius]

Gotta save that food! Until I figure out how to eat antlers, I'm more concerned with bringing home organic meat.

 

[montanaoutdoorsman]

Thanks for the info, glad to know I am doing the right things!

 

[robby denning]

Good thorough article on the subject. Nice work Ben

 

[JP100]

Good info, any reason you use a craft knife?just seems a little weird not to use a real knife haha

 

[JohnIrish]

Good article explaining different options. I almost always bone my deer out. I am usually too far away to drag it. Interesting choice of knives! I like to sharpen knives and use a “real” knife! Ha Ha. It really isn’t that difficult to keep a knife sharp.

 

[Jbhunter86]

Great Article. I think its always best to bone out the meat in the field. Cut back on pack weight, and less to deal with when you get home.

 

[WIhunt5]

Great Article, I got a new Havalon knife and am looking forward to trying it out this fall, especially boning out the meat.

 

[BobbyK1535]

Hunting early season can be tough due to the heat. Especially in the mnts. Good info and a great attitude. Thanks.

 

[JesseG74]

Good article...

 

[Short Track]

85 degrees outside. Road kill. The officer puts the deer out of his misery with broken hips. How long do you really have ?? Considering you get the deer into the shade.

I just watched a complete deer go to waste, because I found out about it 2 hours afterwards... If I found out within 1 hour, I would have started the tag process... 2 hours, I was kinda skeptical...

 

[DeepForks]

Thanks for the article Ben. I've never boned out the meat before but in some cases that might be the best option. I've always just quartered the animal and packed them out ASAP.

 

[Charlottes]

put a fan on it! helps cool

 

[hjav_21]

f

 

[BearGut]

Good info. Thanks for sharing.

 

[JNDEER]

Short Track - few years back I gut shot a deer with my bow. From time of shot until recovery was 5 hours. I jumped him after waiting 45 minutes, saw it was a gut shot and gave him 4 hours. When I recovered him he was stiff, so he had been dead for a while. 90 degrees out and his body was in half shade/half sun under a tree. He ate fine.

Only real way to know if the meat goes bad is to hang it or keep it in the fridge for 3-5 days. If the meat goes bad, you will know it.

 

[Cstrker]

Thank you for the Article, very helpful!

 

[perkj]

Thanks for the link...good info

 

[Lifelong Learner]

Over the course of my 30+ years as an educator, I hunted mostly evenings and would always take my deer to a processor. There just wasn't time to process myself with the rigors of that daily schedule, so the quartering/boning methods were never investigated......other than a moose I killed in AK. If it was late, I would fill the chest cavity with a couple bags of ice and cover loosely with a tarp in the garage over night. Never had any issues with meat spoilage, but archery season opens October 1st here in the mitten and it most often isn't the same type of heat the folks down south deal with. Really good article, sir....thank you.