Wait a couple days or debone as quick as possible?

[nksmfamjp]

So, do you get to processing ASAP or let it hang a couple days 40-50 deg?

 

[couesbitten]

Mine came off the mountain without any bones (gutless method), so no choice. In the past 15+ years, I have used this method on all of my animals (deer, elk) with great results. I killed my buck on Saturday (10/23) and as of yesterday I had ground the last of the burger, which completed the processing.

 

[nksmfamjp]

How long does that take on the mountain? I think I want to try that. Also, any video links?

 

[2muchhp]

In those temps I let them hang. Even longer if it gets colder at night. When its 50s sometime I toss a bag of ice in the cavity. Its best to get them pealed down and cooling asap.

 

[Werty]

Process can take 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on terrain and experience, for one person.

 

[CoStick]

I debone quickly, on a bull elk we left the bones, they were still warm the next day after hanging. I like to cool the meat quickly

 

[justin davis]

I always debone quick. Most hunts the meat is coming out on my back so I cut weight with removing the bones

I’ve read some people say that removing from the bone makes for tough meat?

 

[2muchhp]

Ditto on the elk, they take a while to cool even in cold temps. You cant get it cooled down to fast., I've seen them warm in the a.m. in December in MI.

 

[etapia]

I always debone quick. Most hunts the meat is coming out on my back so I cut weight with removing the bones

I’ve read some people say that removing from the bone makes for tough meat?

There's a good Meateater podcast episode that explains the cause of tough meat and if I remember correctly, the guest scientist blamed removing bone too quickly. I think it's called "Red Cutter".

 

[5MilesBack]

I debone it right off the elk and into game bags. Then after I get it home, it normally sits in my cooler for a few days before I'm ready to process it all.

 

[browning2480]

We debone before packing out. We had an Elk down the second day of season this year. Went right in the cooler on ice, but luckily my son was leaving early and brought it back and put it in the fridge at home. I stayed there for a few days before I got back to get things processed. We have never had any issues with tough meat or anything.

 

[NoWiser]

I always leave on the bone (but quartered) no matter what, even if it is a few extra pounds to pack out. It makes for less meat loss and a much more enjoyable time butchering. If it's getting down into the 40s at night, especially if there's a bit of a breeze, those quarters will cool just fine on the bone. When I get home the quarters get hung to age. I want them aging no less than 2 weeks and preferably 3 weeks. The quality of the meat has improved noticeably since I've started doing this. If you just use common sense (which many seem to lack) clean meat is very resilient. I boned out a moose once to get back to the truck and feel guilty now because I know the quality and quantity of meat I got from that animal suffered.

 

[gelton]

I debone the front quarters and leave the rear quarters on the bone if weather permits. I have a walk-in cooler at home and let the rear quarters hang for an additional 14-21 days. If deboned you lose too much meat if you want to dry age.

Edit: LOL, just said almost the same thing as the post before me.

 

[justin davis]

There's a good Meateater podcast episode that explains the cause of tough meat and if I remember correctly, the guest scientist blamed removing bone too quickly. I think it's called "Red Cutter".

Interesting. I’ve heard that before.
I always think with bones removed things cool quicker too

 

[go_deep]

Debone it where it dies.

 

[butcherboy]

Get it hung up on a tree branch or game pole with the bone in. Let it cool all day or overnight before packing it out. At that time you can debone if you want or leave the bone in. The mountain breeze and overnight temps will cool it down nicely. I’ve hung elk quarters bone in for about 6-7 days while hunting with no problems. Keep the meat covered and in a shady place. You can make a sun shelter with a tarp and pine boughs over the tarp for more shade if necessary.

 

[Stalker69]

Gutless method, I get the bones out right away. And get the meat frozen ASAP. We used to age them, before we started doing the gutless method, and let them hang in the walk in cooler for a week or three. Never really had an issue with the bones. But also found out the aging don’t really work with venison, as there is no fat ( marbling) in the meat. My dad processed game meat for people and butcher shops. And with venison and feral pigs, no one could tell the differance in aged and processed and frozen ASAP. If hung long enough the meat will start to sour around the bone.

 

[5MilesBack]

If deboned you lose too much meat if you want to dry age.

I hate dealing with the dry "scab" covering the meat regardless whether it is deboned or not. Talk about meat loss. So I don't dry age at all either way.

 

[butcherboy]

Bone sour does not come from hanging a properly cooled animal carcass for 3 weeks in a walk in cooler. It comes from not properly cooling in the field. For example, not finding the animal soon enough, gutting but leaving the hide on, skinning and gutting but leaving it as a whole carcass. It starts on the inside from body heat not being released. The bone and blood spoil and it transfers that through the meat.
There is a big difference in properly aged meat and has nothing to do with any kind of fat content on or in the meat. The fat on the outside of a carcass protects it from drying out. The marbling on the inside gives it flavor. The naturally occurring enzymes in the meat are what is breaking down the muscle fibers.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Seems everyone is pretty well schooled in the advice column. I can add some info:

How soon (in an optional scenario) should I de-bone wild game quarters? Some hunters have to debone animals to physically transport the meat back to exit vehicle. But, when a hunter can leave legs bones intact they should for at least 72 hours. This critical time period is to allow rigor mortis (muscle contraction) to onset and complete. Muscles get stiff (rigor) during cellular glycolysis, which is the chemical process whereby glucose converts to lactic acid within muscle cells. During rigor meat is contracted (tight and stiff). Since lactic acid is the enzyme responsible for tenderizing meat, it is pretty important to keep muscle groups intact and attached to the leg bones during rigor mortis. Once rigor has come and gone (48-72 hours temperature dependent) it is safe to de-bone legs. If meat is removed before the end of rigor mortis, muscle contraction may not completely dissolve in some cuts of meat and therefore might be tougher to chew. Not always but very likely some of the meat will be tougher than other cuts.

Aging time in 40-50 degrees F? Meat aged 4 days at 50-55 F will tenderize to the same level as meat stored at 40F for a week. Glycolysis is faster in warmer climates and lactic acid tenderization happens slightly quicker as well. The true answer to your question is that it depends on your storage conditions, namely humidity and cellular aW, temperature, wind speed and airflow around the meat. In the broader view there is no benefit to the tenderness of a cut of wild meat after 6 days (post rigor) hung at any temperature. The exception is carefully controlled aging tricks where guys age meat for 11-18 days. This requires a good handle on the science and storage conditions.

Resource for "gutless method" field care:

Project Bloodtrail:

This is a two part video. The gutless method is demonstrated on the "moose hunt" segment roughly the second half of the video.

Mitigating Spoilage in the Backcountry:

This has some temperature specific education you might find helpful.