What was I thinking?

[PEARL DRUMS]

It was 80 degrees all weekend here in Michigan. I process my own deer and always have, always will. I had a more than good opportunity to shoot a seven point and a doe last night and didnt. I wanted to sooooo bad, but couldnt because I knew the deer couldnt hang for at least 24 hours before I had a chance to process it. It killed me to let them walk away unscathed, those were only the 3rd and 4th deer I have seen in 8 hunts. Maybe I will get "paid back"? Still pretty good feeling to see a few finally.

[stickhead]

If we had to wait till it gets cool enough around here to hang one it would be sometime in November.

[lpcjon2]

Tip- get a large industrial size plastic 5 mil thick and glue the edges (and duct tape)to make a long bag. and hang the deer and add some dry ice in the bottom.Leave a small hole for the gasses to escape at the top. You can also use a a big block of ice.I do this and use a clean body bag from work and it's the cats meow!

[PEARL DRUMS]

lpcjon2 I have stuffed sacks of ice in the cavity in the past. The bag idea is a good one, have to keep flys out. One fly can ruin a deer in 24 hrs. Ground black pepper works good to keep them away also. 80 degrees was just too much for me. I can deal with highs in the 60's and lows in the 30's or 40's. Hopefully this doesnt come back to haunt me.

[lpcjon2]

When you use the bag and leave the whole(3 inches) up top,the gas that is from the dry ice keeps the fly's away.The heat always sucks when it comes to hanging.

[Don Stokes]

Pearl, when it's hot I field dress, skin, quarter, and put the meat on ice in a cooler as soon as possible. Also, if there's a stream near by, you can immerse the carcass after field dressing, and it will cool very quickly.

I hunted yesterday in near 90 degree temps. Down South you just have to deal with it.

[YORNOC]

Always better to let one go and wonder, than to take one and have a terrible result. Relax, enjoy the rest of your season, its just starting.
These guys have some great tips though!

[vermonster13]

Why did you go and risk messing up a stand location if you weren't going to shoot?

[30coupe]

Originally posted by vermonster13:
Why did you go and risk messing up a stand location if you weren't going to shoot?

I was wondering that too. I just stayed home and did honey-do projects...a win-win.

[PEARL DRUMS]

I live for bowhunting, thats why I went out. The "right" deer would have been shot AT and I would have taken the day off work to be sure it did'nt spoil and was processed right away. I did'nt want to take a day off work for a doe or young buck. 30coupe I usually bust my butt all summer to complete her list so I dont have to do it during bow season!

[lt-m-grow]

It really does not take that long to skin and quarter a deer. 1/2 hour or less.

I put it in the beer fridge or the (beer) cooler with ice when it is hot.  

Oooh, oh that beer thing came up twice there????

[BCWV]

I have an old fridge in my basement that I use to hang quarters to age my deer. It works great.

[straitera]

That patience/virtue thing is way overrated IMO.

[PEARL DRUMS]

Dad and I used to have the back of on old fridge truck in our barn, wired it 220 and viola'! I miss that thing......

[mambashooter]