I havested a couple of deer. I normally process the deer right after returning home from the hunt. I do not have the time to do it, so I put the two deer into this old working freezer I have. The deer have been field dressed of course. I was wondering about the two deer being in the freezer is this a good thing. I know you can hang deer outside for a couple of days if temps stay low enough, but I have never heard of someone putting a whole unskinned deer in the freezer for couple of days. Anyone have any answers of this?
2006-11-19 13:31:40 · 11 answers · asked by Meat 1 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
yeah, they'll be o.k.
2006-11-19 13:36:04 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The deer should be fine.
While I never put a deer in the freezer, I used to hunt in Eagle River, WI. A couple of years I hunted, it was well below zero. I hung the deer on the "meat pole" after shooting them for a few days until the hunt was over. Of course, the deer was frozen solid by then.
Other than the butcher being PO'ed about having to wait two days for the deer to unthaw, there was no problems (my butcher was from So. WI and never had such problems) The meat tasted just like any other deer I shot.
The only thing you have to worry about is freezer burn. This can happen quickly with any unwrapped meat.
If it is only a few days, you should have no problems. You will just need to wait for the deer to unthaw again, which might take a few days.
Good Luck!!
2006-11-20 09:01:23 · answer #2 · answered by Slider728 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I process all of my deer myself. When I don,t have time to clean and package, I put all my meat in a large cooler with some ice if it,s warm outside. I have not had any problems with spoilage but have never left the meat in the cooler more than a few days.Freezing the meat and then thawing it out to put it back in the freezer is not good.Just keep the meat cool until you can work it up.
2006-11-19 14:12:00 · answer #3 · answered by mo.flyfisher 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In my experience it will be fine with a couple of buts:
Hopefully you have someplace to thaw the entire animals prior to further processing. Last year we had one freeze while hanging in a barn and had a miserable time thawing it enough to skin much less process the meat.
If you didnt plastic wrap somehow, drying and freezer burn will happen quickly. I would not leave them in a freezer more than a week.
You are going to need several days to defrost unless you are in a warm climate. Even at 40-50 degrees, this will take a good period of time.
Good Luck!
2006-11-20 03:44:22 · answer #4 · answered by I know for sure 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My family has had a meat processing plant since I was a baby, and I don't think freezing it is good for the meat, but my concern would be more about the taste of it. The faster you get a hide off of a deer, the better the meat will be. Unless U like that "wild" taste.
2006-11-20 00:22:07 · answer #5 · answered by camaroguy88 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's really not good for the meat to be frozen then thawed and then froze again. i would simply skin out the deer and ice down the meat in a cooler until you can take the time to process it the way you want to. i'd also make sure that you do this within a couple of days otherwise you will end up losing all that meat and trust me it sucks.
2006-11-19 14:45:44 · answer #6 · answered by *~ riddles ~* 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have heard of this before. My brothers used to hunt in Wyoming and they would let a deer hang for a week or so before finalizing the process. Just make sure your freezer is working to maximum capacity.
2006-11-19 13:47:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it type of feels that the further North you flow, the further severe priced it receives. the following in Virginia i'm getting the deer skinned and each and every thing (butchured, packed, and categorised)for $35. it will be purely because that is a small city. yet besides the undeniable fact that, even as i flow to Alabama to seek, i'm getting my deer processed for decrease than $10 extra yet you get jerky pre-reduce also. the optimal in my section although is perhaps $60.
2016-11-29 07:15:07 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
putting the deer in the cooler for a little while doesn't hurt it at all. actually it ages the meat properly. and as to the hide leaving a "wild" flavor to the meat, thats a bunch of bunk! leaving the hide on the meat helps maintain the moisture in the meat, as well as protecting it from other contaminants.
2006-11-20 04:11:46 · answer #9 · answered by mk_bovee 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
went my husband gets one and we don't have time, he at least skins it and debones it and just keeps the meat iced down in a cooler really good till he has time. it actually works because it also soakes out some of the blood, so its not so "wild" tasting. congrat on the deer! me husband got a 9 pt
2006-11-19 13:41:26 · answer #10 · answered by doinhair93 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It won't hurt the venison, but they will take time to thaw, and it won't be easy to skin them.
2006-11-20 12:41:28 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋