Meat Sweats

A bead of sweat rolled down from the band of my hat making its way to my brow and down the bridge of my nose until finally dropping down to the forest floor from fifteen feet up. The lone drop hit the early fall ground, breaking the afternoon silence. Temperatures hovered near 90 degrees, not uncommon for early October in Oklahoma. While the deer were non-existent, the buzzing of flies and leftover mosquitoes from summer filled my ears as the afternoon dragged on. Evening would be here soon, but the temperatures would remain on the warm side. That dreaded thought in the back of my mind started to make its way forward. Two words; meat spoilage. 

Meat spoilage is among the top concerns of every hunter out there. Especially in the early part of the season where temperatures can be downright miserable. You could just wait on the cooler weather but I have a hard time waiting nearly nine months not hunting just to wait some more for temperatures to cooperate. Besides, it may be November before the cooler fall weather we all long for makes an appearance. Preparation for meat care is at the utmost of importance for hunters, regardless of if it’s 30 degrees or triple digits. Obviously, cold weather allows for some forgiveness where it would make sense to leave a deer hang overnight if temperatures are below freezing. Anything above freezing and the clock really starts ticking. This is classified as the "danger zone". The warmer it is, the less time you will have. 

So, you’ve toughed out the heat and got the opportunity to take a shot on a nice buck. First, let’s talk about that shot. If temperatures are not in your favor, let that buck get closer ensuring that a precise and ethical shot can be taken. Preferably, lungs or heart. Why take a less favorable shot and risk wounding the animal? Quick clean kills are a key here. An arrow to the liver, or worse, the gut can leave an animal wounded for several hours before expiring. A good hunter will wait several hours before even tracking if a deer is hit in an undesirable spot. When the temperatures are warm, meat begins to spoil at a rapid rate. You cannot wait several hours to begin the track or you’re greatly risking taking home spoiled venison. Ensure a clean, accurate, shot is taken resulting in a quick kill. Use some common sense here and be aware of the outside factors. Be responsible for your actions. 

Now, you’ve taken a good shot and watched the buck tip over less than a hundred yards off. As I climb down from my stand, I start getting mentally prepared for the task ahead. If you plan on taking the carcass to a third-party butcher, just know where you’re going and know the hours of operations for that place. It's not a bad idea to even have a "Plan B" in this situation. Personally, I am big on butchering my own game. I think it’s a skill every hunter should take the time to learn and have a good sense of doing. Plus, I enjoy the process and ultimately end up with better quality cuts in the end when I know how the meat has been handled from start to finish. While not everyone has the time or facilities to complete this, at least knowing how can go a long way.

As I approach my kill, I think about where my butcher kit lies in my pack knowing I can quickly get it out of my bag and begin the real work. I keep all my butchering tools in a small pouch that lives inside my backpack. Inside the pouch, I keep my skinning knife, tags, paracord, zip ties, flagging tape and if necessary for the hunt, game bags. 

First thing’s first, gutting the deer is the best way to allow some heat to dissipate from the animal cavity. I’ve also opted for the gutless method in certain situations but always prefer gutting an animal rather than leave the entrails inside. Mainly, because gutting lets heat escape which is the number one factor of meat spoilage. 

With the deer gutted, removing the hide and quartering is the next step in allowing the meat to chill out. It's important to get the deer pieced out as soon as possible. Meat spoilage is most prevalent around the ball joints and inner areas where heat cannot quickly dissipate. This is why I like to quarter game in the field and then pack it out to the truck. If you plan to drag the deer out of the woods or can reach it with a vehicle, then leaving the hide on is recommended as it protects from dirt and debris, keeping the inner cavity of the deer as clean as possible. For hide on scenarios, stick a bag of ice or half gallon milk jugs filled with water and frozen inside the cavity. If you do remove the hide, this is where game bags or gallon Ziplocs can come in handy. If you choose to leave the meat on the bone, game bags are the best option. They’ll allow the meat to “breath” but also keep the meat clean and protected from flies. For boned out meat, game bag or Ziplocs both work and I’ve used both. Really, the choice is up to you. 

If I am hunting in warm weather, I always pack a large enough cooler in my vehicle to fit an entire deer in. In that cooler, I keep a few frozen half gallon milk jugs. I line the bottom of the cooler with the milk jugs and once I introduce meat to the cooler, it is already basically a refrigerator keeping the meat chilled until I can get it packaged and in the freezer. 

As you can see here, preparation is key when weather is not as favorable for the hunter. Understand what you are getting into. If you don’t know how to gut or butcher a deer, watch a few YouTube videos and get a basic idea of what you’re doing. At some point, you just have to get in there and start cutting. If it’s early season, I can promise you there will be lots of flies, sweat, and more flies. Even still, the reward of a freezer full of unspoiled meat is ultimately worth it every single time. 

Until next time...stay wild.

Brock