You diligently spent untold hours preseason scouting, set and checked your trail cameras, and kept accurate records of the ever-changing food sources in the areas you planned to hunt. Your vacation days are set; you have decided which stand you will head to on your morning hunt, and then you check the weather. Light winds out of the northwest, sunny, and a daytime high of 78 degrees. While a much lower daytime temperature would encourage the deer to be up and moving more, you head out anyway because you just never know for certain when a nice buck will wander by your stand. What really should be running through your mind is, “What will I have to do if I am lucky enough to get a deer when the temperature is so high and there isn’t a cloud in the sky?” Certainly, this is something you should consider and make plans for during the archery deer season or anytime warmer weather dictates a greater concern for proper venison care — from field to table.
It starts with ensuring you have a good, clean killing shot before launching an arrow. A broadside or quartering away shot will greatly increase your chance of a hit in the vital area and help ensure that the animal will not travel too far, thus enabling a quicker recovery. In warmer temperatures, time is not on your side, and you must act quickly to ensure the meat does not have a chance to spoil.
This time of year, the deer have recently shed their summer coats and grown their heavier coats for the upcoming winter weather. This coat insulates the animal from the cold and keeps the meat from cooling as rapidly as possible. Thus, it is essential to get the deer to a location where the hide can be removed as soon as possible. To keep the meat as clean as possible, consider removing the hide first, then removing the entrails. It will help keep leaves and dirt from getting in the body cavity during field handling.
If possible, you might fill the body cavity with ice to aid in more rapid cooling, but once the meat has reached a desirable temperature, remove any remaining ice and dry out the cavity with a paper towel or clean cloth. Moisture that lies against the meat can aid in the growth of bacteria. Wrapping the entire body with cheesecloth or sanitary meat bags will help keep off the flies or other winged insects that are looking for a place to lay their eggs.
If you cannot get the meat to a processor quickly, consider boning out the meat and placing it in a refrigerator or freezer until he can accept the venison for processing. The more rapidly you can cool down the meat, the greater the chance of preserving the great flavor of the venison. Cleanliness and cooling of the meat are both very important but are critically important in warmer weather.
Avoid direct sunlight in the field and in the area where you are processing the animal, and avoid merely hanging it in a garage or outbuilding without refrigeration in warm weather. Use only food-quality plastic bags or buckets to transport or store cut meats — do not use dark-colored garbage bags, as they may contain toxic resins and are not intended for food use.
One of the smartest things you can do is to call and line up a meat processor ahead of time. A few of the better butchers and processors may limit the amount of venison they take in. Before you even head to the woods, make sure you know his days and hours of operations and that he is ready to accept venison for processing.
Make a good, clean shot that will ensure a quick recovery. Remove the hide and entrails as soon as possible, thus letting the cooling process begin. Transport the carcass to your processor or bone out the meat yourself and refrigerate it for maximum cooling. Especially in warm weather, all these steps will ensure tasty venison suitable for your dinner table.
