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Sorry guys, priorities just have been elsewhere this summer. It was a fantastic trip, well worth my still sore muscles (i need to climb a few more mountains so I'm in a bit better shape for the next one!)
So... since I'm new to this, how long do you guys "age" your meat. It's been too warm, even here, so I wasn't able to hang him in the garage. I butchered him when I got home and it's been in the fridge since Sunday. I'm thinking it's probably been long enough, especially since the buck was still pretty young. gonna keep the backstraps and maybe a roast or two... the rest is gonna get ground and mixed with my grass feed beef fat I've got in the freezer. Anything I'm missing?
I dont age it. It might bang overnight til i can process it or take it somwhere if i cant get to it myself and thats about it.
The last one was just some steaks and the rest burger. I like to make venison meat sticks and sausage more then i like roasts. Plus we tend to utilze the burger more.
Conventional wisdom says at least a few days or until the rigor has receded. According to several sites, letting it hang not only drains the blood but allows the enzymes to break down the rigor and results in a more tender, better tasting venison. Of course, this depends on the air temp. Cooling the meat immediately is always recommended. If it is relatively warm (>50 deg F) I'll pack the cavity with bagged ice until I can get it to a local processor (no hanging it in a tree at home...unhappy wife, unhappy life).
I'm worried that my deer season is over before it starts.
I was getting about a hundred photos a day of deer. Some really nice ones like I have shared here in the topic.
But in the last week, I got a grand total of 8 photos of deer, and the rest were these. The bears are so small they're not moving around much yet and are hanging around close by the area.
I'm also worried that they've been munching on the deer too because of the photos I do have, there were 2 spotted fawns a month ago, and the last few pictures I have, there is only 1 now.
Turkey opened on the 15 and the early doe season opens this weekend. I'm hoping to spend a little time in the woods stalking whichever steps out first LOL
Heading out tmrw with a buddy and a co-worker(he's ex-military...so he's ok with me) for the first hunt of the season. Goin for white tail, but will take a muley if that's what we can get.
If we're really lucky...maybe more than one! Opted to go out after the weekend...little less pressure in the area we'll be hunting.
Be back in a few days...hopefully with some good news and meat for the freezer!!
I made it out to do some turkey hunting on Sunday. No turkeys to be seen but I did pull these from the game cameras. Our archery season officially opens on Oct 1st.
Put in a new stand on Saturday and I have been getting pictures of does since day one. Can't wait for Thursday morning to hop up in the stand with the bow.
Sorry to report, our hunt was all but a bust. Didn't sight one single deer for two solid days. We had white tail and mule tags...notta one in sight. Saw lots of black bear...but didn't have any tags and we weren't really looking for bear anyway.
Sign was not plentiful either. However, we did locate a spot that looks promising for muleys and will return there soon. Saw some poop, a few tracks and what appeared to be a bedding down area for 3-5 deer near a creek. Lots of food in the area.
Was still a fun trip though. Lots of hiking and gorgeous country.
FYI...not me in the pics. My hunting partners and my truck.