How Long does Deer Meat Stay Good?

[RugerHawg413]

I was wondering since I am from Arkansas where the temps in September can reach up to 90 degrees, how long does deer meat stay good at 70 degrees? Thanks!

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Not very.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

An old timer I once new told me:
If it smells funny it's perfectly aged,freeze it immediately.
If it makes you hurl...throw it out!
He had a walk in cooler full of deer that made me queasy
and said it was just right.

There's another old saying I go by.
If it smells like tuna don't eat it.
If it looks like tuna don't smell it!

 

[El Jason]

Dr. Ray Field at University of Wyoming had studies that showed you could quick age meat for 72 hours at 60 degrees. At 70 I'd probably cut that to 48 tops.

 

[kwyeewyk]

Another factor is how clean the meat is to start with, if gut shot or guts/hide still on, or flies have access to it, can go bad real quick.

 

[nrpate05]

Not sure, it would stress me out to leave it for more than an hour or two at that temp. Get a cooler!

 

[schmalts]

A lot depends on the situation. A deer hanging with the hide on is junk in short time. Boned out in game bags with air circulating, a lot longer. Either way, 70 degrees is warm, get it on ice

 

[RaiderRich]

Living in Upstate NY most of my life I would see people that thought the could "age" their venison because well they age beef. I laughed at that notion because most people simple don't have the facilities required to age meat properly. As I was pretty much able to hunt where I lived I went by the general rule of 24 hours from field to the freezer. Living out west and seeing that hunting may keep you from home for a few days and packing out meat may take a day, at least, I would still say from field to a quality cooler ASAP and then to the freezer as soon as possible once it has been properly transported home. That is one thing I hope to learn more from using forums like these, is how do people care for game. I know game bags are essential as is skinning and boning in a timely manner. A lot of learning to transition from East Coast mindset to an out west one.

 

[JohnCushman]

There's another old saying I go by.
If it smells like tuna don't eat it.
If it looks like tuna don't smell it!

I've heard that too, but it wasn't about dry aging deer meat

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I've heard that too, but it wasn't about dry aging deer meat

Nope,wasn't about deer meat,just kinda one of those life lessons no one
wants to learn the hard way!

 

[Shangobango]

Don’t over look the humidity factor. From talking to a lot of folks that hunt out west the lack of moisture in the air out there tends to put a somewhat protective rind on the meat where as here in the deep south meat just tends to melt down.