Hanging Deer

[growalot]

So if dead things don't drain blood...what's that red stuff in my cooler when I have to quarter them up?....hhmmm

[jjb4900]

the only real benefit in hanging one way or the other, is that if you hang from the back legs, the heat won't get trapped in the body cavity for as long...it will rise out and cool quicker, everything else is just opinion and personal preference.

[growalot]

I once dragged a buck to a "safe" place...so I could get the tractor by one beam...I ended up a$$ over tea cup on the ground when it let loose....My lessened learned...just glad I didn't impale my self on downed limbs...

[jjb4900]

So if dead things don't drain blood...what's that red stuff in my cooler when I have to quarter them up?....hhmmm

oh, you'll get some drainage, but they certainly will not "bleed out" once dead....I think what I said was dead things don't bleed.

Edited December 5, 2014 by jjb4900

[Hock3y24]

I hang by back legs, just find it easier to skin out and quarter up. And it looks weird to see a deer hung up by the neck to me!

[landtracdeerhunter]

I once dragged a buck to a "safe" place...so I could get the tractor by one beam...I ended up a$$ over tea cup on the ground when it let loose....My lessened learned...just glad I didn't impale my self on downed limbs...

 

 

 Was that deer stressed, earlier shot?  Did u check the skull plate afterwards to see why?

[growalot]

Not shot before...no idea on stress above normal stress...no...it really did'nt enter my mind... He was heavy and I was in one of those leaning drag positions at the time...it was sorta like being released from a sling shot...only thing I was checking was my self for puncture holes...lol

[bowtech2]

I always hang mine from the rear legs always wondered why people hang them from the neck.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DirtTime]

Isn't it easier to just shoot a deer? All the effort to put salt on the tail so they can't run, then set the noose and get the folks ready for the lynching............

[ants]

I have hung them both ways and have never noticed a difference in the way it effected the meat. But I almost always hang them by the hind legs since ever since a farm dog got into the shed and went to town on the hind end of a deer that I had hanging from its horns…..I hated that dog….

[wildcat junkie]

Antlered get hung by the horns. Non antlered get hung by the neck. Call it what you like, but they do drain and wash out better. The head and neck area will swell if hung by the rear legs for the time needed for meat curing. For mounting purposes, not so good.  Ask any taxidermist.

 

 

Never thought about doing bucks from the head for mounting purposes. Makes sense though.

 

dead things don't swell, nor do they bruise or bleed.......

 

I've seen this at the taxidermist. They look like the went 15 rounds with George Foreman.

 

The 1st time I saw it I asked what happened.

 

I don't think it affects the mount other than perhaps increasing the neck measurements for the form.

Edited December 5, 2014 by wildcat junkie

[Terry]

I was taught that it's disrespectful to hang any deer by its neck, so I never have.

[G-Man]

We hang from neck as blood in body cavity drains out better.from gutting and easier b yo wash out if need be. A big buck that will be mounted is hung from rear legs as not to stretch the neck before it is caped(usually done asap)

[nyantler]

All butchers hang animals by their feet.. if its good enough for them it's good enough for me... I bet in the scheme of things it really doesn't matter though... kind of a "Do what you want to do, you will anyway" thing

 

[philoshop]

A friend who I occasionally help out with processing (mostly skinning on my part) does 800 to 900 deer a year. Every single one is hung by the hind legs. Most of the meat is above the drain point that way. And muscle tissue will continue to drain blood for a few days unless its frozen.

FWIW, dead meat will continue to 'bruise' as long as there is blood in it. Not sure if it does anything negative to the taste of it though. Maybe Rocky Balboa could chime in here.

[JFB]

No expert here, but I've read alot on taxidermy and have mounted many as a hobby. Never heard hanging by hindquarter to be bad for any reason (not to say it's not possibly true but no literature or taxidermists I've worked with have said that). 

 

Ropes around the base of antlers could indeed effect the hair. The rope would need to be "tied correctly" to avoid digging in the hair or antler base excessively.

[JFB]

Did a quick google search... first three taxidermist articles say hang them by hind quarters. Among other reasons sited, it mentions not stretching out the neck, not narrowing antler spread from rope and overall hide care. Stopped searching after that. 

[fishuntrapper]

head up to age, head down to process.

[wooly]

I don't even bother hanging them any more unless I have something else to do and need to get the carcass up out of harms way.

I'll  gut them in the field where they fall and pour out any pooled blood.... after a few quick pics of course.

The drag home usually takes about an hour. I'll set them up for a few more pics at home before I toss him in the back of the truck and haul him down to the processor.

Once we get to the processor, he gets pulled out of the truck and layed on the floor of the shop, where he'll stay until they get him on the hooks for skinning.

Once they get him pealed out of his jacket, he's laid back on his side and cut into pieces and packaged on the table.

Hang time is good for punts and kickoffs, but not necessary for dead deer IMO. I prefer to get him from field to freezer ASAP rather than dilly dick around hanging him for a short period of time that comes with no benefits unless conditions are ideal, so that's pointless for me.

I usually get them back and in the freezer within 12-24hrs from the time of kill depending on drop off time, and day of the week.

 

[HuntOrBeHunted]

Hung by legs forever and will stay that way for me.

[DROpTINE]

when you hang from the hind quarters it allows the blood to pool in the neck/shoulder....the blood remaining there preserves the coat better for mounting... we hang all deer by head at camp unless its going to be mounted.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

when you hang from the hind quarters it allows the blood to pool in the neck/shoulder....the blood remaining there preserves the coat better for mounting... we hang all deer by head at camp unless its going to be mounted.

can you read this again. Seems to contradict itself.

[Fantail]

Well, hung up by the hind quarters sure makes them easier to clean / process. If a hanging station is not available then I use a folds out processing table so I don't bend my back.

[gfdeputy2]

we have hung deer both ways & never noticed a difference

[Culvercreek hunt club]

We've always hung head down. IMO it is easier to skin and process that way and the sequence I use leave the deer fully supported with very little hair on it that way.

Skin down to head, cut off head

shoulders off

back straps off, cut off rib cage

take the hind meat off the bone.

 

All the cut parts drop into a tote and the deer is raised or lowered so there is no bending or squatting.