Hanging Deer

[Twax10]

I was always taught growing up to hang deer upside down from the rear legs so gravity helps drain the blood which helps the meat and prevents pooling in the good meat in the hinde quarters. Always made sense to me. I've seen a lot of people on here this year hanging deer from their necks. How does everyone hang and is there a benefit to hanging from the neck?

Edited December 5, 2014 by Twax10

[wildcat junkie]

I was always taught growing up to hang deer upside down from the rear legs so gravity helps drain the blood which helps the meat and prevents pooling in the good meat in the hinde quarters. Always made sence to me. I've seen a lot of people on here this year hanging deer from their necks. How does everyone hang and is there a benefit to hanging from the neck?

I hang by the head. After the deer is dead & gutted here is little "pooling" of blood.

 

That might not be true if the deer was immediately hung within a few minutes of the kill. Since it will usually be a hour to several hours after the kill before the deer is hung I don't think that it would be a factor.

 

I like for the blood in the thorax cavity to drain out through the reamed butthole. Hung by the hind legs it collects in the neck unless the deer is split from stem to stern.

 

I do like to skin them hanging from the rear hocks. It seems easier to me.

 

 Hang it any way you want.

Edited December 5, 2014 by wildcat junkie

[WNYBuckHunter]

I hang mine from a gabrel in the garage, so rear legs up for me. When I gut, I reach in there and pull the esophogus/windpipe as far back as I can, and cut as far forward as I can, so the blood drains right out through the mouth and nose no problem.

[SteveB]

Once dead, the blood doesn't drain from the muscles - only from the body cavity.

Makes no difference which end is up when hanging.

[Lawdwaz]

I hang mine from a gabrel in the garage, so rear legs up for me. When I gut, I reach in there and pull the esophogus/windpipe as far back as I can, and cut as far forward as I can, so the blood drains right out through the mouth and nose no problem.

 

Same deal here

 

[Trial153]

For all practical purposes it makes no difference.

I always hang by the hind quarters ... Just seems more respectful to me.

While hanging a buck by the antlers doesn't look so bad...hanging does buy their necks looks terrible and seems disrespectful.

Hanging by the hind quarters also allows you to start the skinning with taking them down....

[fasteddie]

I hang mine from a gabrel in the garage, so rear legs up for me. When I gut, I reach in there and pull the esophogus/windpipe as far back as I can, and cut as far forward as I can, so the blood drains right out through the mouth and nose no problem.

 

Same here . No problem as the blood drains from the mouth . Makes it easier to skin and cut up .

[Twax10]

...hanging does buy their necks looks terrible and seems disrespectful.

I forgot to include this. I hate when it looks like there's a noose around their neck..

[wildcat junkie]

hanging does buy their necks looks terrible and seems disrespectful.

 

Ya know I never thought of it that way.

 

Kinda like "lynching".

[letinmfly]

We always hang bucks by the antlers and does by the rear legs.  Just always been that way for us.

[Renegade Hunter]

Always hang from the hind legs, not only does it drain the blood, but I think it is easier to skin and butcher that way.

[growalot]

Rear legs...I also slice the throat under the jaw and expose the wind pipe left...then yank the rest of it out to make sure I get rid of any bacteria that might grow in it as it hangs...

[Fletch]

Once dead, the blood doesn't drain from the muscles - only from the body cavity.

Makes no difference which end is up when hanging.

 

Exactly! That said we have always done head up and I find that the easiest way to skin and cut up. I guess it is just how you learned.

[landtracdeerhunter]

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.

Edited December 5, 2014 by landtracdeerhunter

[Twax10]

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.

[growalot]

If you skin them right away...which is the easiest thing to do...what difference would it make to a taxidermist?

[growalot]

Wouldn't the rope mess up fur at bases and weaken the rack holding that weight?

[landtracdeerhunter]

LOL, grow we're old fashion. I grew up to let the meat cure a few days. Hide keeps the meat from drying out.

[genesee_mohican]

I hang em by the rear legs so I have that massive rack down where I can get my hands on it. j/k  I think it makes skinning easier.

 

 

[landtracdeerhunter]

Wouldn't the rope mess up fur at bases and weaken the rack holding that weight?

 

 

We haven't loss a rack yet, LOL.

[jjb4900]

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.

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

[landtracdeerhunter]

I hang em by the rear legs so I have that massive rack down where I can get my hands on it. j/k  I think it makes skinning easier.

 

 

I skin from the rear legs down, also. Easier for me too!

[growalot]

We use to as well...but I now skin...cut lower legs off and slip a game bag over them...any thing that gets dry...I would have trimmed while cutting any ways...I also increased hide price by a $1 doing this...

[Twax10]

I think it's funny how many different opinions we have here.

[letinmfly]

Wouldn't the rope mess up fur at bases and weaken the rack holding that weight?

 

Those antlers are on there real good but that's not saying that it can't happen.  In over 40 years of hunting it's never happened to us.

It doesn't mess up the hair if you tie the rope correctly.  Also the weight of the deer will pull the rope away from the top of the head as the rope will slide up on the antlers.