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Out of curiosity !

Permanently deleted user
My deal last night with this deer got me to woundering!

How long is too long to let a deer go without being gutted?

I personally hear of people all the time who will shoot a deer just before night and cannot find it in the dark and they will go back the next morning if it has been cold and hunt for it and get it!

They are doing this even with does so I know it is not just to get the rack!

So is a deer that has been lying there dead all night in cold weather still good for eating?
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9 comments

Date Votes
  • rogue_rob
    quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
    My deal last night with this deer got me to woundering!

    How long is too long to let a deer go without being gutted?

    I personally hear of people all the time who will shoot a deer just before night and cannot find it in the dark and they will go back the next morning if it has been cold and hunt for it and get it!

    They are doing this even with does so I know it is not just to get the rack!

    So is a deer that has been lying there dead all night in cold weather still good for eating?


    Did the guys get sick when they ate that doe? If they did, I would advise against leaving it out all night before gutting it.
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  • Jacob2008
    we have left one out ONE time. And that is because it jumped over a creek and kept running, Next morning we got it and it was bloated.
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  • Permanently deleted user
    quote:Originally posted by rogue_rob
    quote:Originally posted by git_r_done
    My deal last night with this deer got me to woundering!

    How long is too long to let a deer go without being gutted?

    I personally hear of people all the time who will shoot a deer just before night and cannot find it in the dark and they will go back the next morning if it has been cold and hunt for it and get it!

    They are doing this even with does so I know it is not just to get the rack!

    So is a deer that has been lying there dead all night in cold weather still good for eating?


    Did the guys get sick when they ate that doe? If they did, I would advise against leaving it out all night before gutting it.
    I have never heard of anyone around here getting sick after doing it.

    I am always hearing of people around here doing this if they cannot find a deer after dark. As long as it was a good cold night they will go out at first light and find it. It seems to be a common practice around these parts.

    I personally am a morning hunter and have never had this problem.
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  • David Nunn
    Not being able to find it is one thing, but I wouldn't leave the guts in for any extended period if were possible to get them out.
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  • rider
    GRD....It depends entirely on the temperature and how quickly the deer died and whether the deer bled out or not. [:)][:)] I've seen elk, spoil, when not found and left out overnight in 4 feet of snow. This was due primarily to its thick hide and the fact it couldn't cool out, probably. Anyway, time and temperature is the determining factor.......[:)][:)]
    rider
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  • Sav99
    I've always gutted them right away. Also, up north here in the colder weather we hang the deer for a a full two days before processing. One other thing, I've always cut either side around a bucks schwantz and cooyans. Never wanted to cut the dern thing off the guy.
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  • mrseatle
    My County health inspector advises not to leave your food out for more than 4 hours.

    ...and don't shoot near power lines!
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  • Permanently deleted user
    The sooner you get the guts out of the animal, the better the meat is going to taste. Occassionally, you'll have an animal that ran and took most of the night to die. If this is the case, it may be good in the morning, but I've never left an animal un-gutted till the next day. Trust me...the meat will taste far better, the sooner you get them gutted.
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  • Permanently deleted user
    After they are gutted, I leave them hang for 3 days if it's cool enough. I've tried anywhere from 0-14 days and 3 days seems to be where they taste the best.
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