Caring for wild game meat in warm weather

Most of us have welcomed the unusually warm November weather in northern Idaho.

However, the higher than normal temperatures require that hunters use special care to prevent spoilage of game meat.

It is critical that a harvested animal is cooled as quickly as possible. Once cooled, the meat must be kept below 40 degrees F. until cut and frozen.

While many hunters like to hang meat for a few days to age and tenderize it, aging has not been possible recently without a meat cooler.

When a hunter heads to the field, it is important to always have a plan for handling an animal should the hunt be successful. Know how you will get the animal out of the woods and where you will take it. Carry the tools you need to remove the entrails to begin the cooling process immediately after tagging an animal. Know in advance who can help, and where you can take game to cool it and store it until it is cut.

If you are not skinning the animal in the field, plan ahead where you will take it for skinning. Getting the hide off quickly is important to allow body heat to escape from the animal. While whole deer carcasses will begin to cool when the hide is removed, elk and moose need to be quartered to cool quickly.

Once the meat has cooled, never allow it to get above 40 degrees F. again because bacteria will rapidly grow. Keep it out of the sun and protected from flying insects. Unless insects prevent it, leaving the carcass to cool without covering it with a meat sack hastens cooling and allows the surface to dry.

Remove as much fat as possible. as well as any bloodshot meat.

Deer populations are very high, and Thanksgiving week is a popular week for deer hunting, but keep in mind that many of the local meat processors have full meat coolers now. If your plan is to have your animal professionally cut, you should call to see which local meat cutter has cooler space.

Hunters have the ethical and legal obligation to make certain they utilize as much of the meat of a game animal as they possibly can. Being prepared before the shot is essential to putting high quality meat into the freezer and on the table.

Submitted by Phil Cooper, Wildlife Conservation Educator for IDFG