I went to pick up my deer head at the processor and he was still hanging one week after i dropped him off. It was cold in there but not freezing. Then I went back today to pick the head up and it smelled pretty bad in there. Not sure if my meat was frozen and packed at that point, or was some of it out in trays. Today would have been two weeks. What do yall think? Should I be worried?

Probably should be worried. I tried a new processor last year, Cox's in Commanche. The place stunk like hell, and I found all kinds of disgusting God knows what in all my packs of ground...threw the whole lot away, damn shame. I really think I'm going to do it myself this year, for the first time. Even if I screw it up, I can grind everything and have a bunch of nice clean ground anyway.

I processed the doe I got this year by myself, the first time I had done so. It was slightly overwhelming before I started, but it was really not difficult once I got started. I picked up the book Butchering Deer by John Weiss and it was a huge help. Lots of pics and goes into details on all the options you have for each part of the deer (roasts, steaks, burger, etc...) I got it at Half Price Books for about $7, and it was money very well spent.

Does anybody know how long you can safely hang a deer without freezing it?

two weeks sounds a little long, but at the RIGHT temp it should be ok i would think. but if the meat smells, i wouldn't touch it

I'm not going to say to not be worried cause I'm not sure what temperature your deer is at, but the "aging" of a deer (with hide on) is 4-8 days at 38-40 degrees. 10 days won't do much harm. The days start from the time of your kill (actually once he/she has cooled down). BTW, got the same John Weiss book. Think I got it at bass pro or cabelas.

Ok thanks guys. I will post back after i pick him up.

i started processing my own from the first deer i shot last year. 3 more deer down since then, and i've dont it all myself. just roasts, steaks, and grind. i like knowing my venison was handled and prepped by me. got a book as well. just takes patience and a little finesse. if you're hamfisted and can't change your own sparkplugs, you might have trouble.

It is not that hard to do it yourself. The backstraps and hams you can make steaks out of. The rest of it use for chili or grind up with a little beef tallow and use for hamburger. If you want mix some pork trimmings with some of it along with some pork sausage seasoning and it makes some good breakfast patties. Put it in some plastic baggies and you are good to go. It will be a hell of a lot cleaner than if you get it done somewhere else plus it will taste better because you did it yourself. Good luck and go for it, Donald

We used to hang for a week before processing, now this was in a 36 degree cooler, off the floor. I have seen a couple processors that could have used a mop and some bleach.

You should be worried. If it smells bad, it IS bad, period.

Food processing stations should be clean, organized, well staffed and NEVER smell bad. No doubt, hanging meat has a musk to it, but it isn't offensive smelling. I personally would be very concerned. The health deparment should be called too.

Not stepping on toes here but 10-14days with the hide on will only make the meat better; after all deer is a very lean meat and can be tough from lack of marbleing.

Some of the best beef steaks are aged up to 60days in a cooler until black mold is growing on the out side and the mold is then trimmed away and these steaks go for $100.00+ per serving.

A meat packing plant "is what it is" and while all proper disinfectants should be used as part of a comprohensive cleaning plan .....its not going to smell like sunshine!

Use your better judgement when choseing a processor and keep your eye open but I once had a hunting client follow me to a processor in dallas to drop off his deer and the establishment was grade A++++ CLEAN floors washed with bleach, meat carried in seperate pans, nothing on the floor and clean well mannered staff.


I was really impressed at how clean it was; being an agriculture major and having seen commercial packing facilities.

The client on the other hand...."I cant believe this place hasnt be shut down im not leaving my deer here!"

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder just make sure you know what your looking for.

All good points. Just was looking for your opionions. Ive been around processors a long time and givin time, i would much rather process myself. I believe a meat locker should NEVER smell rotten.

well when they wash it down with bleach it still doesnt smell very good. one of my cousins has a meat market and used to butcher everything you can imagine and it didnt smell all that good but it was clean as clean could get. he still makes sausage and jerky and stuff but got out of the slaughter part of it....that is unless your a good friend. lol

I never take a deer to a processor because I have been cutting meat for over 25 years.What few times I went to one with someone else the place where they processed the meat(cutting room)wasn`t very cold at all.I always keep the meat cutting room 45 degrees or below for sanitation reasons.I am sure they don`t want to spend the money to cool a processing room properly.It is deer meat that will be frozen and wrapped in butcher paper where it can`t be inspected till sometime in the future when you get home.Deer processors can get away with poor sanitation practices that supermarket butcher shops would never even consider because they(supermarkets) only sell fresh beef and pork.I would suggest that if you really want to know what deer you are eating and how it has been taken care of while being processed that you need to learn from someone or somewhere how to do it yourelf. YOUTUBE has a few good clips on skinning and processing deer that are really good for someone who might need a little help.

I started doing them myself. I know I am getting MY deer, and I know it is done with cleanliness. The last several batches of deer steaks I have come across, done by processors, looed like crap. Tons of fat, sinew, and silverskin left all over the meat. And it was cut wrong. No wonder so many people say that they don't like venison. Seems like half the processors don't know how or they don't care how it is processed. Plus, you dont even know if the deer is yours or someone elses. So quality control is in their hands. Plus, once I learned how to process myself, I found it to be fun!JMO

Trent...how did this story turn out?