Keeping a shot beast cool

[ca11um]

Hi all

I was wondering what does every do to hang a deer up if you don't have access to a proper larder. Does anyone know where you can purchase a large chiller? Or what are the other alternatives to a larder for folk like my self whom only shoot to fill there own freezer? As this heat and flies will soon spoil a beast. But I like to let mine hang a few days.

Thanks for all the advice to come.

 

[Malxwal]

If you don't have the facilities, and many of us don't, just need to leave them be. Hanging under a sheet or net keeps flies off, but it's just not getting cool enough over night just now. You might try getting in touch with the local estates/keepers, see if you can use their larders.
Keep your eyes peeled for drinks chillers for sale, but be wary of catering fridges, as they often reference outside temperature, and as such don't work outside unless it's very warm.

 

[Hayduke]

You cant hang a carcass for a few days in this heat (unless you like it really ripe and crawling! Middle of winter yes but no now.
You can pick up second hand commercial drink fridges (like the ones in shops emblazoned with coke/irnbru/etc logos) or catering suppliers sell second hand upright chillers. FB market place, eBay, classified adds on this forum, and catering equipment dealers are all worth checking. Also restaurants and shops closing shift them on too. Rarely need to pay more than £200 for one in reasonable condition. Take out the shelving, mount a hanging bar across the top/centre for gambrels and hooks. Plenty of good ways to mount the bar and a search on this forum will bring up a few.
Or
You maybe able to hang it for a couple hours - in cool shade, when back home, and then butcher and freeze.
Or
Ive done them the American way before, break it down to primals in the field.
But hanging them for 3 - 7 or so days in a chiller is best.

 

[finnbear270]

I either have with me bags of ice from the supermarket on the way in, stored in a small cool box (12v plug in one), or hard frozen lemonade bottles for the chest cavity, after a short period in any breeze / shaded part of the forest I set the air con going & head for home & phone the missus to set the chiller going when I am on the motorway.
As mentioned above, upright food or drinks chiller, mine runs at 4 to 5 c. Skin & break it down on 4th evening.

 

[Devon Stalker]

I’ve also used the American method of breaking down to primals and then resting in the fridge for a few days. Has worked very well but on young reds only, I’m not sure an older beast would achieve the same results.

 

[deerstalker.308]

We obsess over coke fridges etc, but be warned, they often come with faults, yes they can be good value but if you end up having to dispose of it at the local tip (same applies with commercial fridges) you will be charged handsomely for disposal.
A domestic tall fridge is just as effective for medium sized deer and again readily available on Facebook etc, and often have had an easier life. Doesn’t need to be a top of the range Miele a cheapo beko tall fridge is fine, just pull the shelves out and hang a bar from the top row of shelving brackets which are normally moulded plastic internals and perfectly strong enough. Be very cautious if drilling holes in fridges for bars to hang from, you may very easily drill through the cooling system!

 

[VSS]

If, as you say, you're only shooting a few beasts each year for your own freezer then it's simple: Don't stalk in the summer!
You ought to be able to get all the venison you need in December - January - February, and you'll have no problem hanging them for a week or more in a cool garage or outbuilding.

 

[Sellars]

I don't have a chill and if I shoot deer in summer for personal consumption, I use a portable fan to keep air circulating and a UV insect zapper. The shed I use is dark, with no windows and in a shaded spot which helps. In warm weather I try to butcher within 24hrs but I firmly believe in using your nose and common sense. A day in warm weather = several in winter. Sometimes I use an old kitchen fridge and cut up to main joints and put them in the fridge to deal with when I can. I avoid leaving meat in plastic bags in a fridge as that can taint. Sometimes you just have to take the deer when you have a chance. Folk managed for thousands of years before electric chillers came along and if you think about it and are careful it is possible. If you plan to shoot lots or sell on to a game dealer then find a friend with the facilities.

 

[Utectok]

Convert an old fridge. Cheap and a lifesaver in buck season. I honestly don’t know how I managed before I got one

 

[Tim.243]

Hi all

I was wondering what does every do to hang a deer up if you don't have access to a proper larder. Does anyone know where you can purchase a large chiller? Or what are the other alternatives to a larder for folk like my self whom only shoot to fill there own freezer? As this heat and flies will soon spoil a beast. But I like to let mine hang a few days.

Thanks for all the advice to come.

As Andy said, get a tall fridge and put a hanging bar on the moulded sides.
I have had my coke chiller 8 years, rebuilt the bottom 4" from channel and 6mm pop rivets as the thin tin rotted.
2 pieces of 3/4 ply A shape cut out a notch to fit a 3x2 as the bar. Wood glue 2 pieces of batten as support make it dead size and slide it in on the top moulding...it will take longer to find the tools and timber than make it.

 

[finnbear270]

Tim, You'll be getting a reputation as a wood welder.

 

[Mick9abf]

@ca11um you live in Strathdon so won’t be able to turn off the main road without hitting a sporting estate!! I’d just approach one of the local gamekeepers and ask them if you can put a carcass in their chill for a couple of days.

Just make sure to put a tag on it saying to leave as when the game dealer comes to collect stuff they normally just wing everything into the motor without paying any attention.

 

[Tim.243]

Tim, You'll be getting a reputation as a wood welder.

My good side far out weigh's my bad side

 

[VSS]

. Folk managed for thousands of years before electric chillers came along and if you think about it and are careful it is possible.

They managed in summer by eating small animals immediately (or big animals butchered and eaten on the spot by a whole tribe).
Once people became less nomadic, killing would be carried out during the winter only, with the surplus salted or smoked for preservation.
The old saying about only killing animals when there's an "r" in the month still has some sense in it, although our milder winters these days mean flies are a pest for longer. Certainly you'll get flies laying eggs on a carcass in September, October and November these days, and also March and April. So, for the stalker who has no chiller, and only wants a few animals for home consumption, Dec, Jan and Feb give the best opportunity for hanging the carcass for a decent amount of time and not having to rush the butchery side of things. If someone's sole reason for stalking is to achieve that then it wouldn't matter to them not to stalk at other times of year.

 

[Cheviot]

I hang mine over night with a 9'' van blowing, and skin it in the morning (5am) cut it up in to primals and hang from a cooling rack in fridge

 

[pob]

When in a similar situation I just found a bit of space in the bottom of the family fridge for roughly quartered joints using these: Alaska Game Bags.

I'd usually remove the backstraps and bin the spine to make room. It minimised the visible gore and mess. If I was feeling lazy I might leave skin on, but generally I tried to skin in the field. I transported the carcass home in a longer 60" bag.

Obviously, doing it this way the air circulation was poor, but I judged that the cooling was more important. Was that wrong? Is hanging about losing moisture, or about letting natural enzymes tenderise the meat?

I transitioned via a dedicated tall domestic fridge. I'm now running a Tefcold larder fridge with fan in the shed, so no more glares from the family.

 

[paulbshooting]

I started with a tall larder fridge, fitted some air vents and a rail to hang off. This was perfect for two roe or a fallow. Bought the tenderum fan off bushwear and it worked well.

 

[deerstalker.308]

I started with a tall larder fridge, fitted some air vents and a rail to hang off. This was perfect for two roe or a fallow. Bought the tenderum fan off bushwear and it worked well.

You really don’t need the air vents! That’s not how fridges work….

 

[Woodsmoke]

I've a double door drinks chiller I use for carcasses. The day of shooting I cover with a fly shroud and leave overnight to cool to ambient, then I skin and transfer to the chiller for a couple of days or until I'm ready to butcher. They then God into the large domestic fridge in the butchery. I predominantly shoot roe, so they don't need much hanging, or loads of space

 

[ca11um]

Thanks everyone for the advice!