As I've said before, I'm old and lazy. If there are no deer in front of me, I generally head home before dark because I have livestock and chores to do. I also dislike having to track or work on a deer after dark. I'm basically a morning hunter. I like to shoot them early, get em dressed and out of the woods. I put them on a gambrel and get the hide off while they're warm, let them cool and bleed out for a couple of hours and then cut them and in the freezer before I go to bed. Years ago, I read a pamphlet put out by Northern Michigan University (NMU) "Venison U.P. Style" In it they state that since venison has no intra-muscular fat to break down, it is pointless to hang it. All you're doing is drying it out. I tried processing them immediately and it dramatically improved quality.
Pete
