Cleaning grouse warm or cold ?

[new trigger]

I see a lot of photos of dead grouse hung in camp, on a tailgate, or laid out on the ground. When do these get cleaned? I was told, and have always cleaned my grouse right away and while warm. Doesn't seen to be the practice in others' cases. I have always stepped on the wings and pull the legs, maybe they need to be warm for that?
Any concerns with cleaning a stiff bird ? Is it done differently than I'm used to ?
Any advantage to hanging it prior to cleaning ?
I do like to keep the little legs and thighs, as well as the obvious breast meat. Grouse drums are a great dog treat after her dinner.

[solo]

We clean them right away, then into a ziplock and then into a cooler with ice. If we are hiking, they go into the day pack to cool down before we clean them.

[Rackem]

They stay warm for quite awhile, so plenty of time to stick em on a tailgate and take pics. If they are cooled, its just harder to skin them, it tears more. If it gets really cold, its just stiffer to work with. But as far as I know it doesn't affect the taste. I don't think you can do the step on the wings thing if they are cold, they would just rip.

[Abashai]

We usually tend to shoot them on the quad on the way up to our moose spot and don't have a cooler or something handy to throw them into. I've never had a problem cleaning them a few hours after killing them. They do get a little stiff though.

[Wackman]

I always try to skin them while still fresh,
it is way easier then after the grouse cools off.
I like to use the same method you use, stepping on wings
and giving a good pull. That doesn't work so good
when cooled down.

[835]

It is easier to deal with them when they are warm, but it doesnt matter if you dont. if you bring them back to camp for a picture then great!
its not like its "Hard" to clean a cold grouse, its just easier when they are warm. There is no negative effect to the meat...

English used to hang phesants till the guts fell out...

[Big Lew]

I clean them while they're still warm. I like to keep the whole bird intact in case it's going to be roasted. I just make a incision from the rib cage to the butt, hook everything out, tearing or cutting the butt off with everything else. I've found that if the guts are left in very long they will taint the meat (as can be seen by a green sheen or colouring on the bottom of the breasts and along the lower backbone etc.) I also pull out the crop at the same time. I do all this with any game birds including ducks and geese to avoid any gamey meat, especially if it's hot out.

[BuckNaked]

I'm interested in hanging/aging some grouse and see how the taste differs.

http://honest-food.net/2012/10/20/on...g-pheasants-2/

[ruger#1]

I clean them while they're still warm. I like to keep the whole bird intact in case it's going to be roasted. I just make a incision from the rib cage to the butt, hook everything out, tearing or cutting the butt off with everything else. I've found that if the guts are left in very long they will taint the meat (as can be seen by a green sheen or colouring on the bottom of the breasts and along the lower backbone etc.) I also pull out the crop at the same time. I do all this with any game birds including ducks and geese to avoid any gamey meat, especially if it's hot out.

OMG. You guys are keeping those things. I just toss them in the bushes.

[Singleshotneeded]

Step on the wings and pull on the legs when the grouse is freshly killed...quick and easy! Keep your feet tight to where the wings meet the torso for best results...