Cooling your meat!

[mooseless]

Would it be a good idea or bad idea to cool down my game by submerging it in an ice cold creek when it is so warm out at the beginng of the season?
Last year I shot an elk and the creek was right there, but instead we skinned it and high tailed it to the nearest locker and were worried we might loose some meat.

[mark]

Ive heard mixed answers to this question, but butchers have told me they wont take meat that has gotten wet! If you can get it to the butcher within a few hours thats your best bet!

[mooseless]

thanks for the reply, the one meat cutter I asked (not cuttig for a living) said it was fine. If we would have submerged it in the creek for just a few hours it would have been nicely cooled for the trip to our meat cutter.

I'll bet your game should not get wet and stay damp after it has "skinned over" or mould could grow.

[srupp]

Moosless bad idea.. bacteria and contamination gets easily deposited between tissue layers where you cant wipe it off or away ...encouraging accelerated mold growth and decomposition..this type of immersion COOLING in fact speeds up the breakdown of the tissue and washes anything you would want to wipe off and away deep between tissue layers where its growth is accelerated. Not to be done..and any "butcher" that says its OK...isnt really talking from a knowlege base and should be avoided.

Steven

[Rookie]

What about bagging the meat first,then putting in the creek?

[swamper]

Every butcher that I have talked to says that water cooling meat is a bad idea. Like was stated by SRUPP, water encourages bacteria growth and there for allows for quicker spoilage of meat. One of the best ideas that has been passed on to me is to hang the meat in the shade over a small creek, if possible, as the air is so much cooler there.

[mooseless]

Waterproofing it like ROOKIE says would be good!!?? That creek was damm cold, yet air temp at noon was... like at the beach. Would be nice to take advantage of that creek for cooling some how....hmmm, to the drawing board to design a creek assisted cooler... yah "thats the ticket"

[mntman]

Every butcher that I have talked to says that water cooling meat is a bad idea. Like was stated by SRUPP, water encourages bacteria growth and there for allows for quicker spoilage of meat. One of the best ideas that has been passed on to me is to hang the meat in the shade over a small creek, if possible, as the air is so much cooler there.

x2 keep the meat out of the water, hang in the shade until you can get to the cooler air temps are always cooler above the water, bag it in game bags or bed sheets

[srupp]

waterproof bagging also is a bad idea..doesnt allow for air movement and promotes accelerated decomposition and potential for very rapid bacteria growth .

Bug proof bags that BREATH and hung under shade in the wind..ie near the shore or over a creek..and NOT touching the bag beside it...holds in heat and limits air movement and exacerbates spoilage...

Steven

[Byson]

i dragged a moose through the river once i left the hide on when i got the moose to the butchers he said i was lucky i left the hide on, other wise the meat goes slimmy

[Allen50]

putting game in a creek is so bad, what lives in the creek up stream from where you are, what died in the creek during the year, what animal took a leek in the stream while getting a drink,,, so your best bet is get it skined out, cut in 1/4 if need be, open the ribs up so the wind can blow through, find a cool place in the timber or hang it under a bridge where it could be cool, dry it, bag it and get it to a cooler, why do you think coolers have fans, to move the air around to dry the meat so it does not sweat, wet meat rots, this is why you want to let it hang and dry, so please keep your game out of the creeks and lakes, want to boil water wash it down clean all the blood off that you can and then let it dry, bag it and get it to a locker,,,you are out there for the game meat are you not,, take care of the meat befor anything else.... good luck,,,

ps,, i am a butcher for many years, and do cut game for friends, if you shoot a moose in the water try to get it out befor gutting or cutting, keep it clean, you have to eat it, would you eat beef if it was in the pond on the farm.???? later,,,

[hunter1947]

I have lots of times put the hole animal in the a cold creek with the hid on still and let it cool for 3 hours then got it out up hanging and skinned it out ,it helped to cool this meat down fast ,the next morning it has a good crust on it and it is dry ,never had a problem doing this ,but i would not put the animal in the water to cool after i had skinned it. hunter 1947.

[Deaddog]

Well, I guess I broke all the rules when it comes to this one. One season on the tuchodi it was way to hot, we took skinned out , deboned quarters, hung them suspended in a pool of water. They were there for three days, we sent them into town on the third day and had them cut right away, meat was fine other than the outside layer being bleached, butcher cut it away (just like the "skin") and it was fine. Another thing we do is take pack boxes, put our deboned meat in them and then submerge them almost to the top, meat has always kept, never got slimely. This said, the best way is definetly to hang the meat in a shaded spot, preferably over a creek (air movement)

[Ferenc]

WHAT i HAVE DONE INSTEAD IS HUNG MY ANIMAL DEER\ELK UNDER THE CREEK BRIDGE CROSSINGS NICE COOL BREEZE AND ALSO SHADE, GIVES YOU A BIT OF TIME SO YOU DONT HAVE TO RUSH

[Wildman]

hmmm, I cool my meat in a creek if I can. I've never had a problem doing so. This is the first that I have heard of damaging meat by cooling it down in a creek. I guess if that is true, I better think twice.

[Rock Doctor]

Hmmm, I too am guilty of cooling meat in a creek, but I hang it for the first night in the open air to get the crust started, then put it in good game bags, then in plastic bags, then submerge it in a creek. You don't want the plastic touching the meat, as I understand it, and equily important is to keep the water out of the bags (Double them if you think you might get a leak).
I don't recall ever pulling Bad or Slimmy meat out of the "Creek Cooler", but I have never had to leave meat in the creek for more than a couple days.

[Fisher-Dude]

No water for my meat. All of my butchers have said that the water forces bacteria between the meat layers and spoils it rapidly.
Bacteria like moisture to grow in, and that dooms your meat. We washed one small buck off with the garden hose several years ago, and it tasted like moldy cheese. Yuck!

[Caveman]

I'd say if you could bag it air tight you could submerse it for a short period to cool it down. I've never tried it though

[GoatGuy]

Bacteria like moisture to grow in, and that dooms your meat.

FD,

Nobody wants to hear about your night a the corral last week - keep it to yourself

[Fisher-Dude]

FD,

Nobody wants to hear about your night a the corral last week - keep it to yourself

I live by S.F.L.'s advice below when I go to the Corral:


I'd say if you could bag it air tight you could submerse it for a short period to cool it down. I've never tried it though

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[3kills]

i agree with every one else on here dont cool meat in water...take a cooler fulll of ice blocks and stick them in the cavities to cool the meat down it works quite well and u dont have to worry bout contaminating meat....

[Dale]

what i wanted to try is to use a rubbermaid container, place a wood grid on the bottom to permit air flow and then place quarters in the tub. place the lid with a few small holes in it to provide air circulation and then put the tub in the creek. what do ya think of that? i have cooled meat wrapped in game bags and then tough plastic bags, in a creek and it worked great. it was like 25 C and i figured a few hours in the creek before the pack out would be fine. and it was, no slim no waste, no mouldy taste.

[Wildman]

hmmm, I cool my meat in a creek if I can. I've never had a problem doing so. This is the first that I have heard of damaging meat by cooling it down in a creek. I guess if that is true, I better think twice.

I only use the creek to initially cool the meat down and clean it out. I don't leave it in there for much longer than a few hours.

[3kills]

dale it sounds like a good idea but the meat shouldnt touch either so unless u have a few containers then i dont see it really workin....

[hunter1947]

I never heard back from anyone on what i do to cool meat ,don't forget the hole hide is still on the animal when in the cold water and it is in the water for 3hr :roll: ????? hunter 1947.

[3kills]

hunter i m not sure on that bein to good of an idea either cuz u are still gettin water in to the cavity...

[Deerwhacker]

i make a bunch of my own ice blocks befour we headout for the early kooteny bow season and back to back years ive had whitetails down day one and what i do is lay the carcass on ice and pack blocks of ice all around the deer . I check the temperature of the meat rootienly and it stays at a good 3 degrees and after i get it home 7 days later the meat is perfectly fine. thats just my unorthodox way of doing it ,have never hung a deer for any length of time and every one has tasted fantastic.

[Caveman]

I live by S.F.L.'s advice below when I go to the Corral:



:lol: :lol: :lol:

Fisher-Dude , don't get me into your sorted, dirty little secrets...........You know how people talk around here.:lol:

[srupp]

Hunter 1947..a couple of years ago we shot a BIG moose on the edge of a small northern lake...we TOWED it accross the small lake to in front of our cabinand then "field dressed/gutted " the beast.
We left it in the water with all openings above water line..so NO water got past the hide or into the cavity...we were BEAT..

next morning we pulled the moose out of the water and quartered the animal..ended up being fine table fare..thats my only experience along that line...

Steven

[Caveman]

Two years ago I shot a bull moose on the wrong side of a beaver dam. We cleaned it and dragged it though the open dam tied to a quad with no adverse effects. We made sure to clean up and dry it when we got it back to camp.

I have also de-boned a buck and put the meat on ice because it was about 27c out but it was only for a couple of hours, then cut and wrapped and into the freezer.

[30-06]

No water for my meat. All of my butchers have said that the water forces bacteria between the meat layers and spoils it rapidly.
Bacteria like moisture to grow in, and that dooms your meat. We washed one small buck off with the garden hose several years ago, and it tasted like moldy cheese. Yuck!

we washed my bros bear and deer out with a hose.and 2 moose never tasted bad..and i used a couple 4 liter milk jugs of water to wash out my deer.had no probs.

[Caveman]

we washed my bros bear and deer out with a hose.and 2 moose never tasted bad..and i used a couple 4 liter milk jugs of water to wash out my deer.had no probs.

ALWAYS....ALWAYS wash my game with a hose if I have access to it, hanging it to dry straight away. Never keep it wet in the bush.

[30-06]

ALWAYS....ALWAYS wash my game with a hose if I have access to it, hanging it to dry straight away. Never keep it wet in the bush.when we wer ein the bush we used the water in mild cartons when it was hanging.it dryed fast cuz up wind and got a nice crust on it.hung for three days then gotter cut up

[Hal]

I understand that submerging the animal in a creek can be fine if you do so for a short time.There has to be enough retained heat to dry the meat once you hang it. It has to dry, to form the protective skin.
Also freezing gallon milk jugs and inserting them in the body cavity and wrapping the whole animal with a breathable material like canvas works great to cool on a hot day.
While cleaning the meat once it is hung,try wiping with a little vinager or citrus and water. The high acid content will help to kill bacteria and preserve your animal.
Bringing a thermometer to camp is a good plan so you don't have to guess on the temperature.

[Caveman]

Bringing a thermometer to camp is a good plan so you don't have to guess on the temperature.
As long as it feel cool to the touch, I'm not too concerned about it

[Fisher-Dude]

A basin of clean water and a clean damp cloth should be the only thing you need to wipe down the meat. Using a hose forces water under pressure into the layers and you greatly increase your chances of spoilage. There is no reason to use a hose. But hey, you gotta eat that shit, not me...just keep it away from mine at the butcher's eh! :lol:

[Caveman]

A basin of clean water and a clean damp cloth should be the only thing you need to wipe down the meat. Using a hose forces water under pressure into the layers and you greatly increase your chances of spoilage. There is no reason to use a hose. But hey, you gotta eat that shit, not me...just keep it away from mine at the butcher's eh! :lol:

You gonna tell me that you with a cloth wiping down a quarter is any better than using a hose on a shower type setting at about 60 degrees to the meat is any cleaner. Sounds more like you are basting it or spreading the Sh*t all over the meat. I would think the action of wiping down the meat with a cloth would push more nasty stuff into the meat than simply rinsing it off....then pick the hair off and trim the other stuff with a sharp knife... but who am I to say :roll:

[ianwuzhere]

If it is a hot day and your a long ways away from a cooler a clean cold creek may be the only way from completely spoiling the animal if its too hot.
I have had to skin a moose quickly, quarter it, then i put the quarters in a clean cool creek for a few hrs. After i was able to get some further help we packed the quarters out of the creek and to the truck.
You may be right about bacteria growth in warmer climates or stale creeks.
None of the meat was spoiled and to this day it was the best tasting moose ive ever had..
I would not hesitate at all to put another game in a cold clean creek on a hot day if not close to a cooler...
ianwuzhere

[Fisher-Dude]

You gonna tell me that you with a cloth wiping down a quarter is any better than using a hose on a shower type setting at about 60 degrees to the meat is any cleaner. I would think the action of wiping down the meat with a cloth would push more nasty stuff into the meat than simply rinsing it off.... but who am I to say :roll:

Yup. The butchers always praise me for bringing in the cleanest, best kept meat. Those boys see lots of gross crap...one even told me about the wads of hair he found in between muscle layers of a deer that got sprayed down with a hose.

The small volume of water with the cloth doesn't run in between the layers, whereas the pressurized flood from the hose does. You can't push a dribble of water in with a light wiping to where 10 gallons a minute will run.

I work hard for the meat I get and spend stupid amounts of money getting it (we all do!). I don't mind spending a couple of hours picking, trimming, and cleaning it up properly right after I skin it. It's worth it.

[Caveman]

Not to argue with you FD but I've never lost a pound of moose yet, so I'd say either method will work with proper care. Even a freshly skinned animal generally has a thin layer of skin on it so you are not really penetrating anything, and as for it inside and pelvis area, short of the piece along the spine, you'll likely be trimming it off anyways. So unless you are quartering it and blasting directly into the grain there won't be a problem.

[one-shot-wonder]

I work hard for the meat I get and spend stupid amounts of money getting it (we all do!). I don't mind spending a couple of hours picking, trimming, and cleaning it up properly right after I skin it. It's worth it.

Then you drop it off at a butcher's shop and never see it again......You come back a week later and pick up what you thought was your "imaculate" deer but is really S'n'F'n'L's water logged buck and he picks up your ass wiped buck and you both go home happy and chow down.

You should cut/hang and process your own meat and then your hard work and delicate care is never comprimised and enjoyed even more so.

I agree carcasses need to be cooled ASAP, however most of the issues when it comes to palatable meat comes up in the way it is processed I think.

[30-06]

i use the tongue to wipe off all the hair..really works good

[Caveman]

Then you drop it off at a butcher's shop and never see it again......You come back a week later and pick up what you thought was your "imaculate" deer but is really S'n'F'n'L's water logged buck and he picks up your ass wiped buck and you both go home happy and chow down.

You should cut/hang and process your own meat and then your hard work and delicate care is never comprimised and enjoyed even more so.

I agree carcasses need to be cooled ASAP, however most of the issues when it comes to palatable meat comes up in the way it is processed I think.
Actually FD you're Okay, I cut my own deer, so it won't be my water logged buck you'll be eating but I would throw one on the BBQ if need be. With a beer of course.

[Caveman]

i use the tongue to wipe off all the hair..really works good

Do you leave your teeth in or remove them first :lol: :lol:

[30-06]

Do you leave your teeth in or remove them first :lol: :lol:


hahaha..i guess that was a foot in mouth haha..i mean i use the tongue of the deer lol

[speedbird]

Have any of you guys heard of using a cloth soaked in vinegar and water
to wipe the animal down after it's been skinned?

[muleychaser]

The butcher we always use told me that if you spray your meat off right after you skin the animal it is okay but don't go crazy with the hose and don't do it after it starts to stiffen up. I seen some guys last year that bagged their bear meat and hung it below the bridge in the shade and the creek provided some inherint coolness during the day.

[Allen50]

Its me again, ok, meat in a creek, bad, let me ask you all this, some of you live in the big citys, right? well what happens when there is a big storm, your local water system comes from lakes etc in the mountians, right, and when there is a big runoff what is asked of you, Boil the water before drinking because of Bacteria in the system, you don't want your kids to drink it, and or your pets,or anyfamily member, so why would you put your game meat in a creek, where bever, bears, deer, moose, and small animals of all kinds use the water for a bathroom, they pi** in it sh** in it die in it, and all most any thing else you can think of doing in the water, Bacteria of all kinds grows in this water, bever build dams and live in the upper water system, and the water flows down the mountian, where you toss in your game into, skin on or off is bad, there is still open exposed meat your trying to cool that Bacteria can start to grow, Plastic bags is bad for fresh meat to cool in because there is no breathing, why do you think they make cheese cloth and gamebags out of cloth, to help keep the meat clean and the flys off, if you want to wash your meat down, boil some water and wash the blood and dirt off then let dry and bag in gamebags, then get to a cooler, where it can cool properly, I know of some guys whifes that can't stand cooking game or eating it, well that is because it is not taken care of first thing once the game is on the ground, Proper care need to be first on your mind once the gams is down, because is this not what its all about getting the game for the frezzer to feed the family, and the family is very importain to us and we do not want them saying don't bring that game meat into my home,, so i hope we can all learn that keeping the meat clean, will make that winter dinner sitting around the table talking about the hunt and ever one having a big smile while eating the game you got on your hunt,, over this summer and befor you go out to hunt check on line and with any good butcher on care of your game, call ahead to ask if there may be cooler space to put game when your on a early hunt when its warm, book a spot in a cooler, we all spend a lot of dollers to go out and hunt, whats a few bucks to book a cooler, if we get the game or not, each year i have a group of guys book there spot in my cooler for game when they come back all game is dry and baged and clean, and this is what a butcher looks for when you bring game in baged and clean, less cost of cutting and wrapping,, and more meat in your frezzer for the winter,,,,,, well hope some of you read this and i'm hoping to hear less of you tossing meat into a creek to cool,,,,, if you care to e-mail me and ask me about meat care, i'll do what i can to answer any thing you ask,,, i worked in a butcher shop from the kill floor to cutting and wrapping, of all are farm animals, and have cut and wrapped game meat, and do sausage meat smoking for many years, i have my ticket for this, and will do my best to answer you questions if you wish,, well good luck hunting, and keeping the meat CLEAN.....

[Deaddog]

Sounds good if you can get your meat to the cooler fairly quickly, however for those of us that backpack hunt that is not always the case. So on the rare occassions that the heat is to much my meat will continue to go in the creek, I will take my chances with the "contaminated" water from the creeks we hunt around, the butchers that we have used are always happy with the condition of our meat, to each their own DD:lol:

[hunter1947]

How come nothing has ever happened to me over 45 years of doing the water thing ????? :roll: hunter 1947.

[hunter1947]

hunter i m not sure on that bein to good of an idea either cuz u are still gettin water in to the cavity... Thanks for you suggestion 3kills ,but i have been doing this forever and never got sick and i will continue to do the creek thing when it is hot out at the beginning of the season. hunter 1947.http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif

[3kills]

each to there own just cuz some one has never got sick and they have been doing it for ever doesnt mean u wont get and sick and u can get violently sick from some stuff in creeks...any one ever have beaver fever??? not fun....

as for cleanin ur game up....use a bucket of cold water with a lil viniger in or even a cap full of bleach...i know i know people are going to say what!!! but a big buck of cold water with a lil bit of bleach works great and it wont harm u...thats how we cleaned the came up when i was at school and we had some nasty game come in...i remember one buck that had things crawling in it ewww....and i gentle spray from a hose wont hurt nothing...just dont use fulll force from it.....

[Walksalot]

I think it depends upon what elevation one is hunting. The higher you go the cooler the nights and mornings so you have a bit more time to deal with getting the meat out of the bush. In early September we have hoisted quarters into the shady side of the tree and left them over night and not had them spoil. We have also had to move quickly to avoid having meat spoil as the weather was very warm and to this date have never lost an animal to decay.
I don't like puting meat in plastic bags and I don't like puting it in water. Having said that, the first deer I gutted I broke the gut, learning process, and it was a mess so on the way out we washed it in a creek. That is the only time I put an animal in water.
The bottom line is not to have the meat spoil so one has to do whatever is necessary to delay the decay process and end up with a palatable piece of meat for the table. If for some reason there is a high risk of having the meat spoil then I think the hunter has to pass on the animal because to harvest that animal is, in my opinion, a very unsportsman/woman like thing to do.

[bighornbob]

The care of game meat should start as soon as the animal is down. Cool the best way possible, if you have no choice, use a creek. Sure the stuff in creeks may be bad for you if you drink it but it may do no harm if its gets into meat. I am not parasite expert but I am sure things grow and react differently. Just becuase it may make you sick if you drink it does not mean it will do anything if it sits in a meat layer.

Just like rattlesnake poison, if it gets into an animals blood stream it is very bad but that same animal can eat the thing with no ill effects.

My parents have washed game for the last 40 years and have never had a problem. The animal is gutted in the field, skinned in the garage, then they use a garden hose and lightly pour water over the carcass to remove hair etc etc. They dont use a pressure washer as Fisher Dude:lol: may have done to push water into the meat layers or did he use it to debone it:lol:.

BHB

[Wildman]

i use the tongue to wipe off all the hair..really works good

Jeez what a trick. I never thought of that. Thanks, you learn something every day.

[Caveman]

There's always more than one way to skin a cat as they say. Whatever method you use, if you've never had an issue then why change. Cool it down as soon as you can, I think we all agree on. Keep it clean as possible and remove anything that may cause issues. I'm not a fan about creek water, but if it's your only choice, I'd suggest wrapping it in a tarp or something to act as a barrier, keeping the water from the meat, drying it straight away if it is submerged and wet. I've even left the hide on for seven days in the bush while it was warm, this was a popular discusion as well. If the meat feels cool to the touch in the middle of the day you've done your job, the meat is fine, but keep an eye on it. A smokey fire to keep the bugs off during the day helps.I've dragged a moose as mentioned through a beaver dam, gutted, not a problem. In fact the butcher that cut it said it was one of the nicest animals to date that he had cut that year. I, as many here have been doing this a long time, myself 30 years, some of course learning by my dad, and have never had an animal spoil or even taste bad. I know I don't do things the same as each of you and I don't expect you to try what I've done, but what I've done works for me. If you've had game go bad then there are some great ideas here to help prevent it happening again. Clean, Dry and Cool the best you can, you'll never have a problem. Some of these things I wouldn't make a practise of but they can and do work. Just another question, What cooler do you think the natives ran off to when they had twenty buffalo laying on the plains, how'd they keep meat. How'd your grandparents do it?

[eastkoot]

Geeze, I can't help but read this and think, what the hell?? Get it cool by skinning, quartering and hanging in meat sacks.. That's it. Air will cool it, your not trying to freeze the shit, just remove the body heat.. If your backpacking, you didn't got for the meat anyway, expect to loose some if your 5-6 days from a cooler. If your anywhere else and have a camp and vehicle nearby, plan it before you go (where your taking it so you don't loose it).. It's not rocket science, it's common sense..

[StoneChaser]

I've kept deboned meat in temps upwards of + 30C for 5 days w/no problems as I packed it in my pack, no problems.

I simply put the meat in a GASP...plastic bag and either drop it in a glacier pool/stream (leave the top untied and open so it can breathe...keeps the water off of it and the meat is perfect in the morning.

The other way is simply open the top of the bag and leave it out if the nights are cool.. it breathes well and cools nicely.

I throw it in the bottom of my pack with my sleeping bag and clothes on top of it. Each night I simply find a creek to throw the bag in, or keep it spread out in the open air (if no cold water is around). Each night after a day of hiking in the heat the meat is still very cool to the touch.

I've never lost a morsel of meat yet backpacking...not saying it can't happen... but it shouldn't very often!

Of course the best is snow...one time I kept a ram burried in some residiual snowpack in a plastic bag...it was great table fare.

I've personally not had to resort to dumping an entire critter in a creek/lake, but sure would before I'd let it spoil in the heat...no brainer for me.

Despite one of the comments above, backpacking isn't strictly about the trophy, and the meat can be brought home in great shape w/a little effort and creativity.

StoneChaser

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Despite one of the comments above, backpacking isn't strictly about the trophy, and the meat can be brought home in great shape w/a little effort and creativity.
StoneChaser

Amen Brother S/C8) ! Well put.

SSS

[Deaddog]

We bring ALL the meat out of our elk or sheep when we backpack hunt, as mentioned previous we also put the meat in plastic bags when we are packing it out and put it in snow or on rock at night to cool, we have not lost any meat doing it this way. Throwing meat in the creek is a last resort but does work

[ianwuzhere]

How come nothing has ever happened to me over 45 years of doing the water thing ????? :roll: hunter 1947.

cuz freezing the meat and cooking the meat will get rid of any bacteria that may harm you!! mmmm water logged steaks...

[troutseeker]

I just unzip let it hang out in the breeze...

[hunter1947]

cuz freezing the meat and cooking the meat will get rid of any bacteria that may harm you!! mmmm water logged steaks... I never have had water logged steaks ever ,when i pull my meat out of the water with the hid still on it ,then skin it ,there is no water under the skin ,just dry clean meat ,that has been cooled down ,then ready to be hung to dry under the stream bridge :lol: hunter 1947.

[hunter1947]

Jeez what a trick. I never thought of that. Thanks, you learn something every day. I can't do that ,i eat the tongue .:lol: hunter 1947.

[Odd-6]

If it is hot, I have used water to cool the meat(30-45 mins) and dry the meat immediately with paper towels. I use latex gloves when I gut/handle the meat. A friend showed me to use food grade citric acid (2oz to about 1qt water) which slows the bacteria. Spray-on meat til it runs off meat, stuff dries fast, it forms a dark crust making it hard for flies to lay eggs. I put the meat in those cotton meat bags (not cheese cloth). Abit more to carrying around. I do carrying out all my trash. Abit overkill (maybe nuts) but it works for me and I haven't had any problems.

[300 wsm]

i think with the hide on belly up in a stream is good but i say the best is to get it in the shade and hang it the best way i found to clean meat is with water with a bit of viniger then jus use a rag and wipe it clean

[huntwriter]

Would it be a good idea or bad idea to cool down my game by submerging it in an ice cold creek when it is so warm out at the beginng of the season?
Last year I shot an elk and the creek was right there, but instead we skinned it and high tailed it to the nearest locker and were worried we might loose some meat.

Not at all. In fact it is a very good idea. If there is a lot of fresh snow I have to hesitation to stuff the body cavity of the carcass with snow to haste the cooling process.

It is an old tale that venison and water don't mix for which there is no scientific proof.

Go right ahead and dump that carcass in a creek, river or lake. Just make sure you tie a rope around the legs and the other end onto a tree, so you wont lose the animal.

[huntwriter]

I just read the thread, not only the first post.

There are some folks here saying that submerging the carcass in water would make for watery meat, while other worry about bacteria.

Here are the facts. I am talking now as a certified Master Butcher, not a hunter.

Meat is waterproof it will not absorb water. Heck slaughterhouses all over the world wash the animal carcasses with pressure washers. Ah, now somebody will say that this is the reason why we have water in the frying pan when we fry up a steak. Wrong. The reason meat of domesticated animals tends to be watery has more to do with the way the animal is raised (intensive farming) than with using water.

Bacteria are everywhere, in the water, on land and in the air, even within plants, human and animal bodies. There is way to much hype about bacteria these days. Most bacteria, the bad and not so bad ones, will be killed either when the meat is frozen or when the meat is cooked.

Wiping down a carcass with vinegar has negligent antibacterial benefits. But what it does well is keeping the flies and other insects away. In addition vinegar hastens the aging process of the meat in a limited way. Other than that is has no benefits.