Hair on Hanging Meat

[PointMan]

Another one of those questions where I'm fairly certian I know the answer, but I have to ask anyway. Without going into a bunch of detail, the jist of it is, I hang my game in a friends cooler, but he's usually there when I show up. Yesterday, he wasn't. I figured out how to fire it up, but couldn't find a light switch, so I had to skin it in the semi-dark with the cooler door open. I didn't have a bunch of time to get it done because I didn't want the a/c to freeze up, so once I got the hide off it, I left it there as is. I know it's still covered in loose hair. My question is, how essential is it that I get back there and get that hair off the carcas and what's the best method, diluted water and vinegar?

[Glenny]

Best trick I've ever learned was to use the deers tongue and a bucket of water. The raspiness of the tongue takes it right off. It's amazing how well it works.

[Fraink]

Wild animals smell!! The hair locks up a lot of odour and will transfer the odour to the meat to some degree, going back as soon as you can with warm water and vineger and some clean rags will minimize any bad smells or taste in the meat.

[tash]

Best trick I've ever learned was to use the deers tongue and a bucket of water. The raspiness of the tongue takes it right off. It's amazing how well it works.

Nice! Thanks for that tip.

[budismyhorse]

don't sweat it......you'll cut that hard black dried out meat off when you butcher it anyhow.

that being said......I've definitely taken my share of little bits of hair and grass off hanging game.

[nap]

vinegar and cool water, a fairly course brush (new) brush it down from top to bottom, works great and I think it helps out in the long run even if there isn't much hair.

[Alpine Addict]

don't sweat it......you'll cut that hard black dried out meat off when you butcher it anyhow.

that being said......I've definitely taken my share of little bits of hair and grass off hanging game.

X2.

You just end up cutting the crust off anyway

[winchester284]

Use a propane torch to burn it off.

[coach]

Use a propane torch to burn it off.

X2. I spoke with a butcher a couple of years ago who had some amazingly clean deer hanging in his cooler. I asked him how the hunters had kept all the hair off. He told me he cleaned them of with a torch. Great idea.

[BiG Boar]

I use a little propane torch that screws onto a 2lbs bbq tank. Just pops them and turns them into dust.

[nap]

propane torch maybe, , dad used to burn the hair off the pigs when we butcherd them on the farm, still can't stand the smell of any pork being fried up. I can smell that burning hair right now!

[skibum]

pick as much hair off as you can see, (place in a wet towel held in opposite hand), torch it, then give it a quick wipe down with some clean water

[Allen50]

no viegar needed, just use hot water to the touch, and clean rags and wash it with lots of water, and hang it in the cooler, all the other stuff is not needed, no torch thats for pigs, not animals with hides, water clean rags, and wash off the blood, and hair, you have to take the time to do this to keep the meat nice, and clean ready for cutting, 10 years in a slaughter house is where i get my info case your woundering,, there will be no game tast if you care for it propperley,, good luck.

[Caveman]

I use an old terry cloth t-towel wet but rung out. Wipe it down rinsing and re-ringing it out. pick off the more stubborn ones

[redthorn]

Don't use water on the animal. Just take a shop vac with the little-flat-non-brushy-head to it right after skinning.. It'll take all the hair off and not make a mess. My brother showed me this on he mulie we just finished cutting tonight. Works like a charm. The deer had no hair at all on the meat.

[358mag]

Don't use water on the animal. Just take a shop vac with the little-flat-non-brushy-head to it right after skinning.. It'll take all the hair off and not make a mess. My brother showed me this on he mulie we just finished cutting tonight. Works like a charm. The deer had no hair at all on the meat.
X3 works like a charm God bless the shop vac

[Marlin375]

First off don't cut the hair, cut the hide from the inside for the entire proccess (gutting included) and you will have virtually no hair to deal with.
One swipe through hair with a sharp knife and you have a huge mess that is totally avoidable.
Then a quick once over with a coarse horse brush will get rid of the rest followed by a warm water/vinager wipe down to get rid of the dried blood.

[Fisher-Dude]

I would not be using any vinegar on it. Pick what you can, then moist, warm cloth to remove blood and the stubborn hairs, and Skip's your Uncle (or is that Bob?).

[chinooker]

Take a case of your favorite beer and spend a couple hours picking, sipping and enjoying your victory.

[Downwind]

Take a case of your favorite beer and spend a couple hours picking, sipping and enjoying your victory.

Or until you're too drunk to see or care about any of the remaining hair ;)

[Darksith]

yes sir, a properly skinned animal won't have much hair on it, maybe a little inside the ribs and at the original points of cutting when gutting and transporting, but not much under where the hide used to be. After you get the hide off, the best answer above is the case of beer and some time picking. If you do end up with huge amounts of hair, or dirt or anything for that matter, I always wash my animals down so they are nice and clean. Makes for better suasages, less hair etc etc. The butchers won't go to that length for you, but you can do it yourself. It will not harm the meat at all if it is done the same day you shoot, gut and skin it. If possible I simply use the hose and a rag, but if you can't b/c your indoors with no drain then a bucket of water and rag is just fine. Change the water if it starts to get counter productive.

[rred]

Best trick I've ever learned was to use the deers tongue and a bucket of water. The raspiness of the tongue takes it right off. It's amazing how well it works.

HAHAHA, Cant say I would have ever tried that.
Thats Awesome!!!

[steepNdeep]

blow torch

[3kills]

this topic is a funny one cuz there is so many different opinions and everyone will say that the other one is no good and blah blah blah i have heard of all the methods posted with exception to the vacuum one of course thats a new one for me LOL i m a butcher and when i was in school we use to always clean any game that came in with a bucket of water with a cap or two of bleach, and i know lots of people are goin to jump one this one cuz every year when i post it they always do.

[835]

Wow ther is about every method here.

Me, I hammer it with as much clean water as i can right after i skin it. Wash the hell out of it. The animal will dry. If you get stuck and have not much water and did a crappy skinnin job i find if you let it dry then go over it with a dry green scrubbie, it rips the hair off.

Water thing was told to me by a butcher, i figured out the scrubbie thing myself.
and yes get it all off. Sounds like some people cut of the dry meat while they butcher it. I dont, i leave it on. So if i dont get the hair off i eat it.

i guess this is just like the "What rifle should i get" and " bear protection gun" threads.
read it all and find out what you like.


EDIT: TIP, Never cut from the hair to the meat, Ever. Always cut from the meat up through the hair. And only cut the hyde when you really have to.

[Deeboe]

I wouldn't sweat it---after it hangs and dries it develops a hard "skin" that is easily removed with a knife before butchering anyways....

[BcBob]

This is the best way takes all the blood and Hair and keeps the bugs away. as for the brush. An new towel works great to as long as you do'nt get caught.

[greenhorn]

The title of this thread is hilarious

[35 Whelen]

Tiger torch and a quick pass over the carcass with rid itself of all the hair. Another method a buddy showed me worked like a charm....he brought a " new" never used toilet brush to camp with him. The long stiff bristles flick it off the meat like a hot dam.

[Allen50]

Don't use water on the animal. Just take a shop vac with the little-flat-non-brushy-head to it right after skinning.. It'll take all the hair off and not make a mess. My brother showed me this on he mulie we just finished cutting tonight. Works like a charm. The deer had no hair at all on the meat.

ha ha ha ha ha now i have heard of everthing,,, the shop vac,,, still rolling on the floor laughting,,,,,:mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

[3kills]

The title of this thread is hilarious

yes yes it is LOL

[gibblewabble]

I use my neighbors cooler at 5$ a day so I cant leave the skin on when I hang so I always second skin before I butcher the quarters and I hose off as much hair as possible then sick my 13 y/o on the carcass (its like splitting wood, entertains him till its done which isnt long). I have dunked many animals in streams to cool them on hot days and dont believe that crap about not getting a carcass wet, I have never had an animal spoil after cooling it; quite the contrary they usually taste excellent due to the fact that they cool so fast.
Like the tongue idea and I will have to try it.

[2SHALLOW]

Shave the animal with an electric razor then finish it off with a mach5 with extra sensitive shaving cream. Believe it or not it Makes the sausage look bigger. Good luck.....

[elkdom]

The title of this thread is hilarious

x3 ! and so are several of the AFFLICTIONS and REMEDIES ( seriously) ! :mrgreen:

[PointMan]

LOL Didn't really proof read my title, it made perfect sense when I was writing it, looking at it now still gives me a good chuckle. Thanks for all the tips guys, most of them anyway, ;) LOL

[Jelvis]

Skin it hang it up, then spray with fire hoze on full power til hair and dirt gone zoided
Jel .. Hydro power .. By the hour .. wash it clean of the particulates .. jake ..

[DeDutch]

I just run a little 2 hp shop vac and use that to pull the hair and any other dirt debris off, I have not tried a shop vac a day after skinning it but if done right after skinning it does an amazing job. I then use a rag with vineager and water to wipe down the entire animal this prevents bacteria from getting much of a hold on the animal also cleans off oils and residue left behind by the hair.