stalkincoues Report post Posted January 21, 2009 I was out hunting Sunday and glassed up an ok 4 point mulie. I decided what the heck and went after him. It was late in the evening and getting close to the last of the legal shooting light. Popped over the hill and had them silouetted. Ranged him and shot. As I shot he turned slowly to his right and took a small half step, making my arrow hit him at a severe quartaring away shot. I hit just behind the front leg. I waited 30 minutes and started on the trail to see how much blood. There was a lot of blood so I pursued. Wound up jumping him so I backed off for an hour. Got after the trail again and a TON of blood, I thought I'd see him any second so I kept going. Got to the bottom of the wash and heard something bust again. At this point I had no choice to leave him over night. It was around 7:30 at this point. I went home and came back at daylight. I trailed the blood and finally found him. I did not find him and get him gutted till aboout noon. Did not get him back to the truck quartered and back to the truck till about 4:00 and not even home and on ice till about 6 or 7 pm. The meat did not smell bad. While taking off the backstraps they seemed more to just pull and shread off. Bottom line, how do I tell if meat is still good? It does not smell bad but the hide stayed on for about approx 15 hours, I am assuming he expired right after the last time I heard him jump out. I thought I heard him fall or kicking after he ran off and was a few hundred yards from where he busted. The temperature was probably about 40* overnight. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted January 21, 2009 How was the temperature of the meat? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jackshoe Report post Posted January 21, 2009 If the meat doesn't smell bad it probably isn't bad-I don't like the part about the backstraps pulling off though. Freeze it and you will know if it's bad when you start cooking it. Next time if you have a good blood trail I would recommend that you give the animal some time and get on the trail with a blood light or lantern and a gps. Good luck with the meat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted January 21, 2009 Use a lot of seasoning - now let's see some pictures!!! Congrats and good job tracking him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattobertin Report post Posted January 21, 2009 sounds fine to me.... now lets see some pics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
John O Report post Posted January 21, 2009 Call WGP in Tucson. I have used this guy for the last 4 animals I shot, and he is great. I'm sure that even if you don't bring the meat for him to process, he would be willing to help you determine over the phone if it is still good. Just as an example. Last August, I shot my buck at about 9:00 am, and it was about 90 degrees. I gave him 45 minutes to expire, then it took me about 2 hours to get him dressed and drug to the car. By then it was 95-100 degrees. I called my buddy at WGP, and he told me I had plenty of time to get it to him before it would start spoiling. I actually didn't get the meat on ice until about 4:30, and when I brought it to him later that evening, he told me it looked great. I don't know if this helps, but I do know that the guy at WGP will be able to give you a pretty good idea. The number is 520-292-2262. Good luck! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ernesto C Report post Posted January 21, 2009 The meat is perfectly good, nothing to be worry about. Ernesto C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stalkincoues Report post Posted January 21, 2009 If the meat doesn't smell bad it probably isn't bad-I don't like the part about the backstraps pulling off though. Freeze it and you will know if it's bad when you start cooking it. Next time if you have a good blood trail I would recommend that you give the animal some time and get on the trail with a blood light or lantern and a gps. Good luck with the meat. I had given it about 30 minutes intially before I went over the hill. There was so much blood I figured it'd be dead for sure. After I jumped him I did give him another hour. The last time I jumped him it had been approx 1 hr 45 minutes since the shot and a ton of blood. I felt backing out for the night was the best option at that point to make sure he didn't jump again and couldn't afford the chance of loosing him. From here out I will give it an hour even if I know it was a perefect shot, I learned a very valuable lesson. At the last place I lost him the blood trail just stopped. Man I was upset! I did reference the direction I heard him run so I started to look for overturned rocks and tracks. I identified fresh track and which way the dirt was kicked up. I took a square of toilet paper at a time and tracked the drops as I saw them and made a toilet paper trail with a rock on each square. Took me about 3 1/2 hours to find this thing but it worked out, not ideally though. The meat was cool as I took the hide off. I have it in my ice chest now and will start butchering and freezing tonight and tomorrow. If I get sick when I eat the meat then I guess it went bad, but hope it is still good. Thank you Hammy for the info and the number. Sounds like if your meat was fine in those temps then I should have no problem. Thanks to everyone else for the reassurance. I feel much better! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coues 'n' Sheep Report post Posted January 21, 2009 I agree meat is fine... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkaholic Report post Posted January 21, 2009 hello - As long as you removed the hide ASAP- and the meat was cool to the touch- it should be fine - thats not to say that bacteria and "sour " meat didn't occur , it starts and spreads rapidly! The idea of taking care of the meat is by far one of the top 2 details often neglected by hunters! They will spend hrs . detailing areas to hunt,guns,ammo, items for survival etc. for a hunting trip! "Some" just don't prepare for proper meat care in the field - they forget the little things- but never the camera ! It's like they are prepared for everything possible except taking care of a downed animal ! I never leave camp without these 3 items - Sharp knives, game bags, gps. I always take several ice chests along-full of extra ice on every hunting trip - especially the one dayers not far from home ! Gary Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seek100plus Report post Posted January 21, 2009 I wish ,at times , I had 40 degree weather when , I have shot animals . I have learned some lesson's from meat processor's , the bones of the animal will transfer heat and that could be why the back straps pulled off. I lost the whole hide quarters from a elk ,after I shot him at 5:00 pm and found him at 7:00 am, buts that elk and the hide was still on .I like to get a animal bone out ,as fast as I can , to start cooling process. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
5yearcoueshunter Report post Posted January 21, 2009 Hey guys, I have always had the rule of thought that you should get the animal field dressed as soon as possible. If the temperature is cold, leaving the hide on a deer, antelope or Javelina is ok. Becauase Elk hide is so thick, I've heard you need to skin them no matter what the temperature is. I believe Jack OConner wrote that about elk. This is the rule I've always followed and have never had any bad meat. I'm not a bowhunter, so I have no experience with having an animal dead more than an hour before field dressing. I also figured if you shot an animal at dark and didn't recover it till the next morning that if for sure would be spoiled. I have no experience with this so I'm interested from hearing everybody's thoughts or experiences with this scenerio. I sincerely hope your deer will be edible. Like you said, if it doesn't smell bad or if the meat isn't dis-colored, it will probably be ok. Thanks Travis Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ernesto C Report post Posted January 21, 2009 Stalkincoues, if you are already thinking that you'll get sick let me tell you something, you'll get sick. Even if the meat is perfectly ok you are already suggesting and convincing your mind that you'll get sick. Dont think you'll get sick, if things went exactly the way you told us the meat is perfectly safe to eat. You can donate some of the meat if you want to; also a thankfull pray before your meals will help. Ernesto C Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Browning'sCustomMeat Report post Posted January 21, 2009 I would say the meat is fine. And if by chance anything soured it would be just by the entrance and exit holes. With the backstraps....that may very easily have to do with thats deers diet. That meat should be okay. My $.02. -Jeremy- Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NRS Report post Posted January 22, 2009 From the description of your shot, it sounds like your arrow never entered the body cavity, but hit the main artery inside the front shoulder. If there was no damage in the body cavity, there is not the contamination from body fluids that could cause the meat to spoil. just remember that some of the most tenderest meat has been aged at 33-34 degrees for two weeks. Yours only aged for 15 hours at about 40 degrees. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
