Therefore, environmental and deer conditions help determine the time between shooting and recovery without spoiling venison. If the air temperature is 50 degrees, we have three to six hours to recover a deer after it dies. The rate of deterioration depends on factors such as temperature, climate, location and storage of meat. If the temperature is warm, the meat will last up to 12 hours.
Colder temperatures will make the meat last at least 24 hours. This is only based on the assumption that the animal was immediately gutted to prevent the spread of microorganisms that will cause it to spoil. In the refrigerator, the meat will last three days. Ground venison can last three months in the freezer.
We all expect it to be cold, but the reality is that it is quite hot most of the days when I am hunting large animals. If you accidentally shoot an animal that looks sick, turn it into your local gaming department so they can record and analyze it. And if you find yourself in a camp in the wild, without ice to cool something the size of a bull moose, bring hunting bags that protect your meat from dirt and insects, but allow air to pass through.
