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shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? #7457067
01/11/22 07:55 AM
01/11/22 07:55 AM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 112
Wisconsin
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DadN3Boyz Offline OP
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DadN3Boyz  Offline OP
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 112
Wisconsin
My son shot a doe last night just before closing time (bow). Temp at the time was 4. He backed out. I told him to go to the house and warm up. We went back out an hour later. He saw it with his headlamp. It struggled to get up and stood and was wobbly. We backed out. Waited another 2 hours. (I know not long enough). Could not find arrow. Drips of blood up on brush, not ground. Did not see her. So we backed out and will look for her this morning. It got to below 0 last night and it is 1 as I type.

My question is: Has anyone dealt with an undressed frozen deer? Issue with the innards freezing affecting the meat? How did you process it? Gutless method? What was your experience like?

FYI: He was hunting a metro unit, with the season running through the end of the month.

Last edited by DadN3Boyz; 01/11/22 07:57 AM.
Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457069
01/11/22 08:00 AM
01/11/22 08:00 AM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,684
Henry Co, IL
3
3togo Offline
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3togo  Offline
trapper
3

Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,684
Henry Co, IL
Deer will be ok, plenty cold. Retrieve and process like normal.

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457070
01/11/22 08:00 AM
01/11/22 08:00 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,152
Northern Minnesota
BernieB. Offline
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BernieB.  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,152
Northern Minnesota
You'll have to warm it up to skin it. Chances are the skin will be frozen to the meat if it died more than a few hours ago. Seriously doubt it will be frozen to the guts though.

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457076
01/11/22 08:12 AM
01/11/22 08:12 AM
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 13,057
Ky
J
jbyrd63 Offline
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jbyrd63  Offline
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 13,057
Ky
Find it first then figure out how to skin it Meat will be ok May have a few spots to cut out if arrow pulled guts through if it was gut shot

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457078
01/11/22 08:15 AM
01/11/22 08:15 AM
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 785
Labrador, Canada
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crosspatch Offline
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crosspatch  Offline
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 785
Labrador, Canada
Get and gut ASAP and allow air to get at it to rapid cool inside. Get it out of woods and hung, at just above freezing, with hide off as quick after that as you can. Let us know what happens. Innards should not be frozen to meat.

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: crosspatch] #7457114
01/11/22 09:01 AM
01/11/22 09:01 AM
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,343
Hudson valley , NY
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slowpoke Offline
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slowpoke  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,343
Hudson valley , NY
Meat will be fine , but get it out today ..

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457131
01/11/22 09:19 AM
01/11/22 09:19 AM
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,213
W NY
Turtledale Offline
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Turtledale  Offline
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,213
W NY
It may smell a little off but the meat will be ok. Get it gutted, hang, skin, process and enjoy


NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457139
01/11/22 09:28 AM
01/11/22 09:28 AM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,897
Wisconsin
E
Eagleye Offline
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Eagleye  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 3,897
Wisconsin
It will take a while for that animal heat to dissipate- who knows when it expired after you quit looking? You'll be fine.

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457141
01/11/22 09:31 AM
01/11/22 09:31 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 549
WV
R
redsnow Offline
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redsnow  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 549
WV
At that temperature it's not going to spoil overnight.

Should be getting daylight before long, I'd put your son out front and let him track it down. Probably should take a spool of survey tape and mark the trail every 10 or 15 yards, if you're just getting specks of blood. That way if you lose it, you can go back and look again.

You don't want 2 or 3 guys messing up the trail, scuffing up the woods and all. Never know it might turn 90* and be laying there 30 feet away.

Good luck on the recovery.

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457160
01/11/22 09:53 AM
01/11/22 09:53 AM
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 2,411
Midland, Michigan
Rusty Axe Camp Offline
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Rusty Axe Camp  Offline
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Joined: Aug 2007
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Midland, Michigan
I'd bet it isn't frozen solid. Treat it like any other deer.




Erik Johnson
Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457162
01/11/22 09:54 AM
01/11/22 09:54 AM
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 18,376
Green County Wisconsin
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GREENCOUNTYPETE Offline
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Green County Wisconsin
you may be surprised how warm it still is inside

it is kinda crazy

I gutted a cow at -5 last January , the next day when I skinned it after 18 hours of sub zero there was still heat coming off that cow

now deer are several hundred pounds lighter and smaller but if you don't have the hide off and them hanging they might be rather warm inside yet


I let my first eer over night this year temps were about 30 it was a little stiff legged but all the innards flowed out find


America only has one issue, we have a Responsibility crisis and everything else stems from it.
Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457177
01/11/22 10:10 AM
01/11/22 10:10 AM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 322
SD
6
653 Offline
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653  Offline
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Posts: 322
SD
no worries

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: BernieB.] #7457178
01/11/22 10:10 AM
01/11/22 10:10 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 7,110
Three Lakes,WI 72
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corky Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Three Lakes,WI 72
Originally Posted by BernieB.
You'll have to warm it up to skin it. Chances are the skin will be frozen to the meat if it died more than a few hours ago. Seriously doubt it will be frozen to the guts though.

Agreed

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457184
01/11/22 10:17 AM
01/11/22 10:17 AM
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 10,723
SW Georgia
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Wanna Be Offline
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Wanna Be  Offline
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SW Georgia
Haha, if it’s in the 40’s we’ll go back the next morning if necessary. We just get the guts out as soon as we find it.

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457275
01/11/22 11:32 AM
01/11/22 11:32 AM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 112
Wisconsin
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DadN3Boyz Offline OP
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Wisconsin
He found her. She was about 70 yards from where we last saw her. She made it almost to her bedding area. Yep still warm inside. Not steaming but warm. Looks like she turned at the shot. She was in a nice opening broadside. When he found her, entrance was just before the hind and the exit right at the start of the lungs. Arrow still in her with the broadhead busted off. All dressed out, and in the process of being skinned.

Got to hand it to my son. Sitting in bow stand with single digit temps, because I said we needed some veni to make snacksticks and brats. Not his fault the deer jumped the string, but he stuck with it and found her. Makes a dad proud.

Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457278
01/11/22 11:35 AM
01/11/22 11:35 AM
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,562
N.W. Pennsylvania, Venango cou...
PA.Trapper Offline
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PA.Trapper  Offline
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N.W. Pennsylvania, Venango cou...
Good deal. Those temps are definitely tough sitting in.


Life's too short, enjoy everyday like it was your last.
Re: shot deer left overnight with temps below 0? [Re: DadN3Boyz] #7457319
01/11/22 12:05 PM
01/11/22 12:05 PM
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 34,755
Central, SD
Law Dog Offline
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Law Dog  Offline
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Central, SD
I would of been more concerned about coyotes getting to it first here sounds like it worked out well for you guys tell him good job on the tracking.


Was born in a Big City Will die in the Country OK with that!

Jerry Herbst
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