Our meat is either put in a walk in d cooler for two weeks, or some less if it has hung in camp for awhile. Still see difference in back straps that had the spine left in and hung vs not.
I killed an old bull back in 2009 and it took me 5 years to eat it. Ended up grinding most of it in a little kitchen grinder as we needed it. However, even the grind was tough.
