Well I've put this off long enough, I guess. When I shoot a deer on my own property, which I mostly hunt now, I let the deer lay until I quit hunting for the morning/evening and my hunting partner does. I do not want to mess Him up by piddling around until we are through for the morning/evening. I then go to the house, get the my ATV trailer and go back and get the deer, haul it to the house and hang, gut and wash it using the garden hose. Sometimes skin, sometimes not, depending on the weather. If warm I cut into pieces and put into an old Refrigerator, that I keep for that purpose. I like the meat to stay on the bone except for the back straps and tenderloin, for a few days until I cut it up. I did cut the backbone with the backstraps on in one piece this year to see if I thought it worth while. Sometimes the deer will lay for a couple of hours, in fairly warm weather, with the guts in and you would never know the difference unless I told you. Everybody that has ever eaten meat that I give them, remarks about the quality of it. Even the fairly old bucks. I gave a neighbor a piece of backstrap from a buck that smelled pretty rank before dressing (during the rut). I told Him that it might not be as good as usual because He had already lost some weight, but still fat, from chasing does. A few days later He told me that the meat was very good, and tender. I was kinda surprised on the tender. This was the buck that I left the backstrap on the bone for about a week. I gut for several reasons, one of which is that all of the bones, backbone, ribs, leg bones are frozen to dole out to the dogs throughout the year. I also keep the liver from time to time, after a good looking over. Sometimes to eat, sometimes for catfish bait. I also like to look thought the gut pile at bullet damage. Anyway, it does not make my way right or wrong, but it is my way, and I will continue. At any rate gutting right away does not ensure good meat, but the rest of the handling is as important. Just saying that if you can't gut right away, don't throw the meat away. miles
