Fat four.

[david ross]

Hi All.:)
Went for the first pheasant hunt AM to day a walk round with the Parker vhe12.
Saw a lot of birds some are still on the small side but if your selective you can
get some fat ones. Its good to be out with the old Parker again roll on the next
hunt. Load game bore 28grns No 6 shot 3 cocks 1 hen.

All the best Dave.:bigbye:

[charlie cleveland]

dave thos phez will make some good eating...great hunt.....charlie

[Harry Collins]

David,

How long do you hang your birds and do you gut them before hanging?

In the mid 1980's I was broking bloodstock insurance in the City at Lloyd's and surrounding markets. I was staying with a friend in Hertford, Hertfordshire. He had a mallard hanging in the garage when I arrived and after a few weeks I threw it away in fear he was going to try and feed it to me as it was starting to move again.

[John Dallas]

"The Field", the British sporting magazine recently had an article as bbn out how long to hang game. They pointed out that in the 19th century they suggested hang game until you could hear the maggots crawling around inside the bird.

[Harry Collins]

I took The Field, but dropped my subscription after a medical issue. I rely on a friend to pass along his copy so I haven't seen the article. I guess I threw out the mallard just as it was ready to eat. Do you follow the 19th Century advice?

[John Dallas]

I hang my ducks about a week, assuming cool weather. The Field article did acknowledge that very ripe game was seved highly spiced

[david ross]

Harry.
I hang my birds if its cool or cold for one week guts in. I find for my taste its just right.
Dave.

[Bob Kimble]

Before WW2, my Dad worked at Blooming Grove Hunting and Fishing Club and when pheasants were harvested, they would nail them to the wood shed wall by the beek and when they dropped to the floor they were ready to prepare.

[Kenny Graft]

This info must be handed down from a cave wall. Why would you want to do this? Ripen game? Sounds like food poising to me. Get them guts out, rinse out cavity clean and place in saltwater overnight. We always gutted rabbits at the kill, but not the roosters. Shot up game should be gutted at the kill I would think. Woodcock cooked whole guts and all....no thanks.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

I have heard of aging beef, but hanging a bird by the head till the body rots off? I don't know about that, Gary

[Russell E. Cleary]

Isn't it natural enzymes, and not bacteria, that is supposed to do the tenderizing?

But how does one manage to have the former without the latter?

[Harry Collins]

Different ships, different long splices.

[Jay Gardner]

I have heard of aging beef, but hanging a bird by the head till the body rots off? I don't know about that, Gary

Chef Milos of the Golden Mushroom told me the same thing: hang them until they fall away from the heads. He also told me he aged venison until there was mold in the body cavity.

I’ve tried to “age” grouse but after a couple of days the meat started to turn green and that made me a little squeamish.

[CraigThompson]

I have heard of aging beef, but hanging a bird by the head till the body rots off? I don't know about that, Gary

My grandfather worked for Marion DuPont Scott most of his life . At one point she had a chef she had brought over from Italy . Mr. Joseph as he was called would hang chickens ducks geese or any other fowl by the neck outside behind the kitchen . When they fell down he said they were ready to be cooked . I was very young when he was still cooking but I still remmember seeing the birds hanging . Now whether they’d been drawn or not I don’t know .

[Ronald Scott]

Nice brace of birds and shot with a great gun!

As far as aging game meat goes in my opinion it's the only way to go unless you enjoy chewing on old shoe leather. If it's cool (30's & 40's & not over 50) I let my pheasants, ducks, geese, woodcock or whatever other game bird I somehow manage to hit with a lucky shot sit outside on the woodpile in the shade for one week before cleaning them. After that they get soaked in salt water for 24 hours, rinsed, spiced up with salt, pepper, and garlic and refrigerated in zip lock bags. Been doing it that way for 25 years and have always had good results.

[Dean Romig]

Just until the feathers slip easily.
Bird shot introduces bacteria deep into the meat, along with feather down which contains various microbes and parasites.





.

[Stan Hillis]

I have hung birds for a few days before cleaning and found the texture and taste to improve. Can't let my wife know about it, tho', or she won't eat it. What she doesn't know won't hurt her.

I remember a scene in "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" where he has been brought to England and is seated at a banquet table with many proper guests. He is astounding them with his ability to mimic any sound or speech accent. One guest, referring to the pheasant being served, comments that "It's "high"....", a reference to an extreme amount of aging.

SRH

[Gerald McPherson]

I'm about to puke.

[charlie cleveland]

my great grandmother was a indian and my father would kill rabbits and such for her..she would hang it up for a few days also...my game only gets to age in the refrigerator or deep freeze....merry CHRISTMAS DAVE.....charlie

[Austin J Hawthorne Jr.]

I'm with Gerald.

[Randy G Roberts]

I'm with Gerald.

There's at least three of us then.

[Victor Wasylyna]

I just hope the folks that age ungutted game do not resort to bloodletting when they get sick.

-Victor

[Loren A Wilcox]

I worked in a meat market when I was in high school. We had a fresh meat counter so people could pick out there meat. After the meat turned dark I was able to buy it at a lower price. It not only saved me money it also was the best tasting because it was aged. I shot my Michigan buck on the second day of the season this year I let it hang for 10 days before processing. This some the best meat you could ask for. I think all meat should be aged. I let my game birds hang till they drop they are very good this way. Loren

[david ross]

my great grandmother was a indian and my father would kill rabbits and such for her..she would hang it up for a few days also...my game only gets to age in the refrigerator or deep freeze....merry CHRISTMAS DAVE.....charlie

And MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU Charlie.:bigbye:

[Richard Flanders]

Phew. I'm holding back on adding to this commentary. I could write a 3 page tome on this issue of aging birds and big game meat.