Frozen solid
- Bonecrusher101
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Frozen solid
With the end of the season coming soon, I decided to go out with 2 of my friends for a late season hunt on some local public. We went Sunday morning dec 31st. It was freezing and im glad I wasn't going alone. It was a party barge hunt but one of my friends had seen multiple deer in the area a few days prior. I liked our odds and felt confident in the fact that all 3 of us are lethal deer slayers. I can only kill a doe and that's what I was wanting to help top the freezer off with venison.
Anyway I tripped and fell when we were walking in. Everything was mostly frozen but had several inches of ice over most of the standing water we needed to cross. My knees and one hand got soaked. My glove had frozen solid and I just took it off and cracked a hand warmer and kept my left hand in my pocket.
Well I set up in the middle of my buddies and wasn't expecting any action but figured I would stay positive and have fun. Within 30 minutes I heard footsteps but couldn't see any deer or my buddies. I soon determined it was a pack of does and i decided I would make it happen. I never had a clear shot but at 50-60 yards in moderate brush I felt confident that my .20 gauge slug rifle could make it happen.
I shot one doe and she disappeared then I shot another doe as it attempted to retreat the way they came. Another one ran through quickly after the second shot and didn't offer a shot. An hour later my buddy shows up and we go looking for sign of a hit. The first doe I shot had a heavy spraying blood trail but it was pink crystallized and frozen to the ground. Never seen a blood trail freeze like that before. We found her after a 75-100 yard semi circle. My second shot killed a quarter sized sapling and showed no other signs of a hit. I gutted my big doe and shouldered her and we all walked out much quicker than dragging or carting.
I took her home strung her up and skinned her down. One shoulder is definitely ruined. She froze solid in my shed and I tried to butcher her out last night without much luck with a knife.
I have never encountered this problem before and really don't know the best way to tackle it. It's supposed to warm up highs into low 40s on sat and Sunday and I thought about putting a space heater in the shed this weekend and monitoring it. I was also gonna get a sawsall to use if the knife isn't enough. I figure if I can get it into cooler I can at least get it inside and manage it easier.
Any advice is appreciated!
Anyway I tripped and fell when we were walking in. Everything was mostly frozen but had several inches of ice over most of the standing water we needed to cross. My knees and one hand got soaked. My glove had frozen solid and I just took it off and cracked a hand warmer and kept my left hand in my pocket.
Well I set up in the middle of my buddies and wasn't expecting any action but figured I would stay positive and have fun. Within 30 minutes I heard footsteps but couldn't see any deer or my buddies. I soon determined it was a pack of does and i decided I would make it happen. I never had a clear shot but at 50-60 yards in moderate brush I felt confident that my .20 gauge slug rifle could make it happen.
I shot one doe and she disappeared then I shot another doe as it attempted to retreat the way they came. Another one ran through quickly after the second shot and didn't offer a shot. An hour later my buddy shows up and we go looking for sign of a hit. The first doe I shot had a heavy spraying blood trail but it was pink crystallized and frozen to the ground. Never seen a blood trail freeze like that before. We found her after a 75-100 yard semi circle. My second shot killed a quarter sized sapling and showed no other signs of a hit. I gutted my big doe and shouldered her and we all walked out much quicker than dragging or carting.
I took her home strung her up and skinned her down. One shoulder is definitely ruined. She froze solid in my shed and I tried to butcher her out last night without much luck with a knife.
I have never encountered this problem before and really don't know the best way to tackle it. It's supposed to warm up highs into low 40s on sat and Sunday and I thought about putting a space heater in the shed this weekend and monitoring it. I was also gonna get a sawsall to use if the knife isn't enough. I figure if I can get it into cooler I can at least get it inside and manage it easier.
Any advice is appreciated!
Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
- Bonecrusher101
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- MedicineMan15
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Re: Frozen solid
I've never had one frozen solid, but I've been close before. I'd hang it in the garage/shed with a heater (the kerosene torpedo ones seem to work best in my garage). Just keep an eye on it. And don't let the heater too close. Might be difficult if your garage/shed is quite large.
- Edcyclopedia
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- Tradstalk777
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Re: Frozen solid
It won't help now, but it helps to leave the cape on to help insulate the meat. For super low temps you still might need a heater, but skin on is way better than skin off. I learned that the same way you did. Congrats on a nice doe!
- Jackson Marsh
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Re: Frozen solid
Congrats on the kill!
- Stanley
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Re: Frozen solid
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
- john1984
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Re: Frozen solid
Nice. Congrats man
- Dewey
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Re: Frozen solid
Did you get it thawed out? All you can really do is run a heater to warm it up. I have known a few who actually brought deer in the house and then skinned/butchered in the basement in real cold weather. Gotta do what you gotta do. It's tough in this cold weather if you don't have a heated garage.
- thwack16
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Re: Frozen solid
Congrats!
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Re: Frozen solid
I shot my buck when the overnights were -20C (-5F). I left the cape on and let it hang 2 days before I could get to it. A space heater run for about 12 hours allowed me to butcher it no problem. I'm sure the cape helped insulate it though.
- Boogieman1
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Re: Frozen solid
I have always heard those deer that cool off and freeze rapidly are the best tasting! No experience with it, but curious to see if u notice anything.
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Re: Frozen solid
Nice job BC!
- Bonecrusher101
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Re: Frozen solid
I made a deal with a friend of mine who had a sawsall. I told him I'd give him half of my deer if he came over with his sawsall and help me get it cut up. So that's what we just did this afternoon.
He had taken me hunting on his lease late last year but didn't have the lease or any deer meat this season. I thought it would be a good way to repay the gesture by getting him some venison and also it helped me. So it worked out great for us both.
I think going forward I will make sure to get the deer butchered and broken down and into a cooler before I let it completely freeze while hanging. Thanks for input!
He had taken me hunting on his lease late last year but didn't have the lease or any deer meat this season. I thought it would be a good way to repay the gesture by getting him some venison and also it helped me. So it worked out great for us both.
I think going forward I will make sure to get the deer butchered and broken down and into a cooler before I let it completely freeze while hanging. Thanks for input!
Be original and Enjoy every step along the adventure.
- hunter_mike
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