Other than mosquitos, sweating and the deer laid up all day due to the heat, I love early season.

Meat does not spoil as quickly as most people think. I had an elk hang for 2 days in 80 degree heat (cool evenings). Best meat I've ever had.

If early season is defined by temperature, here in Florida it lasts til about February. Hang em & skin em & get the meat on ice. Then grab a cold one.

As eager and anxious as I am for the season to start, in my heart I wish they'd shift it maybe 2 weeks back and end it 2 weeks later here. There are always hot days in the stand here but there is just something wrong when it's in the 90's and the season has started.

As far as the meat turning, here in GA about the only way to go is to ice it or cool it down FAST. I don't take mine to the processor - I have always done my own. It's not that big a deal, and I think processing your own makes you a better hunter and more aware of what you are doing.

I skipped both early seasons here in WV because there are better things to do in WV in September than hunt deer. I'm ok with waiting till mid-October because that gives me... 10 friggin' weeks of deer seasons.

yrs-
Evan!

Out here in Ca, Archery deer starts in July, the first General Rifle season goes Aug-Sept. Elk season starts in Sept as well. Hmmmm, any complaints? Nope! We like it that way.

Thats what I like about the 50.00 yard sale refrigerator for the garage. All you do is quarter up your deer and wrap it in saran wrap, stick it in the fridge, and clean it a quarter at a time at your leisure. Of course some guys and gals would rather spend 100.00 and have someone else process it for them.

I guess everybody is in agreement, but how about looking at it this way. Maybe these guys dont like the heat and the work and the bugs. Maybe these guys arent into that kind of stuff thats their deal and I am ok with that parking lot is full enough on open day. Lets appreciate one thing though they are hunting and they are harvesting the meat that means more to me than how many days a year they go at least they go. me I would hunt with a flip and a rock if they had the season for it but thats just me. Embrace your fellow hunters we dont have many left.

Where i live in traverse city the season start is quite chilly this year so i dont exactly know if that would be true.

In the midwest if we are deer hunting it's best to bring a cooler with blocks of ice to insert into the deers cavity. Have a processor or plan on butchering your deer soon after getting home unless it's a cool year.

Our deer season in the low country of South Carolina starts Aug. 15th & goes thru 1 Jan. Our meat processors are open & ready for business any time after the 15th of Aug.I was hunting yesterday & The temp was 88, The real bad thing about hunting than is the bugs,but that what the ThemaCell is for. The people I go to is open till 9:00pm

This is a little off topic but I've always heard that meat is more tender and has better flaver if you age your meat for a few days, I know that the meat should be kept cool but not cold and hung in a dark place or at least out of direct sunlight. But I'm not forsure on the whole proccess. Anyone know the the exact way to do this?
Also here in Tennessee, last years rifle opener was hot, and I drove buy the proccesers that evening, and he had a extra walk in cooler that he got from lord knows, and about 15 to 20 deer packed with ice in his parking lot, I wonder how that turned out? It would have been cheeper to rent a Semi Refer trailer I would bet.