Advice on deer we were given

[hillbillygal]

We were given two deer this week to process and can. They both were killed on Tuesday and gutted that day. The first one we hung in our garage and skinned to prepare for cutting up which was done last night and I'm canning it today.

The second deer was hanging in another garage until we had room for it and were ready to process. Dh went and got last night but when he got it here, he realized they never cut the fecal track out (I'm trying to say this tastefully and not get myself reprimanded ) and there was still some inside. They also never removed the scent glands.

The temps haven't risen out of the low 40's and have been mainly in the 30's. The deer was kept in a closed in garage out of the light.

Do you believe the deer will be okay to go ahead and process today or would you be afraid that the meat had been tainted with the fecal matter left in the track and the scent glands?

Thanks for any advice.

[Menglish]

It will be fine. Just remove a generous amount of meat away around that area to make sure you get all of it out. If the temps had been higher I would be concerned but at those temps the bacteria won't grow very fast. Enjoy!

[OkieDavid]

It will be fine. Use one knife to finish gutting and gland removal ( which I never do btw) and then either thoroughly wash that knife or just set it aside to avoid transferring any bacteria.

[Pheasant283]

I would have to agree with Menglish. I work at a game processing locker part time, and we see a lot of deer that dont have all of the stuff that is supposed to be removed, removed. as long as they have been cool enough, they are usually fine.

[7thswan]

Yes ,it will be fine, those temps are cold enough.

[hillbillygal]

thank you all!