Gordon2008 Posted January 22, 2009 Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 New to this so bare with me; Shot 2 pheasants on saturday and hung them by their necks in the shed. Had planned on skinning them on Tuesday night but with work etc havnt got round to it yet. Am planning on doing tonight. The weathers been mild- 7/8 celcius during day. Had a quick sniff this morning before going to work and they seem fine. Just looking for some info ie is it better to hang by feet or heid? They are older cocks so does the meat get stronger the longer they hang and if so are they liable to be minging after hanging for near a week? Whats the general preferred hanging length? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon2008 Posted January 22, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2009 sorry folks; went to the 2nd page and saw thread on hanging pheasants DOH! Feel free to add any advice or Mr MOD just delete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Master Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Hung my last brace for 10 days but it was in the cold patch. Wasn't too gamey by any means. FM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 try the next ones fresh .........my mrs loves them like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utectok Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Used to hang them for a week but don't bother now straight in the fridge/frezer makes the bird more acceptable to the whole familly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 It's a matter of taste. Some like them turning green A week in cold weather can be like a day or two in the mild. LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabefisher Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 as the weather is now, not much more than a week. The way it was over christmas, 2-3 weeks. I sometimes eat birds fresh but they are so much tougher you wouldn't have thought it was the same animal. I also hang beef that I buy from the supermarket - had a small rib in my garage for two weeks, ate it the other day - delicious. Had to trim off the mould before cooking though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzy Fudd Posted January 28, 2009 Report Share Posted January 28, 2009 i eat everything fresh, butcher it as soon as im home and put it in a dish the fridge for a day or two to let any blood drain; the thougbt of leaving it hanging for days or weeks doesnt do much for my appetite... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docholiday Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 A week is no problem this time of year, put them outside this weekend and they will be frozen any way !!! Try this breast them put mozzerella cheese on top, wrap in parma ham, fry two mins both sides then 190 degree oven for 8 mins, yummy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seb Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 I hung mine for about 3-4 days and everyone enjoyed eating them. I have seen them hung for weeks and turning green but I don't fancy that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1a1n Posted January 30, 2009 Report Share Posted January 30, 2009 Hi there, dont claim to be much of an expert in this ( i hear someone shout from the side ( shut up then!!!)), however, i have only started to shoot pheasant this year. so like you i sought some advice from others with far more experience than myself. I had numerous conversations with older members of the shooting community. The advice like everthing in life varies greatly. most of the advice given was the same at the start, that is you should hang the bird for at least a day to let the bird relax, strange,,,,, yes but they tense up when dead and hanging them for a day lets the meat relax. This is where personal tastes made the advice vary greatly. One person said that he likes hir birds like chicken, not too gamey, just a hint of pheasant so he hangs them for a couple of days then skins them. Another leaves them anything between 10 to 14 days, more taste. The most extreem likes to hang them 21 days plus. the two ways that he knows that they are ready are, if hung by the neck the body will detatch from the body and as he checks it one day the meat will be lying on the floor. the other is that there will be maggots falling from the bottom. apparently the maggots only feed on the guts and the enzimes from the decaying insides only tenderise the meat within and dont do it any harm. The latter takes a bit of getting used to, if only in the cleaning of the birds and not the eating. I have tried all three. so i hope that this answers any questions. p.s i like them the second way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sundowner Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 whatever you do, don't do what I just did ............... last 3 pheasants of the season, and I hung them up in the shed of the house we just rented ( we move back into our own house, which is around the corner). Went in to get one of the birds to give to somebody I know, and found .............. to my great horror that the RATS have been at it !!! Yess, all of them!!! I am as sick as a chip, what a waste ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
955i Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 At this time of year I let them hang for 10-14 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundhead1649 Posted October 30, 2012 Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 (edited) left mine over a week, had them tonight but had to chase 3 huge flies that all came from 1 bird around the living room with a can of spray, luckily the wife was asleep on the settee and didnt see, otherwise she would have nagged my ears off. I cook mine is these new fangled herbs and plastic bag thingies, tastes a treat and keeps the meat succulent. Whilst in the oven I slowly fry some carrots and collie in olive oil in a pan, meat and 2 veg jobs done. Edited October 30, 2012 by Roundhead1649 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRAD1927 Posted October 30, 2012 Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 I hang mine overnight then either pluck, skin or breast then straight to the freezer. As previously said I would try the overnight option first then when you get more hang them over different periods and see what suits your taste buds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rimfire4969 Posted October 30, 2012 Report Share Posted October 30, 2012 Depends on the weather. When it's fairly warm out like now I would leave them a night maybe 2. In January when it hardly gets above freezing then I might leave them a week. Temperature down here at the moment is not dropping down more than to about 8 degrees at night, leave them a week at the moment and they would let them selfs out of the shed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gizza22196 Posted November 7, 2012 Report Share Posted November 7, 2012 seen this on another forum my old Granddad would call most meat these days Bland and tasteless where as most people these days would find hung meat from years ago very strong or even revolting He used to hang his Pheasants guts in by the tail and it was ready to eat when the feathers released and the carcass dropped off them his mate liked it stronger and would hang by the neck till it dropped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Geordie Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 Till they stop flapping would be an idea Generally around 14 days. My Aunt used to hang them till they were almost crawling with Maggots I prefer mine fresh I am afraid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 I hang them for at least 2 weeks in an ex Threshers fridge. As has been said, I like my pheasants to taste of something and not like any old bland chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanl50 Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 All depends on the weather this time about 3-4 days as it get colder you can go longer 6-7 days not sure about the 14 days though you would have to gut them otherwise the meat would be tainted. Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted November 13, 2012 Report Share Posted November 13, 2012 I don't hang anything more than a day;I don't like my game 'gamey'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted November 14, 2012 Report Share Posted November 14, 2012 Does the 'stand on wings and pull legs' trick work if they've been hung for a few days? I heard they had to be pretty fresh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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