Resources / Care for your venison
From the field to the cooler
Protect your harvest with prompt handling, cooling, and clean transport. Field dressing is not required at Country Boy Trades; a $45 additional fee applies.
Reviewed October 6, 2026
Call (615) 604-3887Food care begins in the field
You may bring your deer field-dressed or not field-dressed. If it is not field-dressed, an additional $45.00 fee applies. Call (615) 604-3887 every time before bringing a deer, in every season. Do not interpret that intake preference as permission to leave a harvest warm or delay transport. If you need handling advice, contact the shop.
Penn State Extension’s general guidance recommends prompt field dressing and cooling. Those recommendations are distinct from this shop’s intake preference. For handling or dressing deer, use clean tools and disposable gloves, and prevent contamination. This overview is not a complete field-dressing tutorial; read the extension source for the full procedure.
Source: Owner-provided business information; Penn State Extension: Proper Care and Handling of Venison from Field to Table; Penn State Extension: Canning and Freezing Venison
Begin cooling promptly
Penn State recommends quickly cooling the carcass to 35–40°F to limit bacterial growth. Keep it out of direct sunlight and allow appropriate air circulation. A cool evening is not proof that the inside of a carcass is cold.
The extension guidance describes using ice sealed in plastic storage bags in the body cavity to help cool a field-dressed deer. Plan cooling equipment before hunting rather than waiting until transport is underway.
Source: Penn State Extension: Proper Care and Handling of Venison from Field to Table
Know when to seek advice
Tell the processor about delays, contamination, or any concern about the deer’s condition before arriving. Acceptance is not guaranteed and is not a substitute for safe handling.
For an animal that looks sick or acts strangely, CDC advises not shooting, handling, or eating it. Contact the wildlife agency for guidance rather than treating processing as a solution.
Source: Owner-provided business information; CDC: About Chronic Wasting Disease
Checklist
- Call (615) 604-3887 every time before bringing a deer, in every season.
- You may bring your deer field-dressed or not field-dressed. If it is not field-dressed, an additional $45.00 fee applies.
- Protect the harvest from contamination and unnecessary warming.
- Call the processor about any condition concern.