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The story of Chris Sargent, an avid outdoor enthusiast, a former game controller in Maine, who loves anything wild and delicious. Chris' passion and appreciation for hunting, processing and preparing game has become a way of life, not a hobby, and something he likes to share with others.

One silent morning in November was suddenly interrupted by the clear sound of the deer moving fast in your direction. A doe enters the clearing and stretches out its tail zigzag, head down. It is being chased, you know.

It passes by your booth, and a few seconds later, a large sum of money enters the open space. Steam spurted from his nostrils, and his gait slowed down while looking for a date.

Your crosshair found its way to the shoulders of the stag, and your fingers found the trigger. The shooting felt good, and the deer disappeared in the woods. A crimson trail takes you a short distance, and soon, you will stand where you dream of.

Now, they say, "The work has begun." Regardless of the species, once a large prey dies, it must be properly taken care of.

The process starts with timely recovery. This is especially true in warm weather, which is becoming more and more typical during the hunting season in Maine.

In the early bait season, bears are particularly prone to spoilage because the temperature is often in the 70s and 80s. Once the oxygen and blood flow in the animal stops, the bacteria will begin to take over. At 40 degrees, a bear wearing a field uniform has about 12 hours before it begins to rot, 50 degrees for 6 hours, and 60 degrees for 3 hours.

When taking care of your wild animals, a lower temperature is your best friend, but no matter the temperature, the first step after taking pictures and celebrating is to dress the animals or "guts."

Most hunters are familiar with this process, but for those who are unfamiliar, it is very basic. No need to be too professional, use a sharp knife to cut the animal from the sternum to the pelvic bone, and be very careful not to pierce the stomach wall or other organs.

The organs were then removed from the animal, leaving a "dressed" corpse. This allows the carcass to begin to cool down normally and quickly and frees it from harmful bacteria found in the internal organs.

After the animal is dressed, if necessary, the carcass should be cleaned to remove any dirt or undesirable substances that may come into contact with the meat, such as urine or stomach contents. Although it seems quite simple and straightforward, for those who are not familiar with this process, it is recommended to have an experienced hunter to help teach the correct technique, or at least, to study the operation tutorial or video online.

After the animal is dressed and removed from the field, it needs to be cooled. Cooling meat can slow down the growth and spoilage of bacteria. In Maine, prey is usually hung in a tree, garage or barn with fur hidden on its body for a few days.

This is particularly common on deer and is acceptable if the temperature is low enough, preferably 34 to 37 degrees. Animals can "age" at these temperatures for several days or even up to two weeks.

Due to the controlled decomposition of connective tissue and the removal of moisture from the meat, aging can improve the quality of flavor and texture. Retaining the leather protects the meat from insects and other contaminants.

Bears must be cared for differently, because their fur and fat act as an insulating barrier to prevent the meat from cooling normally and must be removed immediately after harvest. I prefer to divide my bear into four equal parts and hang them in the neighbor’s walk-in cooler for a few days.

The walk-in refrigerator is a luxury, but if the warm temperature prevents proper aging outdoors, the animals can be placed and aged separately in a low-temperature refrigerator or even a cooler, and the storage and meat can be placed on ice On the block. Just make sure that the meat does not touch the water in the ice cubes in the cooler.

After the animals have been properly cooled and aged, they can be slaughtered as needed according to your preferred method. During this period, care should be taken to ensure that the meat is safe and clean.

Slaughter should be carried out in a very clean environment with clean equipment. It should be done in a cool place to prevent the meat from spoiling while waiting to be packaged and frozen.

The meat should then be packaged properly, preferably in a vacuum-sealed bag, so that almost all the air around the meat can be removed. This ensures minimal freeze burns and extends its shelf life. After packaging, the meat should be placed in the refrigerator immediately.

Hunting provides us with a lot of things: entertainment, protection, sports, fresh air, time with family and friends, satisfying our inner primitive needs, and satisfying the natural motivation and desire to provide food and ensure survival.

Of course, occasionally there will be animals that we consider to be "trophies" and hung on the wall, but the real trophies are always high-quality, delicious, and healthy meat. From the moment the trigger is pulled, appropriate measures must be taken to ensure that we make the most of the animal we harvest and make the most of its potential.

Good luck to everyone this season. Keep quiet, keep quiet and wait patiently. Remember why we hunted and did it right.