The carcass will stay in good condition for two to three days. But, protect it from insects with black pepper and a game bag. At colder temperatures, you may leave the hide on the carcass until you're ready to butcher the animal. Frequent freezing and thawing will also harm meat quality. Aging can improve the quality of game meat.
All carcasses go into rigor mortis, but aging allows enzymes to relax the muscles.
Meat will be more tender after this process. For proper aging, hold meat at temperatures less than 40 degrees, but don't freeze it. If possible, leave the skin on the carcass while aging to retain moisture. You can age small game and birds by storing them in the refrigerator for three to four days. Deer carcasses can safely age for up to 10 days at cool temperatures.