I just ordered some beef that needed slaughtered first (that should be fresh enough
) and they told me it would be a two week wait because that's how long they let it age. Almost to the point of molding he said. I didn't realize it was aged such a long time (it seems).
Whenever I got a deer I always had it processed, so I figured the day or two or three before I got it to the processor, then however long it took them, as they usually had two dozen other deer waiting ahead of mine... that was aged enough. Some tasted gamey, some didn't. And I always field dressed the same way. Some deer were running, some were not BTW, but adrenaline is supposed to
not be good for the meat, like Bob said.
I just read an article on processing your own deer and it said to remove as much fat as possible because the fat adds to the gamey taste. It also said it was OK to rinse the meat off, but to then dry it because wet meat spoils more quickly and cultivates bacteria more readily. Pack the carcass with ice if above 50F until you can get it to the butcher or refrigerate (by quartering).
My neighbor turns his whole deer into oxroast, something near and dear to my area (shaved beef in juice) and it tastes fantastic. I don't think they let the deer hang and age, but I could be mistaken. He's got quite the little setup in his garage for butchering and cooking the meat.