First I have to ask, how did you come by a legal deer this time of the year? Roadkill perhaps?

    I've had several people e-mail, that soak venison in water on purpose! Some of them will leave it for days, which is not my idea properly taking care of your meat.
    Water normally has the effect of turning the meat a whitish color and seems to pull the blood out of the meat. As long as the meat was kept cold <40F, and it wasn't an extended period of time you should have no problems.
    Personally the only water I use on the meat is when I rinse the cavity after field dressing, and rinsing the carcass after skinning. I have yet to talk to anyone that buys meat in the grocery store and takes it home to put in water, so why do it to venison?

Dave