I have always left my squash on the vine until the cold weather comes, like you said. Mine got a late start anyway, too wet this spring. And it hasn't been that warm down here this summer or fall in Washington I guess LOL...

Well, I broke down and cooked one this evening and it didn't have the full flavour that will develop later. Still good though. I'll patiently wait until the weather changes.

After harvesting, winter squash are typically kept at around 80 degrees indoors for a couple of weeks to improve quality and storage properties, then moved to cool, dry storage.

what Larry said, it's good to cure winter squash in a dry warm place a couple of weeks. Many farm put them in an empty greenhouse to dry.

We harvested the squash a couple of days ago. Had planted 2 plants too close together but the vines covered an area 25 X 25 and we had 38 squash! They are one of my very successful veggies in the weed patch i call my garden.