Caribou Meat
 

I am planning to go on a caribou hunt and I've heard from some hunting buddies that caribou meat gets foul tasting when they are rutting hard. Any truth to this?

RE: Caribou Meat
 

My dad and godfather were turned off from caribou hunting because of some meat they had years and years ago from bulls taken during the rut. They didn't bother attempting to go, and finally got interested when I brought home some caribou from an early season bull I had shot. I still haven't taken a bull during the rut, but I have had some meat from a bull taken during the rut season, but he wasn't rutting hard when shot. The meat tasted very good. All of these caribou come from an area that is not rich in lichens, which I think results in a better quality meat due to the forage.

The majority of the feedback I've heard though is that rutting caribou meat is nasty, but you have to wonder how many of those people didn't take very good care of their meat in the first place. Nothing will ruin the taste faster than poor handling in the field and freezer. If you could schedule your hunt for late August, early Sept., I think you would be a lot happier with the quality of the meat though, based on what I have heard.
ArcticBowMan's Hunting Photo's

RE: Caribou Meat
 

In the hunting booklet distributed by the Newfoundland wildlife department it is suggested that caribou stags not be shot during the rut (2-3 weeks in October) because of the potential nasty taste.

The past two years I have taken my stags in mid november and the meat has tasted great but both animals had lost their antlers before I crossed their path. Antlers are not a priority but I wouldn't mind a set so next year I think I'll try a couple of hunts in September if its cool and there aren't a lot of flies.

Another reason reason to hunt earlier is that a mature stag loses a lot of weight during the rut. Between fighting and rutting he doesn't get alot of time for eating and resting.

RE: Caribou Meat
 

Rutting bou meat is HORRIBLE! Even quartering a buddys bull this year was nasty in itself!!!

I thought the exact same Jerry, I am here to tell ya, DONT shoot one come mid oct!!! They tried every way concievable to make it edible, no go! From sausage and jerky to hamburger and soaking.....it reaks!

The theory is the bulls are "drinking" the urine of the females (first year I had heard of this). Their livers can only handle so much before the acids take over the meat.

This bull was handled with the UTMOST care as we give to all of the game kills I am on, clean as a whistle, and boy he was rancid!

Just my .02 after more then a few lateseason bou kills, this is number 2 non edible of 5, 2 of the 5 were early season bulls, the 2 bad ones were mid, the last bull was also a mid oct bull and was good. I think its a chance I dont care to take again!

RE: Caribou Meat
 

Quote from Jim Zumbo's "Amazing Venison Recipes"- " one of the worst tasting animals I'd ever taken was a caribou in B.C. during the rut... the guide warned me the meat would be so strong even the dogs wouldn't eat it...he was right. Compared that with one taken two months earlier in late August...was outstanding, as delectable as any animal I'd ever eaten". Seems with caribou timing is everything.

there is no subsitute for quality

RE: Caribou Meat
 

Thanks for the info...sounds like an early hunt is the ticket. Sure would suck to take a big animal and have to scrap the meat, especially since I would be traveling along ways to go hunt for bou!

RE: Caribou Meat
 

I have heard the same thing as everyone else throwing in their 2 cents. however, and I have no personal verification of this, I was told that if you take a bull in rut with bow and arrow, the nasty taste is virtually eliminated. The theory behind it is that while the rifle kills through sheer force and transferring the bullets energy to the bull, the arrow bleeds the bull of most of its "tainted" blood. This bleeding causes most of the toxins to exit the bull before it can taint the meat.

again, don't know if it is true, but that is what I heard.

RE: Caribou Meat
 

Don't know where you are planning on hunting bou but a friend of mine just got back from a mid November hunt in Quebec that he drove to. I had some of the meat and it's great. The cost wasn't all that bad either only about $1100 including the license.

RE: Caribou Meat
 

M/H1954: Thanks for the info....do you have any particulars on your partners hunt in Quebec? I'd appreciate any info you could share with me. Email address in on my profile.

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RE: Caribou Meat
 

a lil blunt but my thoughts exactly Jim! <img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>!

By early to Mid Nov, most bulls are done rutting, depending on area, they may not even be in rut yet! Every thing revolves around this rut....ask the outfitter, or biologist of the area for when the rut comes in... if you need AK numbers email me, I have them easy enough and can point you in the right direction to gather info! to early its warm, bugs are horrible, and the antlers are in velvet, to late, the ruts on, later then that its cold as heck! <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>!

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RE: Caribou Meat
 

Hey otis, Im looking at taking a caribou hunt next fall. Could you give me some info on a REPUTABLE outfitter up that way?

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RE: Caribou Meat
 

How would the meat be if I came the first week in September? If they are still in velvet, or just starting to shed they shouldnt be rutting yet, right? Otis, you mentioned a drive up hunt in November, would you be willing to go along on one with us? If so, we can definately work something out because I HAVE BEEN DOING THE ANTELOPE HUNT YOU WANT FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS! If you wanna do some tag-along swapping, I can take care of all your antelope hunting needs! if we do an antelope hunt at the 1st of October, we couls still do a caribou hunt in November and we both get an animal we want! Let me know!

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RE: Caribou Meat
 

otis, the antelope tags for bucks run $195. Doe/fawn tags are $50 each. I hunt on private land that we pay a $150 tresspass fee for.
The last two years I have taken myself and my two sons out hunting and the total cost for ALL of us runs around $2000 to $2300 us. Keep in mind this is for ALL of us. if you bring a buddy to help with the expenses of traveling and motel costs, it can be done for much less!
The hunt starts on Oct.1st. BUT reservations with the landowner MUST be made within the next month or you run the risk of them already being booked up. They only take a certain number of hunters. After that, you would be having to hunt public land or find another landowner.
This hunt can be done it 2 days if neccessary, and you just want to kill your animals. The animals here arent &quot;trophy class&quot;. Most bucks will be in the 12&quot; range. If you wanna look around there are some 14&quot; bucks to be had, it just takes time to look over all the animals available and then hunt the one you want. The 2003 season SHOULD be one of the best yet on this ranch. We were late getting out last year and were the last hunters for the year to be on the ranch. We saw LOTS of 10 to 13&quot; bucks that will still be there in '03. We hunted 4 days and all took exceptional animals for the area except for one guy. He was having a bad year and couldnt hit a bull in the butt! He ended up just killing a 12&quot;incher to get it over with.



Edited by - Tn_Hunter on 12/15/2002 11:05:22

RE: Caribou Meat
 

I went to alaska 10 yrs ago in late sept. The bull i shot stunk bad. I spent over 100$ to bring the meat home to throw it away 2 years later. It was the worst crap i ever tried to eat, Javalina was like veil compared to it. I fed some to the dog and had to rent a carpet cleaner to clean up the diarrea the next day( my fault for feeding him some) So i had no use for the meat. I tried to make some into extra hot spicy italian sausage and they still were terrible. Stay away from the rut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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