Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I have a motherinlaw that doesn't care for hunting. She would never hurt even a flea. She does however believe that hunting is necessary, to an extent. I've gone very easy on her over the years in order to win her opinion.

She was asking me the other day why I was still hunting seeing as I already have one deer in the freezer. I told her that I'd take two or three more given the chance as I believe venison is hands down more healthy than commercial beef. She asked if I really thought that a deer that was shot and did not die instantly allowing adrenaline to flood the body was really all that healthy. I didn't really know the answer, which I admitted to her.

What's your take? I would think that adrenaline kicks whena deer is shot. Does this stay with the meat? Is it toxic (as she thinks it could be)? Or does it not make a difference?

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I 've never really thought about it, but it kinda sounds like you'd have a high protein, low fat,energy boostingmeal.;)

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Definately not toxic............hormones are present in the body's endocrine system at all times.........just in varying levels depending on needs (regulatory system). The only thing that could result would be a possible taste difference in the meat. I know that when farmers kill hogs they cut off their nuts first to avoid a hormone surge at death. Ever since I learned that I immediately de-nut a buck when I get up to it (just in case).......never noticed a difference one way or the other though.

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

atlasman is right it is not toxic but i do think it affects the flavor of the meat.Another reason to make sure you have a good shot and make a quick kill.

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Most hogs and steers are neutered far before death. Whatdomestic animal harvesters/processors and hunters have in common to worry about than the sex hormones would be the stress hormones. Generally animals that are highly stressed before death go into anerobic metabolism in their muscle cells which causes a build up of, ah crap I want to say lactic acid but I am doubting that, which will cause the meat to be darker. No health risks to the eater but you will often end up with tougher and darker meat. Most people probably won't be able to notice it in deer since that is what game tastes likes..You would notice a steer that was stressed real bad before processing since it is not the norm.. And by stressed I mean RUN.

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I've heard that a deer that is stressed out will not taste as good.

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I've heard that too, but I'm not buying it until someone does a test. Somebody with one of those fenced in huntin' ranches could do it. On the same day, at the same time, shoot 2 deer of similiar size/age/sex...the one you shoot with a leathal shot, the other you wound and let run for a few minutes before finishing off. Then the meat has to be served up the same way with a double blind experimental format. :) If everyone says one tastes better than the other, you've proved it...if not, ya' ain't. [8D]

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Yea.......that would be a great idea :eek:

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

It's okay, since it's being done in the name of science, it's acceptable to inflict unecessary pain on critters. :D

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I know you guys are kidding, but unnecessary pain is just that. Lethal shots for both of em, just dont let one know what hit him and get after the other right away and run it for a bit...

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Wouldn't adrenaline would be in full effect the second the animal was shot, whether he knew what happened or not? It's an automatic response to severe trama. You'd have to be able to INSTANTLY end the animals life to get NO adrenaline. We need someone who's an expert on deer physiology. :D

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I'm pretty sure that this is an old wives tale (no reference to your Mominlaw badshotbob:D) that has simply been allowed to stick around.

I've had meat from deer that have been shot on the run, shot multiple times (shotgun hunting with a gang) as well as deer I've dropped with one shot while they were calm and still. I haven't been able to detect anything different in the taste and I'm always conscious of the flavor as my kids are finnicky about the taste of food.

The real key to good tasting meat is deboning it before butchering and leaving as little tallow, silverskin and sinew in the cuts as possible. I try to minimize it but I make a lot of waste when I butcher a deer, but what I cut always tastes great and the waste comes in handy when coyote hunting;)

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I've also heard that if you drain as much blood as possible before cooking the steaks you get much better flavor with less of the "gaminess"...I did that last year, and my steaks were tasty...but then again, I always like 'em. :)

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

How funny this would come up.
A few weeks ago I found a buck I had been hunting and he was stuck in a fence within sight of my stand. I didn't feel right about shooting him without trying to cut him loose first. I called the game Commission to see if they would dart him so we could free him. When they arrived the said they do not dart deer and he was too big and dangerous to get near. They said that he would have to be put down. I asked if he would be donated to the needy and was told "no". They do not donate meat from trapped deer as the adrenaline would spoil the meat. They said he would go to the landfill. I could not live with this so I tagged the buck to make use of it. I cooked three meals out of the meat so far and there is no bad taste at all. As a matter of fact he tastes as good as any deer I have ever eaten. He was as worked up as any deer ever has been with us standing near him. He was trapped for what we figure to be around six or more hours total.So, is that an old wives tale...I think so.

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Well that settles it for me then. That trapped deer would have been even more fired up than one that was wounded and ran for awhile...at least I think so. Did you get a pic of the deer either while trapped or after?

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Instead of hunter safety courses we need to get degrees in psycology. Lets talk em down boys, put them out of thier misery and then eat them. That is after all the only humane thing to do.

Tom

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Ah! Happy deer taste better!

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

Yep I have a pic. This was taken right after he was killed. He was so worked up his tongue was hanging out a foot long and he was blazing hot to touch after we killed him. Steam was coming off him so bad it looked like smoke. But man, he tastes GOOOOOD!
Here is a link to the thread:
http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1306616&mpage=1&key=&#130807 6
Here is the pic:

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

What sarcasm!
Are you calling my ethics into question, Bud?
What would you have done?

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

I don't think he was referring to you at all...no need to get fiesty guys. :D

RE: Adrenaline's effect on meat taste?
 

IIRC they use pain inflicted on animals to tender the meet in the Korean kitchen. The Korean's eat different animals including dog's and they tend to hit the "food" before preparation because the enormous flow of blood and hormones in the deep musscle tissue needed for the flight or fight response would cause difference in taste.

Thinking that hormones have any negative effect on harvested meet is far from reality.
The deer meat tastes different from farm meat and even fenced dear due to the fact that they are not "fed" with the sole intention to grow as large and fast as possible.

Natural meat IShealthier thenfarm meat, no extra additives added, no antibiotics , growth hormones,etc.