Taste of deer
 

Why do some deer taste so much better than others? My friend gave me some back straps, and they tasted like top shelf sirloin beef. Last year I had a deer that was so nasty, I had to throw it out.

Is it poor gutting? gut juice leaking in? hanging ? I don't know what makes one deer so much better than other....................

Answers are random and non consistent. I can give a few.

1. Deers habits prior to death. Some deer get pushed out into poorer nutritional areas and the lack of proper nutrition may have an effect. Also a deer in a high yote population may spend less time on a normal schedule and more time running. Anyone of living factors can change or slightly alter chemicals in ones body and could contribute.
2. Processing, how fast was it done would be one of the bigger ones for me. Did the deer get tracked and found immediately or 8hrs later.
3. The shot. Was it bullseye or gut, intestine, kidney, bladder or any other organs.

Was it from a rutted out buck?

A couple of good thoughts above. The animal must be handled properly from the shot to the plate. Field dressed quickly. Cooled even quicker. I process my own deer and get started asap. That means skinning as soon as I get home, even late into the night if necessary. When I bone out the meat, I try to get as much fat and other "white" stuff trimmed out as I can. I won't cut any bones in my steaks. I believe the marrow gives a wild taste. Don't over cook!! Even my biggest buck taken during the rut last year was good eating.

I agree with how you handle the animal. I prefer to get it skinned, quartered and put on ice as soon as possible. Then let it sit for 12 hrs on ice just to make the meat easier to cut up.

My whole family agrees the best deer they ever ate was the biggest oldest buck I ever killed.

The only reason I can think of is I killed him in the middle of January. The temp was in the teens and lots of snow. The meat was probably exposed to temps above freezing for a total of 10 minutes between dead and the freezer.

Only logical explanation I can come up with.

The problem with getting game from someone else is that you usually have no idea how the carcass was taken care of. Thinkg like proper field dressing, cooling, keeping meat clean etc... can all impact hot it is on the table. If it wasn't properly cared for, it won't be the same as one that has been.

That's the biggest reason why I insist on taking care of mine own from the shot, through the field care, to the butchering to the skillet. I control the entire process so I know it has been done right.

A rutted out buck here can have a very bad smell.as far as eating goes a doe or young buck always tastes better then a buck thats been chaseing does.

The toughest buck I ever killed was right near the end of the rut.When we cooked it my dogs thought it was a chew toy.When I was skinning him he had almost no fat.

Pretty much what iv always experianced.even when the meat is properly taken care of.