Yoopper Hunter

I originally posted this message on the "Camp Cooking" page, & I want some more opinions.

Subject: The "gamey" Taste of Venison.

I don't know if what the deer eats on a regular basis has anything to do with how the animal tastes on the dinner table. I hunt in the Upper Peninsula of MI, there are few cornfields, (or what you would normally see on a farm in Ohio or southern Michigan) found in the area I hunt. The deer in our area primarily are eating what the forrests can provide. The primary trees are White Cedar, other conifers, & few hardwoods.

Now, I have heard that "corn fed" deer are the best tastin'. I cannot say that I've ever tried one.

Does anyone have any other comments on this?

Jason N

I can tell a difference between a farm fed deer and a big woods deer with ease. Around here(big woods) there is a ton of oak, cherry and beech.....the deer have a nutty flavor! I'm not being silly in the least when I say that! Back home(farm country) the deer are bigger and fatter....farm fed on corn, soybeans, etc. I don't think farm fed deer taste as good as big woods deer on most occasions, however, last year we had no mast fall and the deer didn't taste as good as usual because all they were eating was browse.

trailer

I would have to agree that deer do taste different depending on what there diet is. I have hunted deer in our southern parts of the province with plenty of farmers fields and I’ve also hunted deer in our central part of the province with heavy bush. The taste of the meat where the deer are from the heavy bush has more of a gamy or stronger taste. I much prefer the taste of southern deer.

Highpower

Deer are no different than any other animal. The flavor of beef changes with it's diet just the same as deer. Grain fed beef tastes alot different than range fed beef. A deer who's been living in the hardwoods will taste alot different than one living and feeding in farm country. Not better, not worse, just different. If the proper care is taken after the shot, they all taste pretty good to me!

TURKEY FAN

I really cant taste the difference .........deer is deer to me

Double Creek

I would bet a blind folded person would not be able to pick between the two.

johnch

Deer taste like what they eat ,sort of they don't just eat one thing and different deer preferr different food . Where I live the deer eat lots of corn , beans ,clover and they taste more like beef . When I go north to Mich. and hunt where they eat more cedar ect there is a faint pine taste to the meat . But I am not pickey I eat them all .

biscuit jake

Glad this topic came. Chief scout (my son!) wants to deer hunt in Missouri this season where he lives. Over the years in the midwest I have had a couple deer... one tasted frankly bad and the other was ok. Soooo.... if we were looking for something tasty.... what should we be looking for? Tall-med-short? Buck - doe? Doubt that he will be looking for antlers and trophies his first time out.

thenuge15

There are a lot of factors that can affect the taste of the deer so its hard to tell what caused the taste. Yes I do think that what the deer eats makes it taste different. I also know that age, field care, and rutting changes the taste.

Idaho hunter 58

Deer venison is far from beef, don't shy away from the taste, exploit it. Try using strong spices!