2015 Sask Mule deer & whitetail buck

TheTooner said:
How they taste is affected more by what they have been eating than by which species they are.
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I agree somewhat, but about 90% of "gamey" laste of old rutting bucks is from careless meat handling. Sometimes, but not often, old rutting bucks do have a bad flavour in addition to being tough and dehydrated. But most of the problem comes when field dressing and skinning. If extreme care is taken to never touch the smelly hair and then the meat, the vast majority of "off" flavours will be avoided and you will find that Bucks, either mule or whitetail usually taste OK. Not like a young doe, but quite acceptable as a steak if not over cooked.
 
two-dogs said:
just a question: does the meat from a mule deer taste any different than from a white tail? I grew up in SK and my Dad and my Uncles hunted and we ate a lot of venison back in the 50's. I did collect many antlers from the wall in the machine shop when the farm got sold and one set was a lot different than most others. I suspect it was from a mule deer.
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Northerly Saskatchewan WT deer are the best I've ever eaten. Far and away better than the deer of either specie in the Kootenay or central regions of BC.
 
Longwalker said:
I agree somewhat, but about 90% of "gamey" laste of old rutting bucks is from careless meat handling. Sometimes, but not often, old rutting bucks do have a bad flavour in addition to being tough and dehydrated. But most of the problem comes when field dressing and skinning. If extreme care is taken to never touch the smelly hair and then the meat, the vast majority of "off" flavours will be avoided and you will find that Bucks, either mule or whitetail usually taste OK. Not like a young doe, but quite acceptable as a steak if not over cooked.
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That doesn't contradict what I said about what they eat making more difference than which species they are. You are right, after they are killed how the animals are handled and/or cooked can make an even bigger difference.
 
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