Deer Liver

Kru81

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I have read a lot of for and against arguments for eating wild game organs. I am wondering what your opinions are and if any of you eat the organs of that animals you kill, specifically whitetail deer liver.

Thanks
 
I have read a lot of for and against arguments for eating wild game organs. I am wondering what your opinions are and if any of you eat the organs of that animals you kill, specifically whitetail deer liver.

Thanks
I think it is an organization such as Environment Canada or your local DNR office that would have information on public warnings of this nature.
It is not unheard of in Ontario in the past, to hear of an offcial advisory to abstain from consuming the liver of deer or moose in certain areas.
The most common cause is heavy metal poisoning IIRC.
Otherwise, it's IMO the typical visual inspection: IE-Deep uniform dark red color, with a consistant density to the organ structure. Should be no lighter red or pink or even whitish "hot spots." These are signs of an un-natural diet possibly tainted with steroids or chemicals. If you have any ladies in your household, a healthy liver is a great natural source of iron, which ladies really need in thier diet.
 
I shot a 90lb doe my first year out, and ate the liver that night. It was pretty decent, as far as lives goes. About the size of your 2 fists together, with no spots, holes, or blemishes.
 
Organ meat isn't my thing. Any deer we shoot at camp we save the heart and liver from and one of the fella's is a doctor and he and his wife love it so he takes them all home. They have been eating them for years with no apparent negative effects.

Alot of deer camps I have been in over the years, the fresh liver was always cooked up for diner that night in camp. The only usual negative result was they all had the sh!!t's from eating to much of it, except me as I had PJ sandwiches.
 
I've been eating deer and moose liver and heart for years, maybe its an acquired taste but to me it tastes great! mmmmm, fresh fried liver smothered with onion in butter. Ok, now I'm hungry!
 
I've been eating deer and moose liver and hearts for 50 years and so far so good. I suggest looking at it when you first dress out the animal. You'll know if there's a problem right there.
 
Except for a Big old Buck or Bull in the rut,
We always save and eat the liver and heart.
Always watch for cysts, etc., but otherwise it
is great table fare.
Eagleye.
 
Our tradition is liver and onions the day of the harvest.

Used to roast the heart later but we now pickle them. Didn't think I would like it but we pretty much fight over the last piece.

The last deer the camp elder shot, he hit it square in the heart so there was nothing to pickle...... he took some heat over that. I wish he was still here.
 
My motto has always been; there's enough meat to eat on the aninmal without eating the guts.:) I do save the hearts for a friend who enjoys them, other than that I leave the rest as a sacrifice to the hunting gods.;)
 
Fawn liver is my favourite and the only wild liver that I'll eat. We always eat the heart, too. My dad looks after preparing it for the table. If we get a fawn in the morning, we head back to camp and have the heart and liver for lunch. My dad slices them about 3/8"-1/2" thick and flours them in seasoned flour. While he's doing this he usually has a cast iron pan with about 6 strips of fatty bacon simmering. He then removes the bacon and saves it as a side dish and cooks the heart and liver until it's about medium in doneness. I'm telling you, it's like candy and one of the highlights of the hunt.
 
If you like liver or heart, nothing better than one from a young deer, beats liver from a domesticated animal such as a beef any day of the week.
 
Cadmium was the heavy metal of concern with liver, somewhere I heard or read a report that an occasional meal should pose no concern as your body will get rid of cadmium.
Having said that I can't stand the smell of it cooking and have never tried it.
 
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