Are old bucks just good for sausage?

ChasseurBob

ChasseurBob

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Just getting my kit together for an early start tomorrow morning. Got a buck tag in my pocket that needs to be filled.

The wife says don't shoot a big old buck - make sure it's a young one cuz the old buggers are tough and not good eaters. What I want to know from those long in the tooth, is it true that old bucks give good racks but don't eat as good as the 2 1/2 yr olds.
 
Some of the best venison I have had is from a big old buck, but they where not in the rut. I have taken a few large bucks in the rut, and found them a little strong for my taste, their meat is even darker.
 
Bob... this was my first year of hunting. I have my tags ( cripes I have alot of tags that didn't get filled) but! anyone that says to me "don't take an old buck" can kiss my butt!

You have tags to fill either way... and um... the old buck is quite yummy.. just need to know how to cook! ;)
 
mommabear said:
Bob... this was my first year of hunting. I have my tags ( cripes I have alot of tags that didn't get filled) but! anyone that says to me "don't take an old buck" can kiss my butt!

You have tags to fill either way... and um... the old buck is quite yummy.. just need to know how to cook! ;)
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Ha-hah! I know what you mean! Deer! Buck! Boom! It's automatic to me. I guess she'll have to take what we get. Get out the slow cooker!

Hunter Bob
 
We did a taste test in my family on the backstraps of the three deer pictured here -- all shot on the same day, out of the same alfalfa field and hung the same amount of time before butchering. My wife and 4 year old preferred the forkhorn, my oldest son and myself preferred the big buck. With all the silver skin trimmed off there was no difference in tenderness but the biggest deer did have what I would describe as a richer flavour. My oldest described it as "more like steak". I'm regretting that we sent most of that deer off for sausage now.

We've got a bump-buck, a doe fawn and a small 3X3 (again all out of the same alfalfa field) to process now and will repeat the taste test on them.

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Bob, there is a certain amount of truth to that, but it shouldn't deter you from taking a nice buck especially when not in the rut. There are means to increase your chances at better tasting venisson. One is a quick, clean kill. Two is to quickly cool your meat, specially the hinds and the neck. Finally, marinating for 24 hours will help, pop such as Sprite or Ginger Ale is very good, add your spices at will. And finally, a tenderizing hammer or just get your butcher to make minute steaks.
 
I shot a fairly big buck (9 point) in the middle of Oct.(first day of black powder season) about 3 weeks before the rut kicks in . What a fine tasting animal ! My youngest daughter even had to try some of "Bambi" and said that she was surprized that it tasted so good(after being brainwashed by her peers these many years).
I managed to save a portion of the ribs(rest was blood shot) and did up a batch of barbecued ribs . They were tremendous!...even the rib fat was delicious .
A few days ago I done up some ribs from a 10-pointer shot during the rut....it was pretty "browsey" tasting(gamey flavour).The tenders that I did yesterday(10-pointer) were very tender but had a slight "browsey" flavour . I also had some charcoal cooked bacon-wrapped back strap that was very good ...but had that hint of gamey flavour unlike the early buck that had no gamey taste .
The point I'm trying to make is that I think the taste of deer depends(mostly) on where it has been feeding (Ist buck alfalfa fields..2nd in the bush) and also if it was shot before or during the rut .
 
I've shot and eaten Bucks and does before the rut during the rut etc.
I see NO diff in taste between them, I've had some socalled "gamey" spikers and some Big Stinky rutted up Mulies that were delicious :)

How the Meat was Cooled, cleaned & cared for (transported) etc. Has WAY more to do with the End Flavour then simply "When" it was shot ;)
 
Well if you want good eats.... shoot the fawns! Besides them spots give really good aiming points.:runaway:
A yearling buck or doe is a close second... any buck in the rut is going to be slightly tougher. The worst deer I ever tasted from this area was an old (6 1/2) dry Doe... the dogs wouldn't even eat that one!:eek:
I cannot eat a "Shield Deer" from Northern Ontario I am too used to eating the grain fed butterballs from Central and Southern Ontario. If I wanna eat rocks and bark I'll move back to Thunder Bay!;)
Proper field care and butchering are integral to quality venison regardless of the age or ### of the animal!
 
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My dry doe this year was the best deer meat I've ever had.I've eaten bambis ,does ,spikes,bootjacks and wallhangers and the only conclusion I can come up with is the quicker they go down the better they taste.No slow death the muscles don't tense up and turn it tough.I favor neck shots or backbones myselfs
 
get someone that knows how to cook properly and they can make any deer tender and taste great;) ive eaten old bucks that tasted great but ive also had yearling does that were pretty bad even though they were dressed and aged properly.
 
The most important part is getting the animal field dressed and cooled as quickly as possible. Warm meat can go sour quickly.
Next most important is getting the blood out of he carcass.
Once the carcass is cooled there are some folks that will hang it at 4C for up to fourteen days.
For jerky, ground meat, or sausages, hang it till it stops dripping blood, then process it. Usually less than two days.
 
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