Last year I got two bucks. The early buck had a very strong gamey taste. Had to be heavily seasoned. The second buck was much better. This year I got two late season does. First taste was far better than either of last years bucks. I have never noticed such a difference before. Are does in general better than bucks? Does it depend on time of year or how the meat is cleaned/processed? What affects flavor?
The only difference I ever see is between fawn and mature deer. Obviously fawn is more tender.
If I get a foul (gamey?) taste, it may have been a gut shot, or perforated paunch while field dressing. Get it unzipped and cooled ASAP and not usually a problem with buck OR doe.
I've never had a difference except for the "or how the meat is cleaned/processed"
If not cooled properly and kept clean any deer from a fawn to a big buck can be gamey. BTW that gamey taste is because it is starting to decay.
Mike
I kill does and bucks every year, and could not tell you which was which. Pigs, on the other hand, run from absolutely fantastic, to darn near inedible!
Bisch
I don't think there's a difference based just on the sex. I think the time of the season it's killed can affect it. Here where I'm at, we have about a month long dog season. We don't hunt with dogs on our lease, but the leases around us do. A deer that's been running from a pack of hounds half the day can be downright funky. Especially if it's during one of our heat waves, like today and tomorrow when it's 80 degrees. The timber company that owns most of the land on our lease and the ones around us stopped allowing dog hunting on their property this year, so that won't be a big issue for us anymore. Hot days like this, and especially early season when we still sometimes have highs in mid 80s and lows around 70, make the issues of processing soon after killing a deer an even bigger concern.
QuoteOriginally posted by Bisch:
I kill does and bucks every year, and could not tell you which was which. Pigs, on the other hand, run from absolutely fantastic, to darn near inedible!
Bisch
Well stated!
Well in AZ a buck in the rut tasted a bit more..... earthy I will say. though it really comes down to diet. the low desert scrub brush muelys taste good, but the pine and oak mountain deer that feed on ferns and flowers taste much much better. Of coarse my deer that I killed 2 years ago back in Wisconsin was feeding in a corn field and tasted incredible.
So I would say it is much more diet than gender.
Doe steak is usually more tender and buck in rut tends to have a stronger flavor due to the high levels of hormones.
I gut mine asap and hang in a walk-in cooler for 5-7 days. No one would be able to tell the difference between a rutting buck or a small doe. Just like anything else.....preparation is key.
Never could tell then difference. I normally let my deer hang in the walkin for a week to week in a half
Wyoming sagebrush country you might want to leave a buck in rut alone.
A quick kill and careful cleaning are essential. Next, wash the cavity and hang in 40 degree temps for four days.
I have found that if the going to the trouble to process it properly makes all of the difference in the world,
Gut the deer as soon as possible and be carefull not to cut the sac and DO NOT break the bladder.
I bone the the deer out and remove ALL of the fat and and silver and tendon material. On the hams break the muscle groups apart and remove the fat, also look for the nodules about the size of your little fingertip,they are dark red and need to be removed. Now that its boned out place in a container,I put a metal rack on the bottom, its a cake cooling rack from Wally World or Target and cover with wrap, and refigerate for 12 DAYS
The lets the meat go thru the process of cell break down. You will be amazed that their will be no odor when you remove the wrap. Its a lot of work and goes over better with the wife if you have a seperate fridge so they dont have to see this.
If you try this you will be amazed at how GOOD deer meat can taste if cured properly.
Think how good a beef steak would taste if you killed one today and ate it the tomorrow.
One more caution, when skinning and cleaning NEVER put water or ICE directly on the meat.
I have heard many people say that doe are better tasting than bucks. In my own experience I have found diet makes a bigger difference than sex
My wife prefers me to take does or young bucks but I prefer whatever gives me a good shot. Proper field care is essential and quick cool down as well.Well handled deer meat is a gift from above and our responsibility to follow through with proper handling.
One early season here a friend shot a nice doe we took care of it gutted & skinned but it was very hot and we had no place we could keep at a cool 35 to 40 degrees so we placed into the deep freeze and pulled it out the very next morning, This was a very big mistake the out side froze first and allowed the center to bone sourer before it froze we had to through it out. What a waste this will never happen again! Like above I haven't noticed any real difference between a buck or doe in taste.
Dave
I think that they both come in Venison Flavor.
Unlike Pringles and other similar delicacies, I doubt you can locate any that are Cheddar cheese / Jalapeno / boston baked bean flavor, at least not out of the can.
Chuck
Merry Xmas
I have to agree with chuck on this one....
There is a lot of variation based on how it is handled after the shot. Plus if you use a butcher, how they handle it as well.
I used to leave silver skin and some fat on the meat when I was in my early 20's because I didn't want to waste anything. I have learned there's no better way to ruin the flavor and turn people off venison.
Now when processing my meat I spend the time to get the silver skin and all fat off before packaging and freezing. In my opinion it makes ALL the difference in the world.
I was able to convince my wife, the vegetarian that deer meat is good. It was like a double edged sword because she put an awful lot of pressure to bring home deer this year. lol. which I was unsuccessful, but they say absence makes the heart grow fonder ha.
There are certainly differences between individual deer. Just like beef, there are different grades. None of it is bad if prepped correctly. It's just that some of it is better. Turn the "better" into steaks. Turn the lesser grades or cuts into stew meat, burger, or sausage. Or crockpot it all into italian sandwich meat. Skim the fat off the top before you eat it. Or can it. It's all food. Man's gotta eat.
Our family has determined that what gender the deer are doesn't really effect the tastiness but more of the tenderness, depending on the age of the animal. A young buck will taste and be as tender as a doe, but an old buck tends to be a little tougher. What really determines taste is what they eat and their nutrition throughout their life.
We hunt on a 400 acre leased farm for which we have permission and the farmers often plant corn or soybeans. The deer we harvest regardless of gender taste way better (less gamey) than those we sometimes kill around the house who browse on twigs, grasses, leaves and acorns.
Like mentioned before hormones are definitely present in the taste. A big ol Buck in the rut is tough and gamey.
This is just what we have observed throughout our years of hunting
When I first started deer hunting I would only shoot bucks. Some had a strong gamy taste. It was almost to the point that my wife didn't want me bringing them home. When I started bow hunting I started shooting does. Much better in my opinion. Although I have shot bucks that taste fine. Guess it depends on the time of year and what they have been eating. That being said, I have never shot a doe that had that gamely taste. For that reason I prefer to shoot does.
I've killed some bucks that are pretty gamey and no they weren't gut shot but I unscientificaly chalk it up to hormone levels. I personally think does are better tasting.
Glands and their removal, or not. I don't know of many processors that know where all of them are and how to get them out, nor would they take that extra 10 minutes to do so. Time is money. My dad does take the time. He taught many a men how to process deer because after bringing just one to him they never wanted anybody else to touch them again. Details in handling is what you taste or don't. From field to butcher block. I know I spout off about meat handling quite often, but I'm passionate about the truths. Dad has a book that is 4-6" thick. It describes breaking down individual muscles in cattle and game. Not simply de-boning them. This is where you learn where good and bad tastes come from. Grind up a gland or two in 35# of meat and the whole batch tastes like pine cones or sage or whatever else your local critters eat.
I'm of the opinion that there is definitely a difference in flavor between large bucks and small bucks or does. I've processed all my own deer for 30+ years, and yes I do remove the fat and glands. I also cool and age them. I don't know if it is testosterone or what. Also I think there is something to be said about how they die. (Drop dead and don't bleed out, Run like hell after shot or Not knowing they even got shot and just fall over after blood loss!) This and field dressing I think have a lot to do with the end product. Just my opinion.
You got that right John , if they run like hell the muscles tense up and all the blood pumps out. Not how you want your red meat to die. That's why they stuff a rod in a steers brain. End it quick and no running. White meat is preferred bled out, obviously. Most of us have butchered chickens and hogs I'm sure :)
I have never had the courage (or the cooler) to hang a deer for a week, so I can only testify to my experience which is that, given proper field dressing, younger deer taste and chew better than older ones, and especially better than mature bucks who have gone through the rut.
QuoteOriginally posted by huntryx:
I have never had the courage (or the cooler) to hang a deer for a week, so I can only testify to my experience which is that, given proper field dressing, younger deer taste and chew better than older ones, and especially better than mature bucks who have gone through the rut.
Beef in the grocery store has been hanging for a week, if not longer.
All of the above affect flavor of venison. Also. all other things being equal, a doe with no fawn will taste better than one with a fawn which will taste better than one with two fawns and a deer in good health will taste better than a deer that is diseased or chronically impaired. It's a lot easier to ruin a deer with poor handling than to cherry pick one for best flavor.
There is a lot of great advise on here already about proper handling post kill. I agree with all of it whole heartidly. One extra thing I haven't read in the replies so far is to bring several pairs of surgical gloves. I usually use at least three pairs for gutting almost any animal from Javalina, to deer to antelope. One pair is used to remove the external scent glands and then discarded. The next pair is used to do the rectum and discarded. and then another pair for entrail removal.
Another important factor in meat taste is to remember that meat is like a sponge...absorbing flavor from what ever it touches. so be careful not to touch the hide, horns ground etc. and then the meat. or be careful of laying meat in meat sacks or on fabric that has been washed in strong detergents, because the meat will pick up that flavor as well. I have taken this same great care on "stink pig" javalina and some of the smelliest antelope and ended up with excellent table fare.
I hanged a venison from Nov 15 until Jan 5 in my dads walk-in. The outside was black, the inside was pure venison gold, wow. If you have the patience and facilities to try it, I would. Just be sure its skinned, hung head first and THOROUGHLY rinsed out. Dad's cooler ran a steady 36-38 degrees.
I don't know who listens to podcasts, but recently there was a good one on just this subject, and on venison cooking. The "Wired to Hunt" podcast, #84 "Taking Your Venison Game to the Next Level", December 17th. You can still listen to it if interested.
Yow, Pearl Drums, you are brave!
One big thing not mentioned that I feel is the deal breaker for flavor is whether or not you or your processor uses a saw to make the cuts.
The single biggest improvement I ever saw in the flavor of my venison was when we started cutting up or own. At first my brother and I attributed the better flavor to us being picky about sanitation and trimming but eventually we figured out it was because we didn't own a meat saw and did the entire job with just our knives. Well, that and we let our deer hang at least 4 days weather permitting.
When a processor makes all those nice store cuts like chops and steaks, they do it with a band saw. Besides not knowing the condition of the previous deer that was cut on the saw, the big issue is the bone marrow and bone meal grit that gets tracked across the whole cut by the saw blade. You know, that pasty pink slimy stuff your mom taught you to scrape of with a butter knife after the steak thaws...? Is not that bad at first but the longer the meat is in the freezer the worse the gamy taste gets.
Since I started cutting up my own by just deboning with a knife this has become a non issue. Works for me!
A huge amount of good information. I agree with the aging being a big help in the tenderizing of the deer. There is a reason that prime beef cuts are aged. I am also with Dave on the boning out of venison being crucial to good taste. Marrow( which is a form of fat) and fat and silver skin all add to the "gamey" flavor most people associate with venison. Add proper field care and quick and proper cooling and I don't think you will be able to tell the difference if things like stres, quick kill and diet are not a factor.
Them old long neck does eat good!
What DB said... Penn State Extension published a study that deer fat turns rancid in the freezer...
All that marrow spread over the meat with a bone saw is marinading the meat in bone marrow... As a kid, we'd fight for cow or pig round bones in chops to suck out the marrow...try THAT on a deer...gag a maggot!
Stinks too...so what smells bad eventually tastes bad...
I bone out all my meat for 35 yrs and don't waste freezer space on bones!
I am usually so happy about getting a deer, that no matter how they taste, I savor it. Stronger animals give me a reason to try different recipes and spices.
I've come to like the young tender ones that run to the truck
I think its all in how its processed
Had good....had bad
If you take it to the processer I wonder at times even if you get your own deer.
I personally dont like deer as well as I do say (rabbit or squirrel)
I can take deer meat or leave it , but the other two I wont have left overs:)
I don't saw the bones either, all Knife work. I also cold pack a lot of my deer and that will tenderize the toughest cuts. Big bucks I generally make burger, sausage and jerky out of except for the loin. Does and young bucks get steaks and cold packed.
I follow the same advice that Cyclic-Rivers posted. Take away as much silver skin and fat as you can. A family friend who was a chef told us that deer fat will spoil the meat taste even in the freezer. One thing i also do that i didn't see mentioned is i soak the quartered meat in big coolers of ice water for two days changing water to rid it of blood. And even hairs will float to the top. Just skim it off. I've had friends who have hunted all their life and couldn't tell it was venison.
All the does I have eaten were great except one with it's ribs sticking out. It was from an over populated area that forced the deer to eat anything to live. It had a bitter taste from eating mt laurel.
Most of the bucks I thought would be gamy were great. A couple smelled and tasted like tarsal gland. It could be that the processor got some gland fluid on his gloves when he skinned the deer and transferred it to the deer.
I always remove the tarsal gland now before I skin a deer or take it to the processor to be skinned.
I have had meat from a friends bucks over the years, again, every now and then one will be really gamey. I have never had this gamy taste show up with does.
I hunt an area now that is surrounded by about 1000 acres of corn and soybeans, no gamey tasting deer come off this land.