Deer in rut meat question

[deadwoodbuck]

     end of discussion...pass me another beer...

[HoofsandWings]

I'm very surprised that you were unable to get it cleaned out. For me, when I've got or a buddy has an animal down, it's time to stop hunting and get the meat cared for. Everything stops until then. I'm amazed you can even feed it to your dog.

I'm curious...why couldn't you take care of it until a day later?

I did clean out the cavity, but I could not skin until the next day. The skinning was hard because the animal was on the ground. The butcher did a good job in cutting up and packaging the meat.

[Hangfire]

It is easier to skin a animal when hanging but skinning deer, elk or caribou while on the ground is not that difficult and results in a very clean carcass. I have done the above three animals in the following manner. I gut them and then drag away from the guts far enough so I can work with out standing in guts or blood. I am only 5'10" and I have drug spike elk and mature cows by my self far enough to do what I need to do. I lay the animal on its back and if I have to prop in that position with sticks or rock I will. I cut down the inside of a hind leg to the base of the tail and then extend the abdomen cut to the throat. I peel the hide off the legs and the side to the spine. I then stretch  the hide out away from the body keeping the hair side down and the flesh side clean. I cut a few limbs 6-8 inches long and cut a few small slots in the outer edge of the hide. I poke the sticks into the slots and into the ground like tent pegs. This holds the hide out and makes a clean area I can roll the animal onto so I can skin the other side. I  then have a skinned animal laying on the flesh side of its hide not in the dirt. I cut the hind quarters free by cutting through the lower back. I always carry a saw when elk hunting so I spilt the two quarters apart and hang or put in a clean bag. I cut the front shoulders free and bone out all the rest. I take all the meat off even  between the ribs. When I am done the meat is still clean and a magpie is going to have a hard time finding any meat. If I have to leave over night I will cut some limbs off a nearby tree if available, cut a slot in the legs or tie and hang off the limb stub. If no trees I will prop up on brush or some thing so the air flows all around the meat. I will take off my T shirt and hang by the meat and go 20-30 feet away and relieve my self in several spots around the area. I have never had a animal bothered over night and I have good clean meat.

[castor gitter]

Well said hangfire. With the method described there is no real need to gut. You can cut all meat off without doing it. Unless you want heart and liver.

I personally despise the term "gamey" and hate it when even veteran hunters say they don't like meat because it's gamey. Like others have said I agree that proper care of the meat is how you maintain its quality. When you mishandle meat you can end up with lesser quality in the end. And this doesn't just apply to deer and other wild game.... Fish, birds, farm raised meats, etc.....

I've probably eaten more pounds of deer and elk in my life than beef. That said, I've never had one of these gamey animals.... Animals from the coast, mtns, desert, farmland, I've eaten them. Rut and non rut. Take care of it properly and wild game is the best meat there is. When a whole animal is made into sausage or jerky just cause its too "gamey" I would think mishandled meat is to blame. And then maybe someone just doesn't like wild meat.

[lucky33]

If the carcass was handled properly, cleaned and trimmed, it will be as normal deer meat.  The perceived gammie taste is venison.  Take a beef thats been turned out in these hills and he tastes more like whitetail deer then  Safeway beef. 

WHere would " gammie taste " go if you can the meat   We can our meat and what you put in you get out.  Many people just plain cant get past anything that doesnt taste like grocery store beef, hence everything but store bought is " gammie ".

What tastes gammie to you, tastes like venison to me.   

A clean kill and the way you handle the carcass has more to do with the finished product than anything else....however, in some cases, an old buck may be a tad strong or musty, but alot of that can be contributed to handling.  Get the hide off and clean that critter good , and dont be afraid to use plenty of water to get excess blood off the meat, trim off anything you dont want to eat, and clean the cavity well.....you are putting this in your mouth after all.......

Well said. Improper handling is usually the  culprit when meat is ''gammie''. Taking care to trim all the fat and silverskin helps alot too.

[1bugman]

I killed my buck in peak whitetail rut and the meat was excellent. Treat it normal!

[Southpole]

I personally despise the term "gamey" and hate it when even veteran hunters say they don't like meat because it's gamey. Like others have said I agree that proper care of the meat is how you maintain its quality. When you mishandle meat you can end up with lesser quality in the end. And this doesn't just apply to deer and other wild game.... Fish, birds, farm raised meats, etc.....

I've probably eaten more pounds of deer and elk in my life than beef. That said, I've never had one of these gamey animals.... Animals from the coast, mtns, desert, farmland, I've eaten them. Rut and non rut. Take care of it properly and wild game is the best meat there is. When a whole animal is made into sausage or jerky just cause its too "gamey" I would think mishandled meat is to blame. And then maybe someone just doesn't like wild meat.

Okay, how about "strong" flavored instead of gamey?

[castor gitter]

I personally despise the term "gamey" and hate it when even veteran hunters say they don't like meat because it's gamey. Like others have said I agree that proper care of the meat is how you maintain its quality. When you mishandle meat you can end up with lesser quality in the end. And this doesn't just apply to deer and other wild game.... Fish, birds, farm raised meats, etc.....

I've probably eaten more pounds of deer and elk in my life than beef. That said, I've never had one of these gamey animals.... Animals from the coast, mtns, desert, farmland, I've eaten them. Rut and non rut. Take care of it properly and wild game is the best meat there is. When a whole animal is made into sausage or jerky just cause its too "gamey" I would think mishandled meat is to blame. And then maybe someone just doesn't like wild meat.

Okay, how about "strong" flavored instead of gamey?

I like strong flavored, but still believe it's more in how you handle it than any other factors for the final flavor. If still after doing everything right it's strong flavored, live with it or cook it different. I like the natural flavor of my meat, so I skimp on seasoning usually.

[Johnb317]

Don't want green meat. 
The most recent Bugle (RMEF) magazine has chuck Adams suggesting leaving the hide on until you can get the meat out!  He's crazy!
Last two elk I cleaned using the "gutless" method.
Always carry game bags, get the hide off, animal quartered and hung!
(Don't forget the backstrap, tenderloin and neck meat)