Sheep/Goat Meat- Is it good?

[DOUBLELUNG]

My Wyoming mountain goat (3.5 y.o. billy): the only animal I've ever ground the tenderloins and backstraps.  Five or six slices through the backstrap would dull a commercial boning knife - unreal.  The flavor was excellent, we were sad when the burger was gone.  I was disappointed with the quality of my Wyoming bighorn meat (5.5 y.o. ram), it was decent, and not too tough - but I've had steaks from other Wyoming bighorns that were absolutely phenomenal, tender and delicious. 

I've been privileged to sample a few hundred big game animals that were all taken care of by experienced hunters who take great care of their game, and my conclusion is that regardless of season, age or gender, young of year and yearling animals are always good.  With adults, the odds are good, but there is a minority percentage that will be inherently somewhat gamey (BTW, I've had the same experience with home-butchered, grass fed beef).  I've only had three animals that were actually unpleasant to eat in an undoctored state: a very old mule deer doe shot in early September, an old pronghorn doe that was wounded in the rear leg by my hunting partner, and which I finished off after a 2-mile pursuit, and a rutting 2-year old pronghorn buck.  All three of these were just fine in chilis, tacos, sausage and other seasoned ground meat.  However, I've also had many other old or rutting animals, and a few bad hits with extended pursuits, that were just fine table fare.

[TriggerMike]

It is all relative. If you are hungry sheep and goat shot in Washington, I am sure, will be just fine. Grind em, spice em, or eat em as is. In WA we generally shoot trophy animals in this category. Like any other animal trophy males are not the best eating. The ram I shot on Clemens was no match for young quality elk, moose, and caribou I have eaten and really enjoy. I gave most of the meat away to give friends a taste. I don't recall anybody calling to say thanks.  Muley, whitetail, and antelope are generally better in my experience than the ram I shot. I have never had goat so can't say but have not heard anything good. The moose I shot in 49 Degrees North was an old gnarly guy but the burger was excellent. The whole meat was tough. Young moose I like a lot. So If you get a chance shoot one and make your own opinion and let us know. I can't imagine anyone on this thread deciding not to apply for an OIL tag for either species in WA because they don't like the meat. I hope so to improve the odds for the rest of us though.

That's kinda what I figured. Most people shoot a trophy with their OIL tag, which usually means an old, gnarly male. Not exactly the best combo for great eating. I suspect that young sheep and goat would be very tender and good. I hope the day comes when I can cook some backstraps of my recently killed Ram or Billy.

My Dall was the best wild game meat I have ever had.  And I thought nothing could beat Axis deer.  I was wrong  

Agreed, dall sheep is hands down the best meat I've ever eaten

I've heard that Dall sheep is incredible from multiple sources. I've never had it though.

[deadwoodbuck]

mountain goat is a member of the Bovidae family...same as cows...it was an older goat so a bit tough but still good to eat

[Big6bull]

Mind over matter. If I had a successful oil tag filled I'd imagine any of that meat would taste like sweet victory  I sure hope to find out before I die.

[grundy53]

Mind over matter. If I had a successful oil tag filled I'd imagine any of that meat would taste like sweet victory  I sure hope to find out before I die.

Truth

[Falcon]

Nothing like dall sheep ribs over an open fire, a true eating pleasure.

     Jack Oconner called it the best wild game meat in the world. I agree 👊

[blindluck]

I love Mt Goat, It's been many years, but from what I can remember it was great.

[Broker]

I'm not going to lie, my mountain goat wasn't the best meat I've ever had.  I cooked it every which way and at best it was ok.  But it was old and goats are tough.  Sure wish I could draw another tag here in this state though.

I hear moose and sheep in Washington are terrible to eat!  I'd suggest everybody quits putting in for those tags over the next couple of years. 

[trophyhunt]

The Middle East has been using goat intestines for eons as condoms but it took the English to show them that they could actually take them out of the goat to use them. 

:yike:lol

[ShadowHunter]

Having eaten good portions of literally dozens of different Mt. Goats and Stone Sheep, I'm fairly confident in making this statement.  Goats are tough!  Not an unpleasant tasting meat.  But I've only found two ways to eat it.  Cut it into normal bite size pieces, chew it until you've gotten all the flavor and nourishment out of it...then spit out the wad.  Or, cut it into real small pieces, chew and then swallow.  Stone Sheep;  Hands down, the best wild game meat I have ever eaten!  A legal ram is full curl, or, 8 years of age or older.  I personally have never eaten one under 8 and have eaten them up to and including 13 years old.  Every one of them was "tender" and tasty!     

[Jonathan_S]

Nothing like dall sheep ribs over an open fire, a true eating pleasure.

     Jack Oconner called it the best wild game meat in the world. I agree 👊

I'd love to try that some day    Hard to imagine anything being tastier than river-bottom whitetail or berry-fed black bears.

[JimmyHoffa]

I would be kind of leery about Mt Goats in some areas (like the Olympics).  Their favorite thing in the universe seems to be salt, and in some areas the only source of salt is human urine and sweat.  If you take your pack off they come up and lick the sweat off it and if you take a whiz they lick it up off the dirt/rocks.  They even follow you around hoping you will take a leak--some will bed down outside of tents so they can be near the source.  With all the drugs (prescription and recreational), I don't know what all could be accumulating in some of those goats.