How long before gutting?

[lokidog]

In my opinion there is no such thing as "gamey" meat. It's a myth. I've had tough meat from old animals but never "gamey." Just the word gamey is a word that should never be used, because it implies that the meat of wild game animals tastes bad.

Get your meat cooled ASAP. But I'm not sure you'll notice any difference between getting it done in 5 minutes versus one hour. I don't even guy animals very often anymore. I really like the gutless method. You have to do all that when you get home or back to camp anyway, so IMO you might as well do it before moving the animal and save yourself a lot of work.

 

"Gamey" comes from two sources:

1.  A taste other than beef.  People don't expect pork to taste like beef, but all wild game should.  Funny thing is if you don't eat beef for a year and then try it, it will be gamey.
2.  Poor meat handling skills.  I gut and skin immediately unless I can drag it to a hanging spot quickly and then I just gut.  Even if it is 80 below and dark, guts come out and skin comes off.

Wrong!!! 

I have shot several bucks during the rut that were taken care of quickly and properly and they still had a stronger "gamey" flavor than other deer, even ones that were not found until the next day or skinned and butchered for a few days in 50 degree weather.

[Stein]

Animals taste different of course, that is the point to 1. above.  When things are wild and natural, we shouldn't expect them to all taste the same.

[Smokepole]

Best is to gut ASAP. Prop cavity open to assist cooling. Skinning soon is smart IMHO.

In my opinion, the "gamey-ness" she may be tasting is often the result of running the game through a band saw, IE: having the game processed at a butcher shop. A band saw drags fat, bone chips and marrow over each side of every steak.

I have great results from boning out the meat, and cutting steaks after all fat, sinew are first trimmed from the meat sections.

Your questions are always welcome. That is what this whole site is about.... And; Welcome!

This is the true cause of gamey meat.  I have gutshot animals and let them lay in the sun, and they always taste good.  Any time you take a saw to a critter you get gamey meat.  It's the fat & bone that kills the taste.   

[RB]

Right away. 2nd the bone saw comments. Also, trim trim trim. Clean meat is best..no sinew, fat, or gristle.

Deer Fat is Nasty! Some old timers like it but most newbies will thank you for nice clean meat! It will taste better and keep the casual venison eater coming back for more...

[lokidog]

When I was a kid, my parents had some deer "processed" the only issue I noticed from bandsawing the steaks was a tallow/marrow buildup in your mouth when taking a drink of something cold.

Why is there so much denial when it comes to rutty bucks?  The only deer I have ever eaten that were strong tasting or "gamey" were ones that were clearly in the rut (you could smell them as you walked up to them) even though they were taken care of properly.   

FYI, I still eat them, though it is one reason I prefer to shoot deer during archery, muzzleloader, or late rifle where I live.

[kodiak 907]

I grew up on venison. Didn't have beef until I was 14 and I thought it was freakin nasty. I have grown to like beef now but I will take venison over a beef steak nine times out of ten, fat, bone-in, silver skin and all.

Venison is wild game, and it will never taste like a farm raised cow.

I don't believe in the "gamey" phrase. 

[Magnum_Willys]

Rutty blacktail way "gamier" than muley or whitetail.  If thats all youve had its pretty good but once u get used to muley and whitetail that big old blacktail in the rut is not so great to my family.

[HardCorpsHuntr]

If it's a quick recovery you have some time to notch your tag, move the animal around for pictures and for a better position to gut the animal.  No need to be rushed.  I've gutted some of my animals a good two hours after the kill without issue, not by choice.   

[Boss .300 winmag]

I don't like it over cooked, as in well done makes it taste kinda like liver which I don't eat.

I haven't noticed a difference in deer hide left on for a few days vs one skinned right away.

My biggest Blacktail killed in the rut was skinned right away but boy was it nasty tasting, clocked that one down. 

[Sakko300wsm]

I don't gut mine at all - I quarter the animal out with the gutless method, and yes I do it right after the kill. I hang meat accordingly and trim away all nasty fat as I butcher
Good luck

[MtnMuley]

I gut  them as soon as I can after pics. Lets the cool down process begin. The majority of the gamey taste comes from improper care. Examples: gut shooting a deer and allowing guts spread everywhere(sometimes can't be helped), slicing the gut bag open while gutting, not properly getting the piss bag out and allowing it to spread to the meat, not properly trimming your deer, allowing too much blood in the meat, not getting the windpipe removed and allowing to spoil which it does quickly in moderate temps. Those are just a few. I've shot a lot of muleys in the rut and taken care of them properly and never had the meat taste gamey. Some have been a little tougher, but not many.  A couple of the gamiest I've had were whitetail killed at pheasant camp opening weekend that didn't get into the cooler ad soon as I would have liked. I butcher myself, which also helps with cleanliness and quality. It might take a couple extra hours, but the reward 8 months later when eating a steak is well worth it.

[hardcorecarnivore]

ASAP unless you go gutless.  I've been doing this on almost everything in the family the last 7 or 8 years but there's lots of variation.  I've actually left the hide on whatever quarters I had to come back for the next day if it's cold enough to freeze which rarely happens when and where I hunt.  I've read to not freeze before 3 days allow rigor to run it's course.  The 3 days is based on chilling fast to the mid 30's and sustaining.  A lot of times I skin and bag bone in quarters if I can get everything back to the truck easily and timely (IMO use Alaska Game Bags or better for durability).  About 1/3 of the time I completely bone out....saves weight on these high country or even long lowland packs.  You will loose a little more meat when cleaning up to butcher.  Here's a video I share with those who are interested and I can't hook up with to show hands on.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xq8mfe_live-hunt-how-to-debone-an-elk_sport

I agree with all of the other posts: No saws, trim fat, don't over cook, mix in pork or beef to fatten grind etc... 

I would add that it's important to strain all of the blood off of the meat when thawing as it will carry a lot of "Gamey Flavor" IMO. Once thawed you can put in a container in the fridge on an elevated rack to continue draining. I season while thawing so the salt helps draw the blood out You typically won't have the environment to dry age so this will help to not boil when trying to brown.  High heat and/or BBQ is my preferred method.

Man I'm craving now! Before I head for the freezer I would add I think all of my animals have had some cuts that taste better than others just like beef so you learn to sort properly while butchering.  Some are just overall better even from the same environment and conditions regardless of age.

[ICEMAN]

Do you guys that gut using the gutless method harvest the heart and liver?

[DaveMonti]

Do you guys that gut using the gutless method harvest the heart and liver?

Or more importantly, the tenderloins!

 

[hardcorecarnivore]

Do you guys that gut using the gutless method harvest the heart and liver?

Or more importantly, the tenderloins!

 

Yeah. A quick slit and pop them out.  I'll admit the Tenderloins can be tricky to get the first time.  I try to use my fingers to break free and then cut the ends.