Meat color question

[HuntandFish]

I have an interesting question for everyone. I shot a buck today at 9am, the buck was bedded and never got up. I skinned quartered and boned out the whole deer in about an hour or so, made the hike out and dropped it off at the butcher within 5 hours from the shot.

The butcher commented on how dark the meat was (I thought it was a little dark up on the mountain but didn't think anything of it) and even had another person working there come take a look at it, he walked up and said, how long have you had this deer, and looked at me like the meat was ruined. I told him I shot it about 5 hours ago, he than picked up some of the meat smelled it and basically said huh that's strange.....

Obviously the question is what do you guys think, I normally wouldnt ask such an simple question, but the butcher has me wondering now, since they see deer everyday and they really paused on this one.....only thing I can think is the deer was rather old, maybe that has something to do with it? Although I have shot old deer before and never had any issue. I attached a pic of the deer (head only), unfortunately I do not have any pics of the meat, didn't think to take any....

Looking forward to your responses.

H&F

[krout81]

unless it smelled bad don't worry about it.  Some of the older does I have killed had different color meat when  I cut em up at home for sure.   I sure do like the young ones....

[jrebel]

We shot two elk this year (me and my hunting parther).  The young elk had very light meat...lighter than I had ever seen before.  The old cow had dark, rich read color meat.  Both taste great!!!  I wouldn't worry about it, if what you say is true.....5 hours in this weather is nothing and it should be just fine.   

[Katmai Guy]

 ,  by the way, nice buck!

[boneaddict]

If I drew 10 people's blood, 7 of the 10 would be a different shade.   

[Axle]

If I drew 10 people's blood, 7 of the 10 would be a different shade. 

Ok Bone - stay away from me! 

[DIYARCHERYJUNKIE]

Just boned a buck out. Two point my wife killed at 645.... Meat was dark almost purple.  Good eats. The butchers see a lot of game and hate dealing with it. Some meat shops will give you back meat you never gave them.  Could be they wanted to send you away or give you back lesser meat.  Not sure in this case. That meat is completely fine dont let them make you worry.  Nice buck by the way! 

[HuntandFish]

Thanks for the responses. I have never given much thought to and never paid attention to me at color before. Having the butcher comment on it through me for a loop. As all of you have commented, I am sure it is just fine, there is really no way it can not be with the Temps and how quickly it was processed after the shot.

I will give an update once I get the meat back and let you all know how it tastes.

From now on I will only shoot the smallest/youngest bucks I can find to avoid the issue...ha cannot even type that without laughing....

Thanks,
H&F

[krout81]

 

That's what I'm screamin...

[warthog]

no worries !   the color of the meat will reflect what your animals primary diet consisted of.

[Mossyoak]

Did you find any other wounds on the deer? Did the meat smell ok to you? My neighbor shot a nice deer that had been shot with a bow earlier in the season(he was rifle hunting) The meat was really dark and smelled terrible. Just a thought.

[jagermiester]

Did you find any other wounds on the deer? Did the meat smell ok to you? My neighbor shot a nice deer that had been shot with a bow earlier in the season(he was rifle hunting) The meat was really dark and smelled terrible. Just a thought.

Oh no don't make him second guess it. Mossy.

It's fine. the butcher wouldn't of taken it if it was tainted and you would smell it if it was. Besides you took it to the butcher, he's just gonna mix it in with everybody else's deer.  Everyone that brought a deer in that week is going to have to eat that rotten beast. 

Seriously though I'm sure you or the butcher would know for sure. I'm in the it depends on what they are eating camp.

[Smokepole]

Where did you hit the deer?  Did it bleed out completely? 

[Caseknife]

My bet is it didn't bleed out, but no worries, it will be good meat.

[HuntandFish]

Well just as I was feeling good about it....the deer had no other injuries, the meat smelled perfect and there was little to no blood when the head was removed within 10min of it being shot.

Do you really think not properly bleeding and animal will turn ALL the meat dark?

I guess its a wait and see game now!

H&F

[JLS]

Do you really think not properly bleeding and animal will turn ALL the meat dark?

Absolutely not.  "Bleeding" an animal is irrelevant.  It bled out when it died if you shot it in the heart or lungs.  There is absolutely no way that cutting the throat, as many of us have seen done, will empty all of the capillary beds throughout the muscles.

The best favor a hunter can do for his or herself is learn to process your own game.  It's so easy, and does not take much time.  I did my daughter's buck the other day in 2.5 hours, from hanging on the gambrel to in the freezer.

[Smokepole]

If you shoot an animal in the heart or lungs, it will bleed out completely.  If you shoot one between the eyes, you should stick the animal in several major arteries in the neck.  Blood in the meat supports bacteria growth.  On the farm, we shoot 'em and stick 'em.   

[jagermiester]

If they are already dead when you do it how are they going to bleed?

[huntnfmly]

H&f
If it makes you feel better I just cooked and ate a steak from a deer we got on the modern opener very dark meat and it tasted great

[Westside88]

I don't believe in the need to bleed them out by cutting the neck.  By the time you remove the heart and lungs and hang them up it seems like they are gonna be bled out plenty. I've shot many deer in the head and never had any issue with too much blood in the meat  and I've done all the cutting for every deer I've ever shot, in this case I would guess it's a diet thing that's leading to the darker color

[JakeLand]

Here's a thought. Would elevation have anything to do with different pigment meat or when a animal runs a lot ??

[luckyman]

It can get dark if it has been wraped up where air can't get to it.

[PA BEN]

If you shoot an animal in the heart or lungs, it will bleed out completely.  If you shoot one between the eyes, you should stick the animal in several major arteries in the neck.  Blood in the meat supports bacteria growth.  On the farm, we shoot 'em and stick 'em.   

How's it going to bleed out when the heart is stopped? Myself and family have shot a ton of deer in the head not one deer was blead out and all were good.

[Smokepole]

If you shoot an animal in the heart or lungs, it will bleed out completely.  If you shoot one between the eyes, you should stick the animal in several major arteries in the neck.  Blood in the meat supports bacteria growth.  On the farm, we shoot 'em and stick 'em.   

How's it going to bleed out when the heart is stopped? Myself and family have shot a ton of deer in the head not one deer was blead out and all were good.

The topic was meat color, so I was just adding to the conversation.  I was suggesting that bleeding or not could affect the color.  Not saying your venison isn't good.

[dreamunelk]

1. What factors affect the color of meat
and poultry?
Myoglobin
, a protein, is responsible for the majority
of the red color. Myoglobin doesn’t circulate in the
blood but is fixed in the tissue cells and is purplish
in color. When it is mixed with oxygen, it becomes
oxymyoglobin and produces a bright red color. The
remaining color comes from the hemoglobin which
occurs mainly in the circulating blood, but a small
amount can be found in the tissues after slaughter.
Color is also influenced by the age of the animal,
the species, sex, diet, and even the exercise it gets.
The meat from older animals will be darker in color
because the myoglobin level increases with age.
Exercised muscles are always darker in color, which
means the same animal can have variations of color
in its muscles.
In addition, the color of meat and poultry can change
as it is being stored at retail and in the home (see
explanation in question 5). When safely stored in the
refrigerator or freezer, color changes are normal for
fresh meat and poultry.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/e8dad81f-f7fc-4574-893e-bae20cf8b215/Color_of_Meat_and_Poultry.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

[LDennis24]

EAT IT!!! Meat is always different color's from different diet's and different genetic's just like skin color. The German Browns in Rock lake are as pink as salmon right now, the carp are too. It's their diet right now. I have an iron stomach so it wouldn't bother me but I have always gone by the "You're nose knows" method. Even when meat is brown and discolored from sitting too long, if it still smell's ok and doesnt feel slimy, I eat it. As for bleeding it out by slitting it's throat, that's up to you if you do it or not but it will make the meat appear darker in my experience. My last 3 elk I didn't bleed out and butchered them just fine and they tasted great. Sometime's I do it sometimes I don't. Depend's on if it ran a long way's or fell over. Always go to a trusted butcher if your not gonna do it yourself too. Eggar's on the South Hill in Spokane is Incredible...    :dunno:EAT IT!!!

[HuntandFish]

Just thought I would update here. Meat tastes great, didn't think I had anything to worry about, and you all were right!

Thanks everyone for your responses.
H&F