Meat quality of high country deer

[WildcatRanger]

Looking for opinions about overall meat quality and taste of high country deer, assuming proper field care is followed. I have heard people say that deer from the alpine- high country areas have superior taste compared with deer from lower elevations due to the types of high quality forage available. Thanks for any input!

[zwickeyman]

Amazing and very fat. They are usually in great shape up high

[Jpmiller]

In my limited experience it's all a matter of personal preference. The high country animals I've eaten have been more flavorful than the milder farmland animals. I like that better, my dad likes farmland better.

[Karl Blanchard]

I've eaten mule deer from every possible habitat you could think of to the tune of probably 100 different animals and my conclusion that the myth of "gamey" venison is 100% poor meat care/preparation. There is no argument I'll accept to the contrary. If your venison is gamey, you didn't handle or cook it properly. Simple as that.

Example I've used before is a hunt from 2018. I shot a high country mule deer in ID living the life on lush mountain forage.  With that tag filled I beat feet for a NV muzzy tag.  Killed a buck there that was living off sage and mahogany.  When I got home I cut the exact steak from each animal. I cooked them medium rare with simple salt, pepper, garlic powder. Nobody in my house (including me) could tell the difference.

Get the skin off the meat and the heat out as soon as possible, keep it clean, and don't over cook and they are all fantastic. I may give the nod to high country deer simple due to how hard you have to work for them 

[Stein]

I have been able to tell the difference between ag deer and high deer that never see crops.  Same with antelope but all elk seem to taste the same to me.  I would say different but neither better nor worse.  If you want something that has less flavor, ag animals are the way to go.  I actually like more flavor, but wouldn't hesitate on either.

I've only had one animal I thought had some really strong flavor, an old boy antelope from WY that wasn't near crops.  That was an acquired taste and different than the other two I shot in the same area the same day and all processed together.

[Jpmiller]

I've eaten mule deer from every possible habitat you could think of to the tune of probably 100 different animals and my conclusion that the myth of "gamey" venison is 100% poor meat care/preparation. There is no argument I'll accept to the contrary. If your venison is gamey, you didn't handle or cook it properly. Simple as that.

Example I've used before is a hunt from 2018. I shot a high country mule deer in ID living the life on lush mountain forage.  With that tag filled I beat feet for a NV muzzy tag.  Killed a buck there that was living off sage and mahogany.  When I got home I cut the exact steak from each animal. I cooked them medium rare with simple salt, pepper, garlic powder. Nobody in my house (including me) could tell the difference.

Get the skin off the meat and the heat out as soon as possible, keep it clean, and don't over cook and they are all fantastic. I may give the nod to high country deer simple due to how hard you have to work for them 

That's interesting that the taste was the same. I completely agree on "gamey" taste being in poor meat care but I feel like I've definitely had deer that tastes different from other deer. I'm open to it being me being not so much or a distinguished food critic.

Or maybe I've just only ever had one or two in the freezer at a time and always from the same general area so I tell myself "this one came from alfalfa it's milder, this years was up in the mountains it's got more flavor"

I really like hearing people's experience with this, it's super interesting and thera alot I don't know.

[Karl Blanchard]

Its absolutely possible my palate is unrefined 

[grundy53]

My dad is a deer meat connoisseur. He prefers whitetail above all else ( I agree).
2 seasons ago I shot a rutted up eastern montana scab land mulie that has probably never seen an ag field. My dad said it was the best tasting deer he's ever eaten.

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[Chesterdog]

I agree with JPmiller this is a really interesting topic.

Besides obvious size differences, can anyone comment on a distinguishable taste between blacktail, whitetail, and mule deer bucks?  Is the preferred order: whitetail, mule deer, blacktail for most people?

I've only ever eaten mule deer and have always been able to gut and skin quickly and avoid the tarsal gland which I believe is a main culprit of gaminess.

[NRA4LIFE]

I have property in Missouri that is in ag land, corn, soy beans and milo.  Those are the best tasting deer I have ever eaten.  Of course, some of the muleys we get in E. MT are tasty too.  I've never killed a black tail but have eaten it and it was pretty good too.  I too firmly believe it has everything to do with the care of the meat after the critter dies.  I am also not an aging fan.  Hide off, debone, vacuum seal, in the freezer.

[grundy53]

I agree with JPmiller this is a really interesting topic.

Besides obvious size differences, can anyone comment on a distinguishable taste between blacktail, whitetail, and mule deer bucks?  Is the preferred order: whitetail, mule deer, blacktail for most people?

I've only ever eaten mule deer and have always been able to gut and skin quickly and avoid the tarsal gland which I believe is a main culprit of gaminess.

My order would be whitetail, blacktail, mulie generally. But the best deer I ever had was a mulie and the worst was a whitetail. Go figure.

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[Sakko300wsm]

I totally agree on “gamey” being from not properly taken care of game - being cleaned, cooled down, bounced around in a truck for a day driving around showing buddies ect.
But I will say - a few yrs ago we got two 3x4 mule bucks in the same drainage , 2 days apart and handled identically ( I am very picky about taking care of my animals and always butcher my own) and one of them just plain stunk - tasted fine , but that damn thing made the whole freezer smell- it was a weird thing

[Fletch]

Its absolutely possible my palate is unrefined 

Same for me...

[fishngamereaper]

Since it's a high country question...yes the meat of high country deer (assuming it's alpine high country) is very good.

Obviously high country varies by y state. But in Washington...deer from above 4-5k are excellent tabel fare.

[WildcatRanger]

Thanks all! Gaging if the reward is worth the effort for high buck. Sounds like it clearly is. Now, how do I work this around my early elk hunt...?