blacktail taste?

[7mm Bob]

I have killed 14 blacktail bucks. 8 were either 2pts, 2x1, or spikes- all good eating! 3 of them were 3pts- 1 good, 1 so-so,and 1 really gamey and tough. 2 of them were 4pts- 1 pretty tough but the taste was ok, he was also my biggest body & horns, the other was really bad tough and gamey- good sausage & pepperoni, the other one was a 5pt- could'nt sink a fork in the gravy! sausage and pepperoni again. Your thoughts?

[rasbo]

never had a bad deer ,I do my own..maybe just lucky I guess,taken many blacktail and muley

[washelkhntr]

Never had a bad one myself, although a few that were older and in the rut were a little gamey, but nothing terrible.

[blackveltbowhunter]

None that were bad or gamey, But some definitley better than others in terms of toughness. It seems like the deer killed during early archery have tasted more mild than the ones killed later in the season. Elk and muleys are prefered in my household so blackies often get sausaged with the exception of the premium cuts. Although I personally like " deer " flavor, and blacktail backstrap chicken fried goes great with garlic roasted baby reds, grilled asparagus and a Busch Light Man Can.

[Prime Time]

Never really have had a bad tasting one here. Usually the later you kill them in the rut, the tougher and gamier they'll be. And a 4 point will most definitely be tougher meat than a spike or 2x1

[jrebel]

I have had two darn near inedible animals in my life, one was a deer and the other was a cow.  I can't prove it, but I believe they were both caused by the butcher that handled the meat.  They both were rancid and made my whole house smell when I cooked it.  Needless to say it all went in the garbage.  Cost me a lot of money in waisted meat and butcher fees.  Never went back to those butchers and they never made right by me........   I have killed a lot of deer and elk and am really particular about my meat...LOL     If the butchers cutting room is nasty, I will turn and walk away.  Make sure you have a reputable butcher....

[RippinLips]

if your going for the meat shoot young deer it tastes much better in my opinion and is more tender

[Magnum_Willys]

After eating Klickitat or eastside deer any wetside blacktail of size I head towards the smoker.   A big Blacktail in the rut is pretty tough.   Throw it in the crockpot with a couple cans of fruit cocktail for half a day just like a coot.  Pretty tasty then.   

[grundy53]

Sounds like you had a couple rutted out bucks to me.

[billythekidrock]

never had a bad deer ,I do my own..maybe just lucky I guess,taken many blacktail and muley

 

The only nasty one I remember was a gut shot deer that a friend shot and didn't clean up very well.
Even the old bucks are good if you process them properly. Not many steaks from a tough one, but still tasty.

[jayrod9528]

Sounds like you had a couple rutted out bucks to me.

[Axle]

I've taken many BT in WA and OR. Never had a bad one. I've taken many mulies in a few states and all but one were awesome. Don't know why the one was bad but I had relatives that shot two does on the same weekend and many miles apart. Their two does were as bad as the buck I shot. That was in Colorado and the meat stunk up the house big time. We all had to chuck the meat (or upchuck if we didn't).
I've taken many whitetails in a few different states. All of them were good but not as good as BT and MD.

[nontypical176]

Anymore I run all my deer and elk steaks through a cuber twice.  After that you barely need teeth to chew it.  Never had bad tasting blacktail, but I cut up my own.  Best buck I ever ate.........A blacktail spike I shot with my bow opening day in early sept. and it was hot out.  Cut him up the following day and man was he delicious, steaked up every little piece I could.  Worst blacktail I ate..........A sitka buck off Kodiak island, mid summer 3 point, wasn't bad but not too great neither.  In the rut or not, I like venison.

I've taken elk to a butcher because of work and then found out that they mix everyones burger(at this butcher) and it tasted like dung.  I take the time to thoroughly clean my animal, get all the blood and hair off, some people don't.  Been to lots of camps with meat hangin not cleaned good enough, they say "Oh we'll clean it before we cut it up."  By then its too late, I swear the meat absorbs all that nastyness.

[patton1]

Eaten a lot of WT's in my day but last year was my first for BT's.  Big old 4x4 in late archery.  Back straps and tenderloins were great but hind quarters were almost too tough to eat.  I tried making jerky out of the hind quarters and ended up trashing alot more than I would have liked because my teeth just couldn't handle it.  I'll try burger with the hind quarters this year.  Hopefully that will be a better use of the meat.

[ser300wsm]

I truly believe that the way you take care of the deer after is the key to how it will end up tasting. Shot plenty of wt,few muleys & blacktail, my dad told me to gut & take hide off ASAP & let hang so as the meat has a chance to age if at all possible. Went to a steakhouse and all the meat was hanging up so you could pick what you wanted & it was actually mold. They just cut it off & man best steak I ever had...