Which Big Game tastes Best

[Palmer]

I've been reading some pretty exciting stories of Mule deer hunting.  They are a magnificent animal but I always here they taste bad and are tough.  However, I've also heard that bear is terrible and after eating my first bear, I'm in total disagreement.  It's delicious - better than venison.

I'd like to hear of some opinions on various game such as Mule Deer, wild pig, and cougar.  I'm used to Whitetail but my family is not to fond of it.  I need to start reading the recipes on this site.

[PolarBear]

It all depends on how fast you get it cooled down completely and how clean you keep it.  I personally do not like predator meat such as bear, cougar etc.  Just about any other wild game (herbivores) are great.   My favorites are buffalo, moose and elk and least are antelope and sheep.  Imo.

[ICEMAN]

Muley's are great eats. Take care of your meat. I havenever had a foul tasting deer, blacktail, muley, whatever. Get them skinned, cooled, cut and into the freezer.

[jackelope]

mule deer are no tougher or gamier than whitetail IMO as long as they are taken care of properly and cooked properly.
the way you cook it has as much, if not more to do with the way it tastes than anything else IMO. if you cook it well done, you might as well eat your boot. i can grill venison steaks with nothing on them and love them, but most people that eat it that way are  not too fond of it.
the older they get, the tougher they get i think too...whitetail or mule deer.
i've never eaten blacktail venison, so i don't know, but i assume the same would hold true. i think the bigger the animal, the better tasting. elk and moose venison are top notch if you ask me...just don't burn it.

[tlbradford]

No science, but just my opinion, I think what the animal has been feeding on is the determining factor for taste.  I hunt muleys that eat alfalfa and winter wheat most of the day, and they are great.  Even the older ones with swollen up necks.  I have not had a bad blacktail.  I have eaten a two year old whitetail that was killed instantly without running, the meat prepped and cooled properly, that tasted terrible.  It browsed in the pine forest.  I have eaten palouse whitetail that eat in the wheat fields that were delicious.  Bear that have been eating mushrooms and berries have been great, while a coastal Alaskan blackie eating fish, was extremely greasy and had an odor.  Moose and elk are probably my favorite. 

[rainshadow1]

I think tlbradford has smashed the nail home with a direct blow to the head.

Example, the best meat I've ever eaten AND the WORST meat I've ever eaten: Pronghorn Antelope.

(Not just wild game, all meat of any kind, including prime rib at Stuart Anderson.)

The worst was from NW Wyoming, sage, native grasses, and evergreen ridges.
The best was from N Central Montana. Wheat, Alfalfa, and native grasses.

A side note, Cougar is excellent meat. More like pork than beef, but it's inherently very good. Bobcat is like rabbit. (Haven't eaten Coyote yet!)

Meat handling rules apply to all of the above.

[sisu]

All wild game is good. Do a good job bleeding mammals, big game fish I slit the throat so the blood will squirt before gutting, lay ducks and geese on their backs after shooting so blood will drain away from breast(if warm out gut the bird ASAP and let it cool).
Secondly, butcher well, clean and double wrap the meat before freezing, and lastly look up good recipes on line or in books and you'll have a meal fit for a king, queen, prince etc.

One example of on-line recipe places is http://www.epicurious.com/  (general information)

Here is a sample of their ideas for venison. http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=venison&x=33&y=15

I've eaten grizzly stew, black bear stew, and steaks, caribou, moose(my favorite), elk, mule deer, white tail, black tail, beaver(the buck toothed version), muskrat, eel, porcupine(favorite with a old timer in Alaska so he prepared it for me), all kinds of fish, shell fish, wild hogs, goat and sheep etc.( I am not listing all this for brag just
The key to all this is what I mentioned above. Care of game after the kill, care of butchered product and care in preparation for the table.

[Craig]

So far I like Moose the best.

[Pugetsound]

Zebra hands down!        Caraboo is 2nd, then Hartibeast.

[Palmer]

I have eaten a two year old whitetail that was killed instantly without running, the meat prepped and cooled properly, that tasted terrible.  It browsed in the pine forest.  

I've been eating Whitetail from the pine forest and probably cooking it too long, well done.  That could be part of the problem.  I still like the venison and does do taste better although I prefer not to take a doe.

[high country]

 I have taken all breeds and sexs of deer and rocky mtn elk. I have yet to have a poor one. I have killed some whiteys that smelled so bad I was sad I killed em'......they ate just fine. here are some facts;

alert deer will have adrenaline in them.....could possibly taint flavor

deer that hav been run may have lactic acid build up......could taint flavor

deer that are not cooled properly will possibly bone sour

stomach/intestine contents are gonna do you no good on your meat.

aging does not seem to afect flavor if the area it is hung is free of forign odors/chemical, it does promote tenderness.

the cut of the meat is critical. cut a backstrap at 1/4" and 1 1/4".....the thick one will be more tender.

never cook any meat beyond its capacity, alot of people overcook game meat. I like it where a good vet might be able to bring it back......sans bear

let your meat thaw and "rest" at room temp before you cook it. a salt based rub does good things, my fav is montreal steak seasoning.

don't get your meat dirty or covered with hair....it takes practice.

trim all fat and fascia (silver tissue) it can go rancid in the freezer well before thw meat.

don't skinp on your freezer wrap, 90% of bad flavors are from the freezer....IMO

pretty simple, kill it quick, clean it quick, cool it quick.......now let it relax and then cut it as slow as you want, just keep em' thick and wrapped well.

some people soak their meat in milk for a few hours to overnight to pull the blood from the meat, they claim it helps with flavor/tenderness. I have tried it and am on the fence.

I actually prefer venison to elk as I like the flavor it has.....most are opposite.

caribou seems to be one of the stand outs, a bull taken in the rut is not fit for dogs to eat and in fact some won't.....and I can't blame em'

"my family motto is "beef free since '93" we eat nothing but game meat ....or chicken after we run out of game birds.

[johnsc6]

MOST ANIMAL ARE WHAT THEY EAT

[WAcoyotehunter]

don't thaw your meat on the countertop- it warms too rapidly and the cells burst- losing the cellular fluid will make you cooked meat dry.  Instead thaw it in the fridge for a day or two then put it on the counter to age.  I think it makes a huge difference.  I like elk the best. 
I also like Lion.  Both grilled.

[MuleySniper]

In order "best" to "not as good" IMO

1. Antelope
2. Elk
3. Moose
4. Deer

[billythekidrock]

1. Bear
2. Moose
3. Elk
4. Deer
5. Goat

I am sure cougar would be higher then deer and goat, but I have not had it yet.