Antler restrictions

[Zuke]

On 11/30/2016 at 8:58 AM, dbHunterNY said:

 

so neither of you care about a less likely but probable chance that happened to this buck with growing 'mutt' antlers?  lol....exactly.  practically any hunter would be thrilled to take a fully mature 6.5+ yr old regardless of it's antlers.  it coming in with its brute like presence, maybe rubbing and snapping off a tree or kickin a$$ and showing other bucks who's boss, is more than enough for most hunters in my experience.  a deer that old isn't applicable to an antler restriction conversation because they aren't designed to protect bucks to full maturity.  the point is though that hunters can appreciate even a small increase in opportunity to hunt bucks with more age and dominance for their respective area.  maybe that just means more 2.5 or 3.5 yr olds with no to very little chance at seeing anything older.

I'm a little confused by this... I don't recall ever stating I cared about antler size... I'm more of a herd management kind of fellow than "everything needs to be 180 inches" and I believe maturity is one of the answers.

[stubby68]

14 hours ago, chas0218 said:

 

You missed my point, where are those areas that do not issue DMP's? It is the ADK park and Castkill area. The reason behind it is they don't have the forage to sustain a healthy population of deer so they take a limited or no doe at all. There is nothing you can do about that unless you plan on trying to grow AG fields on the side of mountians because that is feasible. Why not put AR on all areas but the no DMP WMUs? Who said it had to be all of NY?

You must not know how to cut up your deer or the person you take it to doesn't, I haven't had a tough piece of meat yet from a 5 1/2 year old deer. I have shot 2 and 1 that was 4 1/2. All those deer tasted fine with little to no gamey flavor, if you want some tips PM me and I can tell you how I process my deer. For now I'll stick to the topic at hand. I have several colleagues that hunt P.A. because of the AR and see bigger bucks them and their families lease around 300 acres in P.A. because "Too many brown it's down hunters with little to no chance at a decent mature buck."  It isn't just P.A. how about antler restrictions in N.Y. I have 5 friends that hunt in the Catskills under the AR and say that there is a noticeable difference in the health of the deer and the size compared to pre AR. Unfortunately the 2 areas can not sustain a sizable herd because of the lack of natural forage. Like I mentioned above why does all of NY need AR why not only the areas that have DMPs?

I've been doing my own cutting sence I started and there is nothing wrong with the way I do it. If I was doing it wrong  the younger deer would be tiff as well. I have never met anyone who wasn't a horn hunter who liked the meat from an older. You can see it in the color and smell it way before the deer is even cut up.

     And don't say it is being cooked wrong . If you need to use more then salt and pepper when cooking meat then the meat sucks. How old do you think the beef is that you buy. Do you think it it 4 or 5 years old when butchered? If it where you wouldn't buy it.

       Funny how when at does not work there is a reason other then it doesn't work. No natural forage, land can not sustain it, bad genetics. At does nothing for the herd. Every time people say it is working and they love it. They point out that they are seeing more and bigger decorations for there wall. Ar is all about bigger antlers. That is for the hunter not the herd. Heard health is not about bigger antlers nor is it about killing only older deer.

[chrisw]

I've been doing my own cutting sence I started and there is nothing wrong with the way I do it. If I was doing it wrong  the younger deer would be tiff as well. I have never met anyone who wasn't a horn hunter who liked the meat from an older. You can see it in the color and smell it way before the deer is even cut up.
     And don't say it is being cooked wrong . If you need to use more then salt and pepper when cooking meat then the meat sucks. How old do you think the beef is that you buy. Do you think it it 4 or 5 years old when butchered? If it where you wouldn't buy it.
       Funny how when at does not work there is a reason other then it doesn't work. No natural forage, land can not sustain it, bad genetics. At does nothing for the herd. Every time people say it is working and they love it. They point out that they are seeing more and bigger decorations for there wall. Ar is all about bigger antlers. That is for the hunter not the herd. Heard health is not about bigger antlers nor is it about killing only older deer.

If older deer are inedible then I'm sorry to tell you that you are doing something wrong... Are they as tender as a yearling? No. Are they chewy and bad tasting/smelling? No. To the cow you buy at the store comment, it would not be practical/feasible for a cattle farm to keep beef cows that long, they do not have the space for that many generations of cows let alone feeding those animals for a few extra years would kill any profit they stand to make. AR's are not a fix all for an imbalance in the herd, but, having only 1.5yr old bucks in a herd is not good either, you couldn't tell people to only shoot 2.5yr old + bucks because most people can't age a deer to save their life. So a point restriction is more practical, most people can count to 3. So be honest for a moment, if a big buck walked out in front of you and an equal body sized doe, which would you shoot? You say the meat from an older buck is terrible, you're against "horn hunters" and yet I'd be willing to bet you'd pull the trigger on that buck without a second thought. Why? If the "wall decorations" are irrelevant to you by all rights you'd shoot the doe? I think not.

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[Buckmaster7600]

If older deer are inedible then I'm sorry to tell you that you are doing something wrong... Are they as tender as a yearling? No. Are they chewy and bad tasting/smelling? No. To the cow you buy at the store comment, it would not be practical/feasible for a cattle farm to keep beef cows that long, they do not have the space for that many generations of cows let alone feeding those animals for a few extra years would kill any profit they stand to make. AR's are not a fix all for an imbalance in the herd, but, having only 1.5yr old bucks in a herd is not good either, you couldn't tell people to only shoot 2.5yr old + bucks because most people can't age a deer to save their life. So a point restriction is more practical, most people can count to 3. So be honest for a moment, if a big buck walked out in front of you and an equal body sized doe, which would you shoot? You say the meat from an older buck is terrible, you're against "horn hunters" and yet I'd be willing to bet you'd pull the trigger on that buck without a second thought. Why? If the "wall decorations" are irrelevant to you by all rights you'd shoot the doe? I think not.

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If a doe was equal size of a nice buck it would be an old doe most likely older than the buck so your scenario doesn't really work.

I'll say this, although hunting mature bucks in the big woods is what I live for the fact is they taste like sh!t. I still eat them because I killed them but I have yet to eat one that tastes even close to a young doe. That being said I am not someone whom hunts for the meat. Although I eat every deer I kill venison doesn't hold a candle to the grass fed black Angus I raise.


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[Four Season Whitetail's]

1 hour ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 

If a doe was equal size of a nice buck it would be an old doe most likely older than the buck so your scenario doesn't really work.

I'll say this, although hunting mature bucks in the big woods is what I live for the fact is they taste like sh!t. I still eat them because I killed them but I have yet to eat one that tastes even close to a young doe. That being said I am not someone whom hunts for the meat. Although I eat every deer I kill venison doesn't hold a candle to the grass fed black Angus I raise.


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Makes a difference when they are living on Bark or living on Alfalfa.

[growalot]

Sounds to me like he's never shot an older buck in full rut...I get queasy just cutting open the vacuum seal on that bow buck from last year..I think I'd have an easier time drinking the swamp water he was living in over his flesh...

[NYBowhunter]

31 minutes ago, Four Season Whitetails said:

Makes a difference when they are living on Bark or living on Alfalfa.

I have shot bucks that were 5 1/2 down to 6 months and they all tasted great. Like FSW said, it all depends what's thier diet. My clover, corn eating deer of central NY taste great at any age, buck or doe.  And thats a fact Jack!!!

[chas0218]

On 12/1/2016 at 9:17 AM, growalot said:

Here's something interesting...something to think about...I'm on the Kindle so I can't copy and paste. But it's easy to look up on the QDM site.

Research...when there are to many doe and a skewed buck to doe ratio..doe produce fewer fawns. 8N...more triplets and twins being born...yet We Are suppose to be over run with doe,why are we seeing more multiple births? Larger bodied deer?

Voluntary AR's s...the DEC numbers and they stated this, are showing to be working...yet still the drive by the fringe pushing mandatory. One would question the personal reasons of each individual pushing this.

Herd Health..again ,let's not deflect here, where's the evidence of the poor health? Now don't go to the winters with long deep freeze weeks and extremely deep snow....Herd health is a year around thing. Poor health,lower births, deformities, disease....

BTW...Insurance companies are showing a significant decrease in deer-car collisions.

So you AR guys (mandatory) need to come up with a better shtick, beyond insults and innuendo' s to convince me your push isn't born of frustration and greed.

So what do you consider a larger bodied deer? I have been hunting 8N in Middlesex for over 10 years my father in law owns property in 8N that he has hunted since he was 20 years old now 53, and the deer have not increased in body size in the last 30 years according to him and I have noticed no difference in size in the last 10. The average mature doe in Middlesex area is about 100lbs. On my families property in 8F a 100lbs. doe would be a fawn the average mature doe is around 140lbs, been that way since my grandfather hunted the property since the 50s (as far back as he can remember). We have deer that drop twins and singles just depends on the year and the doe. We have almost 1:1 on our property and no difference in the amount of fawns each year. We run about 10 cameras all year long and keep a tally on them granted we can't ear tag them but we have our regulars.

Voluntary ARs are working so your point is what? They should make them mandatory if it is working, and 70% of hunter's surveyed by Cornell wanted them?

I think poor herd health is based on multiple factors biggest is the amount of forage and less so on antler size. Now when it comes to good genes it has everything to do with antler size bigger the rack the more doe you get ensuring a better gene pool for the future. Lots of people think piebald deer and those white deer at the old jail are amazing creatures but in reality they are simply in-bred genetic screw-ups that look cool.The main reason deer drop their antlers in the winter is to prevent competition for food not to get bigger (although that is a side effect of them falling off and gaining a year in maturity). In 8N there are few AG fields and the deer will primarily rely on the acorn crops. In 8F there are lots of AG fields, our property alone has 80 acres less competition for food bigger deer and herds. The health when speaking of genes is by far better when bigger deer are in the area to prevent the abnormalities and messed up genes from being continued throughout the area. When you shoot 1.5 year olds every year can you tell me what buck(s) are going to breed the doe or if he had good genes? You can't let alone anyone else because no one knows. If there is a larger more mature deer in the area that can fend off those 1.5 year olds with bad genes then he will breed that doe. So what happens to that 1.5 year old with bad genes. He is either shot by a youth or grows into a basket rack mature deer shot by someone just looking to shoot a deer. Either way the bad genes are eliminated.

Edited December 2, 2016 by chas0218

[growalot]

Here I sit in 8N and we have land in 8X...world of difference on body size to age class...8N has few ag fields???? I can go to my back line and see ag fields well, for as far as the eye can see. So thats not true where I live...On top of that , I won't bother  trying to explain to you their natural resources.

Now I'm not going to waste my time going through my pics to show you what a big bodied deer is...I've posted big bodied and big racked bucks on here. Besides I surely am not going to post the best bucks in the area...but because doe are naturally smaller than buck any ways I 'll show you lasts nights big doe...and yet again, mention the sheer size of the doe we have caught on came in this area..

OMG you went to the gene pool...Now I can just laugh out loud and shake my head...Next thing your going to tell me is a spike is always a spike You'd best make sure your AR agenda accounts for that!...hahahaha

[chas0218]

6 minutes ago, growalot said:

Here I sit in 8N and we have land in 8X...world of difference on body size to age class...8N has few ag fields???? I can go to my back line and see ag fields well, for as far as the eye can see. So thats not true where I live...On top of that , I won't bother  trying to explain to you their natural resources.

Now I'm not going to waste my time going through my pics to show you what a big bodied deer is...I've posted big bodied and big racked bucks on here. Besides I surely am not going to post the best bucks in the area...but because doe are naturally smaller than buck any ways I 'll show you lasts nights big doe...and yet again, mention the sheer size of the doe we have caught on came in this area..

OMG you went to the gene pool...Now I can just laugh out loud and shake my head...Next thing your going to tell me is a spike is always a spike You'd best make sure your AR agenda accounts for that!...hahahaha

I said 8N Middlesex but that is okay. Why must you act so condescending and insult people when they make a point you can't argue? I didn't insult you or discredit you in anyway I merely came up with facts that don't support your argument.

[growalot]

If  You found me condescending...well your right...I just re-read your post again and I am astounded at some of the things you said...can't help it...If I touched on all the things and tried to explain I'd have half my day wasted... BTW this first quote is yours, the next,  is a learning tool and do not speak of genetics until you have a complete understanding of it. These deer are not Albinos...How do you think new breeds evolve? and how do you think dog and cat breeders produce new breed and breed traits?

Quote

 In 8N there are few AG fields and the deer will primarily rely on the acorn crops.

Quote

Other researchers have found that older bucks often shed earlier, and suggest that this is due to the physical toll on their bodies paid during the rut. Chasing does, fighting other bucks and being too busy to eat — all reduce bucks’ body condition. Thus, when the rut ends, if they are really run down, their testosterone levels drop faster than normal. One New York study showed that 62 percent of bucks 3½ years old and older dropped their antlers by mid-December, while only 23 percent of younger bucks did.

http://senecawhitedeer.org/white-deer-natural-resources/white-deer-seneca-army-depot/

Edited December 2, 2016 by growalot
to high light a point

[chas0218]

35 minutes ago, growalot said:

If  You found me condescending...well your right...I just re-read your post again and I am astounded at some of the things you said...can't help it...If I touched on all the things and tried to explain I'd have half my day wasted... BTW this first quote is yours, the next,  is a learning tool and do not speak of genetics until you have a complete understanding of it. These deer are not Albinos...How do you think new breeds evolve? and how do you think dog and cat breeders produce new breed and breed traits?

http://senecawhitedeer.org/white-deer-natural-resources/white-deer-seneca-army-depot/

In breeding is not evolution, I never said they were albinos and in my post to you I did not change the wording of 8N it said Middlesex from the beginning, mostly because I don't speak of things I do not know anything about. You should try it, just to clarify in breeding refers to 2 animals of same blood line having an off spring. Taking 2 different breeds and breeding them is not in-breeding.

13 hours ago, stubby68 said:

I've been doing my own cutting sence I started and there is nothing wrong with the way I do it. If I was doing it wrong  the younger deer would be tiff as well. I have never met anyone who wasn't a horn hunter who liked the meat from an older. You can see it in the color and smell it way before the deer is even cut up.

     And don't say it is being cooked wrong . If you need to use more then salt and pepper when cooking meat then the meat sucks. How old do you think the beef is that you buy. Do you think it it 4 or 5 years old when butchered? If it where you wouldn't buy it.

       Funny how when at does not work there is a reason other then it doesn't work. No natural forage, land can not sustain it, bad genetics. At does nothing for the herd. Every time people say it is working and they love it. They point out that they are seeing more and bigger decorations for there wall. Ar is all about bigger antlers. That is for the hunter not the herd. Heard health is not about bigger antlers nor is it about killing only older deer.

Believe what you want, but I have not saw bad things within a herd when it has come to ARs. Taste wise I invite you to come and try any of my venison. If you would be willing to meet me half way I would gladly give you some venison from a 4 1/2 year old I shot last year. There isn't much left so the sooner the better. 

3 hours ago, growalot said:

Sounds to me like he's never shot an older buck in full rut...I get queasy just cutting open the vacuum seal on that bow buck from last year..I think I'd have an easier time drinking the swamp water he was living in over his flesh...

I have shot numerous mature deer during the rut, can I ask how many deer over 130" you have taken in NY, how about 160". Like you I'm not going to go dig through all my photos to justify it. I can say without a doubt that I have never had a deer that was inedible due to its age. 

[Buckmaster7600]

I have shot bucks that were 5 1/2 down to 6 months and they all tasted great. Like FSW said, it all depends what's thier diet. My clover, corn eating deer of central NY taste great at any age, buck or doe.  And thats a fact Jack!!!

I agree there is an difference between the taste of a deer based on diet, deer I shoot around my house have a much more palatable taste than an old bark eating ADK buck. To the point that my wife won't eat adk deer.

I have to laugh when I hear people say that there is no better meet than venison. I don't care what a deer is eating or how young or old it is a deer will never taste like properly fed and properly aged beef.


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[chas0218]

12 minutes ago, Buckmaster7600 said:

 

I agree there is an difference between the taste of a deer based on diet, deer I shoot around my house have a much more palatable taste than an old bark eating ADK buck. To the point that my wife won't eat adk deer.

I have to laugh when I hear people say that there is no better meet than venison. I don't care what a deer is eating or how young or old it is a deer will never taste like properly fed and properly aged beef.


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No doubt about that, kind of my point when I was comparing 8N to 8F. Have you had grass fed beef without getting grained heavy at the end? The beef tastes exactly the same as venison, I cut up a cow for our friends that was grass fed and my payment was 1 of the loins. I was a bit upset mostly disappointed after sitting down to eat it definitely not the same as a grain fed cow.

[phade]

Grass fed beef? No thanks.

[Buckmaster7600]

No doubt about that, kind of my point when I was comparing 8N to 8F. Have you had grass fed beef without getting grained heavy at the end? The beef tastes exactly the same as venison, I cut up a cow for our friends that was grass fed and my payment was 1 of the loins. I was a bit upset mostly disappointed after sitting down to eat it definitely not the same as a grain fed cow.

Yes I have, I raise pure bred black angus. True grass fed can taste great but it depends on what grasses they are eating and how long the meat has aged. I like a pastured beef that's getting plenty of corn and grain.


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[growalot]

You do know I'm not for mandatory AR' s correct? There is also a  difference between talking about genetics and evolution...Did you some how read where I said anything about evolution ..must I tell you that the words evolve and evolution are listed as separate words and have different meanings to context. Same as with inbreeding and line breeding being the same yet different....BTW Generations of people have been in and line bred...most all domestic animal farm and pet are bred this way..do a little reading...I've viewed the pictures of several different white deer herds..Seneca isn't the only one. The only anomaly they have shown is the recessive gene for white,non pigmented fur. This does not qualify your "genetic screwups "  comment. 

I find this go around to be pointless so let's call it a day...I'm going hunting.

[stubby68]

6 hours ago, chrisw said:

 

 

If older deer are inedible then I'm sorry to tell you that you are doing something wrong... Are they as tender as a yearling? No. Are they chewy and bad tasting/smelling? No. To the cow you buy at the store comment, it would not be practical/feasible for a cattle farm to keep beef cows that long, they do not have the space for that many generations of cows let alone feeding those animals for a few extra years would kill any profit they stand to make. AR's are not a fix all for an imbalance in the herd, but, having only 1.5yr old bucks in a herd is not good either, you couldn't tell people to only shoot 2.5yr old + bucks because most people can't age a deer to save their life. So a point restriction is more practical, most people can count to 3. So be honest for a moment, if a big buck walked out in front of you and an equal body sized doe, which would you shoot? You say the meat from an older buck is terrible, you're against "horn hunters" and yet I'd be willing to bet you'd pull the trigger on that buck without a second thought. Why? If the "wall decorations" are irrelevant to you by all rights you'd shoot the doe? I think not.

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I would and have shot the doe. I shoot the first 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 . That I see. Only time I will take older bigger bucks is at the end to keep from having a unfilled. And when that happens the deer is given away HORNS and all unless my dad wants to make knife handles with them. I pay for the tag and I will not waste money. Only time a tag is left unused is if only see fawns. You must have special bucks If they do not taste smell and look different. You can tell even before they are cut up. have you never noticed the smell when it was hanging. If not then I would think you have never shot one more then 2 years old. As for beef they would never be able to sell it after 2 years of age.

[growalot]

Now that's not really true...ever been to a live stock action?I have been to many...old dry cows are sold all the time...And the farmers sitting around you can be heard saying..." There goes a McDonald's burger" 

[phade]

13 minutes ago, growalot said:

You do know I'm not for mandatory AR' s correct? There is also a  difference between talking about genetics and evolution...Did you some how read where I said anything about evolution ..must I tell you that the words evolve and evolution are listed as separate words and have different meanings to context. Same as with inbreeding and line breeding being the same yet different....BTW Generations of people have been in and line bred...most all domestic animal farm and pet are bred this way..do a little reading...I've viewed the pictures of several different white deer herds..Seneca isn't the only one. The only anomaly they have shown is the recessive gene for white,non pigmented fur. This does not qualify your "genetic screwups "  comment. 

I find this go around to be pointless so let's call it a day...I'm going hunting.

Many of these "recessive" traits have an impact on species survival. White deer are much easier to predate - there is a reason why deer are colored the way they are. The same recessive genes that cause albinism or the white deer (leucism) also statistically carry other biological issues such as sight problems and even stunted or reduced growth characteristics, and a plethora of other statistically increased odds for health issues.

Leusitic deer can have hunched backs, bowed legs, you name it. The Seneca White Deer, while admittedly cool, is a genetically-inferior animal as compared to a normal whitetail deer. It really is a genetic screw-up and not simply the display of a recessive gene.

[moog5050]

I am just waiting for someone to concede and admit the other side is right.  Isn't that how these threads usually end, by convincing the other side with the brilliant irrefutable facts and rationale?   Lol

i am going to go shoot a button and monster buck tomorrow so everyone (or no one but me) is happy. 

[growalot]

Have you seen picture of the Seneca deer displaying the things you just mentioned? Every living creature carries and eventually displays one recessive trait or another..making us all genetically inferior. I can also look at the predation  like this...They have now formed superior camo protection from predators being  Northern snow belt born...for in deep snows where coyotes can walk above the snow pack and they can not,when coyote do their biggest share of killing of white tail exhausted from the rut or young and snow bound,as it were..They have a perfect fur to blend in...They are really only more vulnerable to us visually speaking...points of view.

[chas0218]

1 hour ago, stubby68 said:

I would and have shot the doe. I shoot the first 1 1/2 or 2 1/2 . That I see. Only time I will take older bigger bucks is at the end to keep from having a unfilled. And when that happens the deer is given away HORNS and all unless my dad wants to make knife handles with them. I pay for the tag and I will not waste money. Only time a tag is left unused is if only see fawns. You must have special bucks If they do not taste smell and look different. You can tell even before they are cut up. have you never noticed the smell when it was hanging. If not then I would think you have never shot one more then 2 years old. As for beef they would never be able to sell it after 2 years of age.

2 things that help the meat tremendously when you killed a old deer. First the rear hocks cut them off in the field and throw them into a baggy to use on your boots do not hang the deer with them attached for any length of time. Second hang the deer for 2 days without the hide and use one of those cheese cloth like game bags. This does 2 things, allows the meat to cool quicker and allows the moisture in the silver skin to escape. Once you remove that game bag the outer layer of the meat will be hard. Using a scimitar style knife I prefer one around 10" trim off the harden layer of meat. You will loose a slight amount but the idea is to almost filet it from the deer. Once you are done with that use the back straps for small steaks/chops. The part of the hind quarters closest to the back straps make into either roasts or steaks as well these are known as sirloin tip steaks or roasts. Use the remainder of the hind quarters for rump roast the lower rear hind quarters, front shoulders, and neck should be ground into some sort of burger those will be your toughest cuts of meat and usually filled with silver skin giving you a very gamey taste and show leather like meat. Here is an attached picture incase you aren't following the terms/locations.

If you follow my directions above that smell you talk about will be gone after 1 day and any rigor mortis will be gone by the end of the 2nd day so basically 48 hours. You can let it hang for a 3rd day if have good temps and the feet from the animal aren't stretched out all the way. I don't shoot deer if I can't hang them for 2 days in temps less than 48*, the other nice added thing of the game cloth is the flies can't get to the meat.

If you truly believe I haven't shot a deer over 2 1/2 years old @Four Season Whitetails I think you need to come over to my property and help me harvest some of that liquid gold like you do for your deer. I must have shot a 160" 2 1/2 year old! Nothing but the best genes in my area apparently.

Edited December 2, 2016 by chas0218

[stubby68]

22 minutes ago, chas0218 said:

2 things that help the meat tremendously when you killed a old deer. First the rear hocks cut them off in the field and throw them into a baggy to use on your boots do not hang the deer with them attached for any length of time. Second hang the deer for 2 days without the hide and use one of those cheese cloth like game bags. This does 2 things, allows the meat to cool quicker and allows the moisture in the silver skin to escape. Once you remove that game bag the outer layer of the meat will be hard. Using a scimitar style knife I prefer one around 10" trim off the harden layer of meat. You will loose a slight amount but the idea is to almost filet it from the deer. Once you are done with that use the back straps for small steaks/chops. The part of the hind quarters closest to the back straps make into either roasts or steaks as well these are known as sirloin tip steaks or roasts. Use the remainder of the hind quarters for rump roast the lower rear hind quarters, front shoulders, and neck should be ground into some sort of burger those will be your toughest cuts of meat and usually filled with silver skin giving you a very gamey taste and show leather like meat. Here is an attached picture incase you aren't following the terms/locations.

If you follow my directions above that smell you talk about will be gone after 1 day and any rigor mortis will be gone by the end of the 2nd day so basically 48 hours. You can let it hang for a 3rd day if have good temps and the feet from the animal aren't stretched out all the way. I don't shoot deer if I can't hang them for 2 days in temps less than 48*, the other nice added thing of the game cloth is the flies can't get to the meat.

If you truly believe I haven't shot a deer over 2 1/2 years old @Four Season Whitetails I think you need to come over to my property and help me harvest some of that liquid gold like you do for your deer. I must have shot a 160" 2 1/2 year old! Nothing but the best genes in my area apparently.

The only thing I do differently is take the hicks off when deer is skin which is while still warm. Hide ,legs from meat down, and Bellingham sides are removed at this time. I let hang for at least 3 days before cutting unless temps are warm. Cut my steaks out of the good stuff and make sausage out of the rest. Hate a roast of any kind.

[chrisw]

Yes I have, I raise pure bred black angus. True grass fed can taste great but it depends on what grasses they are eating and how long the meat has aged. I like a pastured beef that's getting plenty of corn and grain.


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So you can't truly say old deer taste like crap, maybe the bucks you target that live off of woody browse aren't too fantastic. As far as the doe being the same size as the buck and which would the other member shoot? It was in theory, the other member said it's all about the meat to him and older bucks taste bad, yet he would kill that rotten old tasting buck. I'll say it again, I have killed deer 3.5+. Both buck and doe and have never had a bad tasting one. Ever. And yes I've killed a lot of deer.

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