best/worst game animal you've eaten?

[Pygmy]

4 hours ago, wolc123 said:

Top 3: Moose tongue, Whitetail Button Buck Liver, Ruffed Grouse

Worst: Mule deer, second worst: wild Turkey (I don't even like the tame farm-raised stuff)

When did you shoot your mule deer ?

My buddy and I shot  2 adult mule deer bucks in Colorado during the early high country hunt in 2001...They were shot the first week of September , still in velvet and had been feeding on grass above treeline...We had them cut up locally and shared the meat..Had no idea which was which, but it was some of the best venison I have ever had ...Better than any whitetail and nearly as good as prime, fat caribou..

 

 

The last mule deer I shot was during the rut, about the 2nd week of November.. My outfitter told me that it was not worth bringing home..I donated the meat to an outfit that grinds it, makes sausage and donates it to needy folks in the area...

Edited December 11, 2016 by Pygmy

[wolc123]

2 hours ago, vizslas said:

the tenderloin breakfast made with yesterdays harvest... Dont eat racoon

I always wanted to try one of them but most that I take are in the summer when they are eating the sweetcorn in my garden.  The NY state regulations state that coon taken outside of trapping season must be buried or cremated immediately (is that why you say not to eat them?).  I suppose I could legally grab a bite during the cremation process.  I never tried that but there is so much fat on them that a little squirt of charcoal lighter and a match would probably be enough to burn them up completely when they are freshly killed.   

If I ever did try one (after trapping season opens) I plan on putting it in the crockpot with plenty of bbq sauce and cayane pepper.   I am guessing it might taste a little like pulled pork?   

1 hour ago, Pygmy said:

When did you shoot your mule deer ?

My buddy and I shot  2 adult mule deer bucks in Colorado during the early high country hunt in 2001...They were shot the first week of September , still in velvet and had been feeding on grass above treeline...We had them cut up locally and shared the meat..Had no idea which was which, but it was some of the best venison I have ever had ...Better than any whitetail and nearly as good as prime, fat caribou..

 

 

The last mule deer I shot was during the rut, about the 2nd week of November.. My outfitter told me that it was not worth bringing home..I donated the meat to an outfit that grinds it, makes sausage and donates it to needy folks in the area...

Mid October in central CO about 15 years ago.   The local we hunted with out there loves to come to NY for whitetails because they taste so much better.  The Elk out there were fantastic tasting however (we did a combination hunt), but I still give a slight edge in flavor to corn-fed NY whitetail, and the BB's are definitely in a class by themselves.  It is a good thing all of us hunters have different tastes or one particular species that was universally the best would get wiped out.   

[BigVal]

Why does a button buck taste so much better than a doe fawn?

[CharlieNY]

9 hours ago, Doc said:

Somebody want to tell me about wild boar meat? I have heard all different kinds of opinions, but the majority of what I have heard is that it is not very good.

By the way, I didn't mention above, but we did get a very tasty moose from Ontario Canada a bunch of years ago that would rival some of the better beef.

Doc- when there were game farms here in New York that had wild boar hunts, I went on several with my son. The reason I went on several was because the meat was so delicious. They were Russian wild boar and I had them professionally butchered. They ranged in weight from 250 lbs. to 325 lbs. and you would get a ton of meat from one boar. We would get so much meat that I would give some to friends and family, many of whom swore they would never eat any wild game. Everyone who tried it was delighted and begged me for more meat. Some of our hunts were group hunts of 5-10 hunters, and everyone of them got the same opinions, and we would go back to hunt as a group. Unfortunately, they were banned in New York State and no longer exist here, and you would have to go outside of New York State to hunt them.

valoroutdoors.com

Edited December 11, 2016 by CharlieNY
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[Pygmy]

12 minutes ago, BigVal said:

Why does a button buck taste so much better than a doe fawn?

They have more of a "nutty" flavor......<<grin>>....

[wolc123]

29 minutes ago, BigVal said:

Why does a button buck taste so much better than a doe fawn?

I can't judge that one, because I don't recall ever trying a doe fawn.  I have been blessed with a BB, almost every other year since I started hunting 35 years ago, including my first deer with a gun, and first with a bow.  I have also eaten several that were struck by autos.   I really can't explain the lack of doe fawns other than the fact that I always target the largest antlerless deer first, when filling DMP tags.   That often means that momma gets the first shot and big brother the second.   Little sister gets away I guess.   Approximately 25% of my antlerless tags have been used on BB's.  This season I was blessed again when I transffered a DMP to a friend from work, who promptly used it on a BB, which he gave to me (he does not like venison).  

 

30 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

They have more of a "nutty" flavor......<<grin>>....

That is definitely why I rate ruffed grouse high and turkey low.  It is the only bird I have tried where the white meat has a good, rich, nutty flavor.    To me turkey and chicken are flavorless, almost like eating cardboard.        

[The_Real_TCIII]

Doc- when there were game farms here in New York that had wild boar hunts, I went on several with my son. The reason I went on several was because the meat was so delicious. They were Russian wild boar and I had them professionally butchered. They ranged in weight from 250 lbs. to 325 lbs. and you would get a ton of meat from one boar. We would get so much meat that I would give some to friends and family, many of whom swore they would never eat any wild game. Everyone who tried it was delighted and begged me for more meat. Some of our hunts were group hunts of 5-10 hunters, and everyone of them got the same opinions, and we would go back to hunt as a group. Unfortunately, they were banned in New York State and no longer exist here, and you would have to go outside of New York State to hunt them.
valoroutdoors.com

I killed a few too and you're right they were delicious, especially the bacon


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[DirtTime]

Best? Hands down moose! Then venison.

Worst.......I have eaten some odd things, but, worst would have to be carp and mudpuppies caught out of the Mohawk. Not a big fan of grasshoppers either ( if you want to call them game or not ), even if they are covered in chocolate or sautéed in garlic and hot chilies. 

[Trial153]

Best Elk, moose is a very close second. Worst was a coastal bear. It was not eatable ....

[tuckersdaddy]

Alot of good and bad is how its prepared. Ive eaten some nasty game... but it was cooked by the same people that can make a hot dog taste like a boot. The first time i had Can. goose it was quite harsh. no seasoning cood in an oven bag so it was sort of poached. nasty. The seacond time i had it, goose jerky. spectacular.

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[wildcat junkie]

Merganser!

[grampy]

Best.......Alaskan moose back strap cutlets.

Worst........Eel and rattlesnake cooked on a spit over a campfire. Like eating an innertube with bones.

[jim335]

I've had mallard breast that was great, and then I've had some that tasted like swamp water.

[SteveNY]

Best, probably elk.

Close second, chukkars.

I love it all though. And memories have their own biased spice to them.

 

Worst, probably ill prepared/handled whitetail. A lot of people dont treat that animal like food after the shot, ruins quality meat.

[Core]

Almost makes me wish we had a wild hog issue in NY. Wild hog sounds tasty and good huntin'.

[hunter49]

Best was elk ,a deer roast made correctly, rabbit, grouse, pheasant.  have had a good woodchuck stew which was pretty good. A roasted raccoon but a bit greasy. Did not care for bear meat or goose breast.

 

[Cory]

Best- elk with a close second of ruffled grouse wrapped in bacon

Worst- snapping turtle. Cant explain the flavor just nasty.

[ApexerER]

Best by far....venison

Worst by far....venison

So much depends on who is doing the cooking...

[Moho81]

Best - Venison tenderloin but I would love to do a side by side comparison of Elk and Venison because the Elk I've had was also very good. 

Worst - Mallard duck. It was so greasy and nasty tasting I have yet to try it again and that was a decade or so ago. I practically quit duck hunting over it. 

[wildcat junkie]

2 hours ago, wildcat junkie said:

Merganser!

I didn't see the best part.

 

Best would be quail breast medallions suateed in butter, worst, as before merganser.

Edited December 13, 2016 by wildcat junkie

[turkeyfeathers]

2 hours ago, wildcat junkie said:

Merganser!

Assuming that's the worst and not your best you've had   

[Elmo]

I've had many a strange and wonderful things but since they're from restaurants which probably got their meat from a farm I wouldn't consider them game meat.  Though there are those guys selling mysterious stuff on a road side grill in various 3rd world countries I've visited.

Best: venison backstrap

Wost: Canada goose.  I took the breast from the goose.  One half I grilled it like it was top sirloin and then sliced it up and made fajitas out of it.  It was very good.  The other half went into the freezer until two months later I took it out and grounded it up with some pork at a 80 goose/20 pork ratio and made burgers out of it.  Took one bite and spat out it out.  Tossed the rest.  It was that bad.

[SteveNY]

18 minutes ago, Elmo said:

I've had many a strange and wonderful things but since they're from restaurants which probably got their meat from a farm I wouldn't consider them game meat.  Though there are those guys selling mysterious stuff on a road side grill in various 3rd world countries I've visited.

Best: venison backstrap

Wost: Canada goose.  I took the breast from the goose.  One half I grilled it like it was top sirloin and then sliced it up and made fajitas out of it.  It was very good.  The other half went into the freezer until two months later I took it out and grounded it up with some pork at a 80 goose/20 pork ratio and made burgers out of it.  Took one bite and spat out it out.  Tossed the rest.  It was that bad.

What was wrong with it? I figure if half was good, the other half should be too?

 

Edit: Also, hey Elmo, how are ya? haha long time no see

Edited December 13, 2016 by SteveNY

[Fletch]

I gotta say

Best thing I've had was Sika deer steaks on the grill oh man!!! An aquantance shot one up north during a drive on his farm. It was an escapee from a deer farm. Lordy that was good shite! #1

NYS whitetail backstrap on the grill #2 (I prefer the ones that have been eating the rice and barley that spills outa the train cars going into the Budweiser Brewery!)

My moms rabbit pie #3

Frog legs #3

wild turkey breast filleted, breaded and fried #3

fried alligator prepared myself from a gator my friend took #4

moose steak #4

Ruff grouse #5

Fried squirrel #5

wild hog I need to get more of, a shoulder i smoked was a bit dry

elk I had was so so, I brought home some steaks and roasts from elk some friend shot in Idaho. They were both big ole bulls though

I want to try pheasant one of these days. It's just that season runs right with bow, no good!

 

[Elmo]

26 minutes ago, SteveNY said:

What was wrong with it? I figure if half was good, the other half should be too?

 

Edit: Also, hey Elmo, how are ya? haha long time no see

Don't know.  Could be a lot of things.  Maybe I didn't store it properly?  Maybe the pork was what was bad?

 

Things are going well.  Been a real busy year so I couldn't hunt much but did get a deer with a bow in Oct.  How's things with you?  You can hit me up on FB or PM so we don't sabotage this thread.