2 deer this season. 1 taste terrible

[Short Track]

2 deer this season. 1 archery, taste horrific. 1 rifle, outstanding.. Both does. I just don't understand. I had to throw away back straps last night. Totally inedible. But other parts of this bad deer taste fine.

I am just baffled.

 

[bsnedeker]

What was the temp outside when you killed the archery deer? My guess would be an issue related to meat care but there are tons of variables that can impact flavor and texture.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

saw in your other post you said a butcher added fat and u didnt like that, did the deer that tasted terrible go to the butcher as well? possibly consider butchering your own deer?

 

[Spence14]

Interesting... Maybe compare the two from time of shot to the freezer and see which variables were different that could have caused it. I know the feeling though, I've never had backstrap not turn out well, but have had some bad experiences with meat processors that gave me back a product that was just off in taste somehow.

 

[Drenalin]

Any freezer burn on the meat?

One issue I've had with getting deer butchered, with backstraps in particular, is if I ask for them to be left whole the butcher folds the backstrap in half and vacuum seals it. There's always some amount of air in the package because of the way the meat's folded in there. Maybe that's correctible with more attention to detail. When I get one out, I trim the heck out of it - all the connective tissue, any gray meat, basically anything that's not beautiful red venison.

No idea if any of that applies to your situation. There are a lot of ways to screw up meat along the way.

 

[JeffRaines]

saw in your other post you said a butcher added fat and u didnt like that, did the deer that tasted terrible go to the butcher as well? possibly consider butchering your own deer?

This right here.

Taking meat to a butcher you don’t know how they’re treating the meat. It could’ve sat out for hours while they butchered other animals, they could’ve butchered a couple bad animals before getting to it and didn’t adequately clean their work surfaces/knives. It could’ve sat out for hours after they got it butchered. For that matter, it may not even be your deer at all.

It doesn’t take that long to butcher your own meat - and you know how it was done. That alone, to me, is worth it.

 

[Short Track]

Interesting... my rifle deer went to the butcher within 4 hours of being shot. and butchered the same day. No hanging, no special treatment, nothing. The meat is amazing.

The archery deer sat in a meat locker for at least 4 days, with skin on. Because they don't have butchers on staff so early in the season.

 

[Millertime30]

I normally butcher on my own but one year I took two in due to time constraints. They weren’t inedible but not the greatest but they took almost 2 months. I’ve noticed that any dirt/intestinal waste that doesn’t get cleaned off while it is hanging can significantly change the taste. But like what’s said above, there is way to many unknown variables that could be at play here.

 

[JeffRaines]

Interesting... my rifle deer went to the butcher within 4 hours of being shot. and butchered the same day. No hanging, no special treatment, nothing. The meat is amazing.

The archery deer sat in a meat locker for at least 4 days, with skin on. Because they don't have butchers on staff so early in the season.

There’s your reason.

 

[wyodan]

Interesting... my rifle deer went to the butcher within 4 hours of being shot. and butchered the same day. No hanging, no special treatment, nothing. The meat is amazing.

The archery deer sat in a meat locker for at least 4 days, with skin on. Because they don't have butchers on staff so early in the season.

My experience is leaving the skin on negatively affects the taste. I skin immediately in the field.

 

[Glendon Mullins]

Just pointing out also, in your other thread u mentioned the butcher said he would make up putting fat in one of the deer you took to him... with someone else's deer.... r u 100% sure you are getting your deer back? and not some gutshot thing that rode around on someone's truck hood/tailgate for 3 days from the butcher as well? maybe check into that

 

[journeyman713]

sounds like the old... roadkill Switcheroo

 

[Planopurist]

This is just awful. This is exactly why I started butchering my own. I’m no pro, but I know where it came from.


@StraightWayOutdoors
Straight Way Outdoors, Fulcrum Archery, Elite Archery, Upwind Odor Elimination, Wicked Twisted Bowstrings, Pine Ridge Archery, Bloodline Fibers

 

[Sccritterkiller]

I hang mine to age but without skin...that meat didn't cool down fast enough with the skin on even if it was in cooler. You basically had a warm carcus wrapped in blanket put in a cooler.

 

[Boarmaster]

Many years ago I shot a deer that had been injured. Not sure if it got stuck with an arrow or what caused the injury. Its upper rear leg was noticeably swollen and festered. That whole deer tasted poorly. I didn't notice any bad smell when I butchered it. I killed to deer on that hunt the same day and one was fine the other nasty. Both handled the same way. You might not know what deer you get back from a processor. They arent all created equal. I guess my point is there can be things specific to each animal that can effect taste. I hope you have better luck with your meat next year.

 

[MallardSX2]

-Skin the animal as soon as you can.....
-Get it in a cooler with ice...
-Leave it there for a week with the drain plug pulled and the cooler propped up on a brick to allow the water to drain...
-Butcher yourself....

When you take it to a butcher shop they do a "Community Grind"....

Have you seen your average hunter lately? I have, and I dont trust my deer going in with theirs...lol

 

[87TT]

Never ever leave the skin on. The fat under it will get rancid and taint the meat. I have never left it on longer than the drag to the truck. Hour or two tops. Never a bad piece. No Butcher either.

 

[CCooper]

I only use a butcher for grinding- cut the rest myself. Hang time depends greatly on the outside temp as I don't have a locker. My butcher is openly honest on a poundage of meat you must bring in to receive your own back. One deer grind pile for me does not produce this poundage. I usually wait, or combine with my old man, brother, hunting partner. I am very anal about meat care and so are they. I feel most butchers combine people's meat to make the process faster. I see a lot of folks who don't go to the extremes I do to ensure quality.

 

[87TT]

I only use a butcher for grinding- cut the rest myself. Hang time depends greatly on the outside temp as I don't have a locker. My butcher is openly honest on a poundage of meat you must bring in to receive your own back. One deer grind pile for me does not produce this poundage. I usually wait, or combine with my old man, brother, hunting partner. I am very anal about meat care and so are they. I feel most butchers combine people's meat to make the process faster. I see a lot of folks who don't go to the extremes I do to ensure quality.

Just get one of these and be sure. I used one for years. Elk and deer. Just a little slower than the LEM I have now but still working.

https://www.bing.com/aclk?ld=e8wYtqEemwB1mh_30i4dht2zVUCUwUPBWW7hCI0SLr0dhwEPD4R4FKUsSycw67y2lIjQLhOUbwante2O3NDhtZ37uFEj-3UOGSTAO7W4yuJ3v-4r6WfKVpntiVHlF0FsMkkPTFx9fSrq-aCnrSlcgO8fwrSry0ddm6uT7fns_VX4NwwMdyVQSMpADBm6cUl8agRXC-LQ&u=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&rlid=e4e2cc6c1bc0194d6e68acec49eb8a0e&ntb=1

 

[Dioni A]

Like others have said. The faster you get the hide off and get the meat cool the better it will taste.