Bear Fat/Meat Turned Brown On One Quarter

[DenimChicken]

Just got around to processing my spring bear. Been in the freezer for about 60 days. I wrapped each quarter individually in plastic food wrap and froze in chest freezer. On one quarter only, some of the surface fat and adjacent meat has turned an unpleasant brown color. The thing that is throwing me off is that the fat has turned brown, which I haven't seen on typical meat oxidization. It smells fine and when I trim it the meat underneath looks fine. Is this spoilage or something else? If it is spoiled, why this quarter only?

Currently I trimmed the brown meat off and ground the leg, keeping it segregated from the rest of the meat. Should I chuck this meat out of an abundance of caution or is it cosmetic only?

Meat care backstory: After bear was harvested, it was immediately gutted, and then taken to camp where it was skinned and quartered within a few hours on a clean plastic table. Meat went into a chest freezer overnight, then transported home in a cooler on ice. Went from cooler to freezer within a day. Meat was kept near freezing temps so I don't believe it was a transport issue. Obviously the meat could have been exposed to something when it was being processed.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I have no experience with bear but I've always used the smell test. Since it's already ground I'd fry up a burger patty and try it. I'd bet you're fine.

 

[Larry Bartlett]

Just a thing to consider for cause: If the leg had not fully drained of fluid and rested firmly on the haunch end until slowly freezing...saturation discoloration perhaps. I'd consider it spoilage and trim down to fresh looking meat. Discard the fat IMO.