Hunt timing vs meat quality.

[silverbullet555]

We drew fall moose in Eastern Idaho and are evaluating what week we want to be our main week.

Question came up about hunting the week of Sept 8 vs week of sept 22nd. With the 22nd being closer to rut, is there impact on meat quality?

 

[Beendare]

I've shot/eaten bull Moose that were rutting....it was great. I think the key is not to handle the meat after handling the hide....just like any rutting elk, boar hog, etc

Bring 4/5 sets of latex/nitrile gloves to keep the meat clean.

 

[Oakman]

with my limited experience, the only deference is game age, the younger the tastier

 

[angelldogg]

never noticed a difference, i'd hunt closer to the rut.

 

[medvedyt]

rut might be different in your location but i doubt and sometimes it is happening in 3 or so tme frame periods so while i never had bad taste for the meat, i tend to avoid the liver during full rut. never had an issue with heart if that matters.

 

[Berksbowman]

Care and aging your meat has way more impact on quality! I’ve never noticed a difference in animal ages vs meat quality.

 

[silverbullet555]

Thanks all. Sounds like the 3rd week could be ideal. A little closer to the run, good meat. Only.downside is losing time.

 

[House21]

Shot a big bull the 23 of September 2 years ago in Alberta. He had 3 cows with him and was already starting to smell, but it was the best moose I’ve ever ate.

My wife shot a smaller bull the same year, close to the end of November which I was expecting to be great as well, but that was one of the toughest moose I’ve ever ate. Still great meat, just really tough.

Both moose were cleaned and hung the same way, but totally different when cooked. I’d go the 3rd week as calling will be better and the moose should be great

 

[VernAK]

Here in AK, the dates you mention should be fine. I've taken several large bulls the third week of September and they were fine even though they have been wallowing and have urine smell in their fur. Years ago, I shot a bull late into the rut and it was inedible. The fat was nearly gone, and the meat had a blue metallic color.

As medvedyt mentioned, avoid the liver as the bulls drink cow urine and the liver gets nasty.

 

[Snowwolfe]

We have killed bulls as late as Sept 20th. Never once noticed any "off" issues with the meat.
Bull caribou in full rut? That's an entire different issue, Yuck!

 

[AKDoc]

...As medvedyt mentioned, avoid the liver as the bulls drink cow urine and the liver gets nasty.

^^^I'm with you guys on that!

When I take a bull that's got cows, I pass on the liver pretty much every time...those guys are often lapping cow urine and the liver even looks nasty. I've got to add that the most helpful thing I ever learned about field dressing bull moose (especially at that stage of the rut progression) is to have a separate set of rubber gloves for handling only the hide and a different set for the meat...and never cross the line with the two sets.

If I take a satellite bull or a younger meat bull during the third week, I most always take the liver. We enjoy the liver...especially braunschweiger!

 

[medvedyt]

and just to add what @AKDoc and @VernAK just wrote i am using a different knife for skinning and that touched the fur/hair than the one for the meat.

 

[medvedyt]

Use a different pair of gloves as well as a lot of the hormones/smell in the coat will get all over your gloves and can be transported to the meat. Seems to be that the "smell" in a bull moose is more so centered in the hide versus a bull caribou where a lot of the hormones go throughout the meat.

yes @AKDoc mentionned it as well. liver can be really affected during the rut, generally a smelly moose contrary to a smelly caribou will not affect the quality of the meat but like everything they are exceptions ...

 

[MacGyver]

yes @AKDoc mentionned it as well. liver can be really affected during the rut, generally a smelly moose contrary to a smelly caribou will not affect the quality of the meat but like everything they are exceptions ...

When I take a big bull moose late in the season, the neck meat is swollen and the meat smells. To keep it from contaminating the other meat I put it in a separate game bag and do not mix it with the other ground meat.