Is my buddies meat bad?

[BuzzH]

There's no drama. But no reason to pretend chunking quarters in the freezer for 10 months without tending to them is a okay

Have you done it? Results?

 

[NMframed]

No doubt a lot of game meat gets wasted every year. I have friends that clean out the meat they didn’t eat to make room for more meat they won’t eat and it always pisses me off. Why shoot it if you don’t want to eat it?

 

[BuckHunter24]

I'm not looking to get in a whizzing match. If that's how you handle your game that's fine. I have not done it that way. I see no problem leaving a quarter whole but if I did it would be wrapped.

 

[Rob5589]

It'll be freezer burned. But that can be trimmed away. Being that it was his first kill, sounds like he had no idea what to do next. Unfortunate but, not the end of the world. Help him out next time by finding a game processor.

Since the quarters are whole, find a front shoulder recipe for slow cooking. They come out fantastic!

 

[Azone]

I had to clean up a guys buck a few years back for sausage that was just tossed in the freezer in trash bags, it sat for eight or so months. Field care was lacking by the amount of hair, dirt and leaves on it but it actually made some pretty good sausage. While it was still partially frozen I took a fillet knife and trimmed off about a quarter inch all the way every piece that was dirty or freezer burnt and it was just fine.
I’m sure it will still be edible but I would definitely get to it a lot sooner next time. A couple guys I know are pretty crumby when it comes to meat care and utilization of it, definitely builds some resentment up. For long term storage of quarters I will put a few layers of cling wrap and a couple layers of freezer paper, works pretty good. Not trying to preach but negligence with meat care will piss off a lot of people.

 

[Broomd]

What coop22250 said. Don’t worry about the drama, plenty of deer meats gets treated way worse than that.

No, Coop didn't say that. Disregard this horsesh!t and heed these diligence postings. This kind of justification sends a horrible message to new hunters.
If a hunter goes afield he has a responsibility to do his best in every facet of his hunt. Treat harvested meat with the respect that it deserves.
Hell, none of us are perfect, we make mistakes, it's learning from those things that makes us better men and women.

 

[BuzzH]

One last post and I'm out...I've seen the way game is "processed" at places that process it "professionally".

I used to skin for one of the biggest butcher shops in the Missoula Montana area...lets just say I saw it all when it comes to how game is "processed", taken care of in the field, and brought to butcher shops.

I'd be less inclined to eat a single package of "properly cared for" game meat processed by 99% of the butcher shops out there, than get all knotted up over a quarter I butchered myself left whole in the freezer for 10 months.

Azone brought up a good point regarding plastic wrap and butcher paper for whole quarters, do exactly that with the fronts from pronghorn and sometimes deer for the smoker...they will stay fine for way longer than a year.

 

[Werty]

I want to know where I can buy all these soapboxs you all got, and show me how to stretch, so I can pat myself on the back.

 

[BuckHunter24]

I want to know where I can buy all these soapboxs you all got, and show me how to stretch, so I can pat myself on the back.

I don't see anyone on a soapbox. It is a good reminder or learning point for new hunters that the point of the hunt is to eat the meat.

 

[Gobbler36]

One last post and I'm out...I've seen the way game is "processed" at places that process it "professionally".

I used to skin for one of the biggest butcher shops in the Missoula Montana area...lets just say I saw it all when it comes to how game is "processed", taken care of in the field, and brought to butcher shops.

I'd be less inclined to eat a single package of "properly cared for" game meat processed by 99% of the butcher shops out there, than get all knotted up over a quarter I butchered myself left whole in the freezer for 10 months.

Azone brought up a good point regarding plastic wrap and butcher paper for whole quarters, do exactly that with the fronts from pronghorn and sometimes deer for the smoker...they will stay fine for way longer than a year.

Lol you talking about trimming up quarter and then taking the time to plastic wrap them and butcher wrap them before freezing is way different than this guy getting in straight from the field and hacking the quarters into the freezer while still in the dirty game bags, and are two very different avenues of thought, yours shows planning and a mindfulness to future preparations, his shows zero thought about the usage of the animal and I’d wager a bet those antlers got cared for in a whole different manner which really reveals where this guy stands on wild game. I love big Muleys just as much as the next guy but always take care of the meat first. Stings a little more to know it was a deer from my state

 

[87TT]

You can boil a backstrap, doesn't make it the best way or great.

 

[MeatBuck]

The whole ******* point of killing the animal IS THE MEAT!!!!

Why tf else are you out in the field chasing and harvesting game? Got some kind of image to uphold? Trying to look cool for social media pics?

First kill or not you and your buddy stopped short of the full harvest experience, way short. To the point where even salvaging what’s not ruined still isn’t going to yield enough meat to get you by the wanton waste law.

You are just as much to blame as he is for your lack of caring until now.

Something Ive heard a thousand times is this;
“If you aren’t going to eat it, don’t kill it.”
“Don’t kill what you aren’t going to eat”

Guys like this need to stick to activities like bass fishing. You still get the excitement of the catch but then your lazy ass can just toss it back in the lake and crack another beer. No meat wasted.

 

[EastMT]

Before everyone gets all uptight, well too late, sometimes a new Hunter is all about the killing part and it takes a progression to get to the point that most of us are where the meat is top priority. It’s his first game animal, cut him some slack. He messed up a bit, probably 1/4” needs to come off, which isn’t that much different than an avg dirty quarter or one aged for a week. Take a deep breath, it’s gonna be ok.

 

[intense1]

Last October my buddy got a pretty decent deer in Idaho. He quartered the deer and froze it in his game bags. No plastic no butcher paper just game bags. He thinks the deer is going to be fine to eat. Im skeptical. What do you guys think?

Ask his girlfriend?

 

[BFR]

I admit when I read the OP I thought WTH was he thinking. Trim it up and enjoy but do better next time.
Now after reading and rereading all the responses I’m kind of disappointed, 34 responses, 27 were primarily insults and name calling. What exactly does that accomplish besides showing that you are holier than thou? Only 7 actually responded to the question constructively. Aren’t we supposed to be helping others get better?

 

[11boo]

Sad. Might still be good. The meat, not the friend.

 

[FLAK]

I've screwed up a pile of meat myself when I was just starting out.
Didn't know any better and didn't have anyone to teach me. We, as hunters should be better mentors and teach those who are learning
the ropes. It would certainly help our cause, esp. in the current socio- political environment.

 

[MeatBuck]

 

[MeatBuck]

I've screwed up a pile of meat myself when I was just starting out.
Didn't know any better and didn't have anyone to teach me. We, as hunters should be better mentors and teach those who are learning
the ropes. It would certainly help our cause, esp. in the current socio- political environment.

These days a simple google or YouTube search will show you exactly what to do with your deer. No excuses.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Damn! I wish I was a perfect as some of the people on this forum! I throw gamebags in the freezer all the time. Usually, I cut everything up in Jan/Feb. Never been an issue.

If the meat was good when frozen it should be fine now minus a little bit that could have been freezer burned.

Most of the butchers that I have watched, throw away way more meat than I ever have letting it sit in the freezer for a few months.