proper antelope meat care

[bnsafe]

What do you guys do when you get a antelope down. I might be able to drive fairly close to where I shoot one tho not positive. Im definately gonna stop hunting and take care of one, but, should I bone it out in the field, just quarter it up, try an get it to the truck just field dressed and take it to a processor out there. What do yall do, if I can get the truck close, and if not?

 

[TxLite]

I peeled back the skin and got it quartered asap, put it on ice, and it turned out great

 

[Axlrod]

Get the hide off as soon as you can.

 

[TaperPin]

Keep 100% of the hair off the meat whatever you do. Not all antelope areas have the same conditions or temps. Really hot areas I’d skin right away.

In most of Wyoming you’re better off field dressing quickly, keep it out of direct sun, and leave the hide on. When I worked as a skinner at a wild game processor after school I asked the old butcher what he thought about hide on or off. There isn’t a lot of meat on a goat, and he showed me animal after animal that came in skinned and the amount of meat lost after the dry sections are trimmed really adds up. Any skinned areas with bits of hair on it has to be well trimmed because the hair will give an off taste.

Some family friends live almost entirely off of antelope and a lot of people get tags and usually maxed out any additional doe tags. It added up to a dozen goats some years. They process it themselves and always leave the hides on.

I could never tell a difference between goats skinned and processed right away, verses field dressed and kept in the bed of the pickup overnight before being processed the next day, but we always have wind and temps might not get out of the 60s in the heat of the day.

 

[Erict]

I shot a "meat buck" so no worry about keeping the cape. I also had the option to leave the carcass in the field. It was cooler and breezy that day, so I went gutless. Loins and inner loins cooled on the rifle barrel while I finished packing the boned out meat into bags. Right onto ice filled coolers when I got to the truck. For the small amount of meat you get, I would not spend the money on a processor for an antelope.

PS - at least on this one, antelope hair seemed to come off the hide very easy and if you don't plan ahead it will be on everything. Bring extra latex gloves and play the wind is my recommendation.

 

[S-3 ranch]

The hair is hollow and holds heat, get it skinned out and quarter up and iced down, whether it’s in the field or back at camp .

 

[MT-nuffgun]

I’ve eaten antelope that had the hide off right away and antelope that were field dressed and the hide was not peeled off until the next day. I much prefer the flavor of the goats that had the hide peeled off immediately and meat put on ice ASAP.

 

[Wireman07]

What everyone else said, and make sure you drain your cooler every so often and restock with fresh ice

 

[Laramie]

They are generally terrible to eat and honestly not worth hunting. Can't believe so many people spend so much money and time hunting them. Seriously guys, quit donating money to the wg&f to hunt the nasty things.




Now if a guy must hunt them...get it cooled down immediately, and then cook it right,. It can be good to great but 90% of people doing it screw it up, even after being told how to do it.

 

[Matt5266]

They are generally terrible to eat and honestly not worth hunting. Can't believe so many people spend so much money and time hunting them. Seriously guys, quit donating money to the wg&f to hunt the nasty things.




Now if a guy must hunt them...get it cooled down immediately, and then cook it right,. It can be good to great but 90% of people doing it screw it up, even after being told how to do it.

I always thought this would be the case until I killed a couple. Some of the best meat I've ever had honestly. Both died quick and were properly cared for. Skinned and quarted then straight to ice. Keep it clean and be careful not to touch the legs/glands and then handle the meat. I love me some antelope. Guess I'm one of the weird ones....

 

[rtaylor2626]

They are generally terrible to eat and honestly not worth hunting. Can't believe so many people spend so much money and time hunting them. Seriously guys, quit donating money to the wg&f to hunt the nasty things.




Now if a guy must hunt them...get it cooled down immediately, and then cook it right,. It can be good to great but 90% of people doing it screw it up, even after being told how to do it.

Fully disagree. I’d put Antelope damn near at the top of my wild game list.


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[MT-nuffgun]

lol, my wife talks like Laramie. She hates antelope,but will be the first one to dive into an old rutty bull elk and call it delicious. Don’t get me wrong, I love eating elk too, but some of the old rutty bulls we have killed have ranked pretty low on the Betty Crocker scale IMO.

 

[wapitibob]

Shoot it, skin it, quarter it, pack it out, put in cooler on ice. You'll be fine, it isn't ice cream.
Cut it up a week later, separating every muscle. Cut back straps into 6"-8" long chunks, some of the bigger muscles into roasts, and burger the rest. Sear the straps for a minute per side, then finish in the oven; all I use is Montreal steak seasoning. Do the same for your Deer and Elk. Crock or insta pot the roasts and Elk/Deer shanks.

 

[Legend]

What do you guys do when you get a antelope down. I might be able to drive fairly close to where I shoot one tho not positive. Im definately gonna stop hunting and take care of one, but, should I bone it out in the field, just quarter it up, try an get it to the truck just field dressed and take it to a processor out there. What do yall do, if I can get the truck close, and if not?

Antelope arw not that big. Spill the guts and lungs. Throw it on a frame pack whole and walk to the truck. Find some shade and take your time skinning on a tarp or hanging if possible. Then quarter and to the ice. But make sure there is separation from the water.

Not much meat so you are better butchering it yourself. Unless you have money to burn.

 

[Banjo91]

I've dressed and packed it whole to a shop to process myself, and have done gutless method. I prefer the latter ... we packed one goat out almost a mile (quartered and in backpacks w/out skin), thrown in a cooler, drove to town, got checked by game and fish on our way to town, then finally got it iced down. Seriously some of the best wild game I've eaten.

I process my own meat (domestic and wild) and antelope meat gets no pork or beef tallow mixed in. If you take care of it, it's excellent


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[Wireman07]

Fully disagree. I’d put Antelope damn near at the top of my wild game list.


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Me too. I never used to, until i actually took care of the meat like your suppose to. Its now my favorite!

 

[bnsafe]

thanks all. I dont like wild game for the most part but shot 1 antelope and loved it. Hoping for the same here. On that hunt it was semi guided so the guy just threw it in the back of his truck an drove it to a processor that day. I can prob get close enuf to get it to my truck on this hunt and 15 minutes back to town, but I dont wanna waste money on a processor either. I will prob get the hide off there, bone it out mainly to save room, and get it on ice. It should be cooler when im there so maybe not quite as big an issue.

 

[Laramie]

I have a great idea guys.... let's publicly advertise how great the meat is so we further point creep to the point they become oil tags.... Great idea smh

 

[wyosteve]

Often there's not a good tree close in a lot of Wyo. antelope country, so one of those hoist things that fit into your receiver hitch works well for skinning/quartering.

 

[Joshk358]

Antelope meat is top 3 for me. Get it cooled off quick and you'll have some fantastic cuts. Last one I killed has been about 10 yrs, but got it cut up and in the cooler within an hour, hour and a half. I've soaked the steaks in milk or Italian dressing before grilling and they have been real good.