Author Topic: Which meats are best - which are worst? (Read 6729 times)

1187VX2 · « **on:** September 29, 2006, 07:31:36 AM »

Having recently returned from Texas with many pounds of red stag meat, I'm very pleased to find out that this meat is excellent. Most all sources said it would be - and they were right. After the first bite, you can't tell it from beef. I like venison from the good ole Whitetail, but red deer is better, if you ask me.

This got me to wondering about other exotic game. What is good & what isn't? What meats are the most desirable and which ones are left for the coyotes? I haven't got to try meat from a lot of different animals, but the two that stand out for me are the red deer that I already mentioned (as in excellent) and at the other end of the scale, catalina goat which in my experience was not edible.

How are the other exotics animals? Particularily Fallow, Sika and Axis deer as well as Blackbuck, Aoudad, Oryx , etc.

Since we've all probably had Whitetail deer, rank them as better or worse than that. Thanks.

JeffG · « **Reply #1 on:** September 29, 2006, 05:23:50 PM »

The worst I came upon is the Barbarosa my wife got in 2005. Had to be ground, marinated,and lied about.

drdougrx · « **Reply #2 on:** September 30, 2006, 03:48:56 AM »

Anything that didn't start out as a sheerp or a goat is usually good eating, the younger the better. In 95 I was hunting at the Galloway Ranch with Ken Wilson in Pearsol TX and Mr. Galloway had a huge amount of eland that someone had shot but could not keep all the meat. We heated up the mesquite grill, some worsrtershire sauce and taters in the coals....whoahhhhhhhh......

Redhawk1 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 30, 2006, 07:00:01 AM »

Of all the meat I have tried the Axis meat is the best. I like it medium rare where the juice is flowing from it, there is no strong game taste what so ever and better than any beef steak I have eaten.

RaySendero · « **Reply #4 on:** October 02, 2006, 04:25:00 AM »

Quote from: 1187VX2 on September 29, 2006, 07:31:36 AM

.....
How are the other exotics animals? Particularily Fallow, Sika and Axis deer as well as Blackbuck, Aoudad, Oryx , etc.

Since we've all probably had Whitetail deer, rank them as better or worse than that. Thanks.

Couldn't taste any difference between whitetail and fallow or sika.

elmer · « **Reply #5 on:** October 03, 2006, 07:01:40 AM »

In order of preference, but there is a lot that I haven't tried yet.

Blackbuck
Axis
Fallow
Whitetail
Boar

kyote · « **Reply #6 on:** October 09, 2006, 02:08:39 PM »

It really all depends on what they have been eating.and the variety of foods available to them.lets say a white tail deer in the tropical jungles verses a white tail in south texas.which to me are both excellent eating,but lets throw in the desert white tail un fit to eat say many folks after harvesting one and cooking it..But the one from the jungles where there is an abundance of vegatation in varietys not known by many.Is waaaaaaay better.the best game meat I have eaten is a conejo pintado
translates painted rabbit,but is called a spotted rabbit.and is not even a rabbit.go figure?
it comes out at night and is very shy and quiet.eats only the best fruit the jungle grows.they are excellent on the grill..

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2006, 01:43:23 PM »

I'm not really a worldly hunter but my favorite so far is caribou.

markc · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2006, 03:28:35 AM »

I think I prefer any of it to store bought meat...

.308sniper · « **Reply #9 on:** October 25, 2006, 12:41:53 PM »

I just shot a Fallow doe and it tastes great. Just like Whitetail deer.

elmer · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2006, 07:06:51 AM »

.308 sniper,

Normally I would disagree and say that Fallow is much better than Whitetail, but I'm sitting here eating Venison Diane my wife made from a Whitetail doe I shot last weekend and it's great.

buckeye hunter · « **Reply #11 on:** October 26, 2006, 01:56:40 PM »

I have been making jerky out of the Barborosa Ram my son shot last weekend. I have been really surprised by the mild taste of it. I have never liked tame mutton in any form, but the jerky from this ram has been really good.

Mayor of Hobbs Knob · « **Reply #12 on:** October 26, 2006, 02:53:50 PM »

Moose is better than any other game I have tased. The 720 pound bull I took this fall is the best yet. Key to good meat is quick cooling and clean prompt processing. I hate to think of all the fine meat wasted because it was not properly care for.

markc · « **Reply #13 on:** October 27, 2006, 07:56:32 AM »

Excelent point Mayor. I recall a guy driving for a couple of hours with a nice buck in the bed of his pickup truck, jsut so he could show his froends before he processed it. He had not even field dressed the thing, and the temperatures were climbing into the low 70's by that time. I hope he liked the antlers alot, because I'm pretty sure that the meat was ruined by the time he finally processed the deer... It wasn't all that big of a deer either. LOL

kyote · « **Reply #14 on:** October 27, 2006, 03:43:39 PM »

both ya all are right on with what to do after the kill..I think that is what people call gamey tastin??when they ride around with an animal that is gut shoot and noit gutted,skinned or cooled..

Hmmm.. would love to taste moose..will trade Oryx for moose...

cam69conv · « **Reply #15 on:** October 29, 2006, 06:50:57 PM »

Im guessin Imma have to Come up and fix ole greybeard some of my famous Whitetail chops. Its all in the prep. That being Said....Heres my list of eats and Tastes

Axis 100% YUMMY
Fallow 99.9% Yummy
Red Deer 99.8% Yummy (when handled right)
Bison 100% MMMMMMMMMM MMMMMM GOOD
Water Buff 100% YUCK wouldnt try it again if ya held a damn gun to ma head
White Tail 99.8% Yummy (again handle properly)
Carabou 100% Heaven on Earth
Moose 100% Same as above ( but I aint drawn a damn tag on one yet so I have to beg)
Black Buck 100% HOT DAMN

gems Buck (spelling?) 95% Id eat it again But not my Fave

Now of course all these are proportionate to age of the animal...How it was Killed (adrenaline makes it a lil gamey too so a fast kill with no run you will find it to be more tastey) And Females ALWAYS taste bettern the males. Lawdy wimmin have it all EVEN TASTE

And It also matters to what they were fed as well ...Just posted this on another one but it fits here too

oso45-70 · « **Reply #16 on:** October 31, 2006, 12:26:39 PM »

My taste buds say Moose is first, Elk is some where near, White tail, Oryx,Young Buffalo, mule deer, Any thing with four legs,,,, Some exceptions, Like coyote, fox ,skunk, grinners, badger or porcupine although i have heard they are good eating.
Mountian Lion is very tasty, bob cat is the same........Joe.........

TexasHorn · « **Reply #17 on:** December 10, 2006, 12:11:43 PM »

Axis is the best meat that I have ever eaten. Both as steaks and hamburger (Axis burger).
TexasHorn

Don Krag · « **Reply #18 on:** December 11, 2006, 05:40:11 AM »

The best burgers I ever had were Wyoming pronghorn burgers...not bad chops either.

The worst thing I've ever put in my mouth was an auodad ram. Blech! I tried multiple different methods and some were more tender than others, but it still just didn't taste very good. We used to hit the wild and exotic game cook-off in Kerrville, TX and would have lots of fine eat'n. The oryx and axis were always my favorites.

jeesesgurl420 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 01, 2007, 07:41:04 PM »

Any game meat is better than store bought... I really like buffalo. I also enjoy whitetail

GRIMJIM · « **Reply #20 on:** January 02, 2007, 03:04:25 PM »

I just had an elk roast for the first time and have to rate it right up there with caribou.

Johm D M · « **Reply #21 on:** January 16, 2007, 01:09:39 PM »

I have had great antelope and some that stayed in the freezer a long time. feed determines a lot. Big bull caribou in the rut can be not fit for a dog. If I never eat another mule deer that will be OK with me. River bottom white tail are some of the best there is. I have had moose that you could hardly chew and it still had a great flavor. Getting a bad elk is very rare. My wife absoutely can not stand the taste of bison fat, YMMV. Gianni.

Weissen · « **Reply #22 on:** February 12, 2007, 09:03:16 PM »

Kangaroo (if you can get it) is excellent eating.
It's available in the supermarkets here, wild harvested (shot) and we have it all the time.

Some roo eye fillet steaks grilled up nice n rare on the BBQ with fresh salad and a cold beer........ oh yeah.......mmmm......nothing better.
It's very very lean, dark red and has a slighly gamey smell and flavour not unlike venison and should be treated in the same way for all intents and purposes.

Like many things in life though.....best eaten young.

*ROCK-MAN* · « **Reply #23 on:** July 15, 2007, 10:36:37 AM »

One thing I think you need to make sure of while doing this is that the animals are of the same comparison.
ie-2 year old does or 4 year old bucks because that can make all the difference.
For me it goes- axis,whitetail,fallow,sitka,blackbuck(any antelope) and any kind of a goat last.

T.R. · « **Reply #24 on:** August 31, 2007, 01:08:36 PM »

A kid buck pronghorn antelope is quite tender and tasty. Reminds me of lamb.

Wild boar female or castrated male is mighty good if weight is about 125 - 150 lbs. The huge males are only good for dog food and photos.

Young bull elk or barren cow is so close to beef that most folks would not know the difference. This statement probably applies to red stag as well. I've not hunted red stag.

I agree that bison are nearly identical to beef.

Sika deer are more like small elk than deer. I once ate a hind quarter roast baked from a "silk deer". That is, a crossbreed between red stag and sika deer. Reminded me of a young muley buck who sneaked into alfalfa fields at night to feed just outside of Ft. Pierre, SD. He met up with my .243 bullet shortly after dawn. This youngster buck wasn't big, but certainly a genuine trophy on the dinner plate.

Good wild game feasting to you.
TR

~Ace~ · « **Reply #25 on:** August 31, 2007, 01:34:47 PM »

Possum Good (Baked) Coyote Bad every way we tried it

rex6666 · « **Reply #26 on:** October 02, 2007, 09:56:01 AM »

I have tried Coon it is good BBQ'd Elk is very good Mule deer is ok, i have tried whitetail every way thought of and dif. ages, can not unserstand why i would try it the second time.

SingleShotShorty · « **Reply #27 on:** April 28, 2008, 02:55:40 PM »

All I can say is if I had a regular supply of Elk I would never eat beef again.

billy_56081 · « **Reply #28 on:** April 28, 2008, 03:15:22 PM »

Cottontail Rabbit is number one on my list, and porcupine is at the bottom of my list.

zombiewolf · « **Reply #29 on:** April 28, 2008, 06:25:56 PM »

The best: slightly aged black bear.

The worst: mountain lion. (my house cat didn't mind it though. hehehe)