Inedible

[Addicting]

Lung worms are pretty common, but don’t affect the liver. Can often be found if you slice open the airways. Maybe liver flukes? Lots of other parasites possible in the liver. Hard to say without seeing it.

It wasn’t liver flukes, those are pretty distinct. Although it could have had them inside, I just didn’t see them. It was a white thin worm almost like a fine rice noodle wrapped in a perfect circle. The liver was bumpy but not like cystic. It just looked odd and that is how I found the worm. I wish I would have taken a pic.

 

[D_Walt]

I killed a mule deer buck in West Texas that was like that once. Wasn’t a particularly old deer either, it was just tougher than boot leather. Ground it up and it was just fine.

 

[Addicting]

All ground up, ended up with 41lbs of burger with 3lbs beef fat mixed in.

 

[mtmiller]

Poor dog ate them whole and will be paying for that decision when it’s time to poop.

Or poor you "where" it's time to poop.

 

[Southern Elk]

Grind it up. We made breakfast sausage out of the one my son killed this year. It turned out great. I’m not a fan of mule deer meat, so that’s why we made sausage out of this one.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Shot a moose in Ontario that was terrible. I gave 90% of the meat away and everyone commented on how good it was???? lol

 

[Bambistew]

I had a moose that was really tough to chew when it was cooked. I made it into burger, or jerkey/biltong. The jerky/biltong wasn't tough at all. It was weird, as soon as it was cooked it got very tough.

 

[johnp]

That buck doesn't look to be too old. A buddy and I both shot bucks , two or three year olds that we did the gutless method , boned out the meat while it still had body heat.
Hung up the bags in very cold weather and both bucks were tough as shoe leather.
we had shot older bucks in previous years that tasted fantastic.

 

[zootspace]

that's a rank buck.

 

[Redman]

Nope killed some old bucks and all have been excellent. I have found that the ones that I have boned out due to long hikes have been tougher than normal. Bad flavor and toughness usually has to do with meat care from the time you pull the trigger till you put it on your plate.

 

[belshawelk]

All mine go to pepperoni and jerky. Little bit of burger. Then I never worry.

 

[Addicting]

All mine go to pepperoni and jerky. Little bit of burger. Then I never worry.

Pretty sure any jerky from this one would survive an atomic blast or the 1000lbs sisters. Either way, not a good experience to waste money on.

 

[Jwill]

For my last elk we got pretty handy with one of these. https://www.cabelas.com/shop/en/jaccard-super-meat-tenderizers

 

[Addicting]

That buck doesn't look to be too old. A buddy and I both shot bucks , two or three year olds that we did the gutless method , boned out the meat while it still had body heat.
Hung up the bags in very cold weather and both bucks were tough as shoe leather.
we had shot older bucks in previous years that tasted fantastic.

If I had to put an age on him I would say 4.5 based on what we saw in the area and experience. He carries some mass and was a breeder. His underside was a mess with crusty missed shots.

The majority of the bucks we saw were 1.5-2.5, we saw one 3.5 but one main beam was broken. Pretty low nutrient area and they all seemed thin horned. The pic I took wasn’t the greatest. This one shows him better. He wasn’t the biggest we saw scouting, but best we saw in 4 days of hunting.

I don’t think it is an age thing. I’m wondering if it was more of a meat care decision. There was icy snow next to the kill site and the meat immediately went on it. So it went from pumping blood, quickly quartered, to on ice for 45 min. It caused a rapid cooling. If I wonder if would have given it some time or just hung it, if that would have let the rigor process work better.

 

[Boarmaster]

Pepperstick and summer sausage

This

 

[Rie Bread]

I’ve wondered that about the cold temps inhibiting rigor to generate. My elk from a few year ago was shot in the early season snow and was kinda like that, tough when cooked.
Lots of grandpas and families deer was pretty tough and most often cook in stew. Looking back I figured they threw it in the freezer too quick.

 

[jrabq]

You might consider picking up a jacquard to tenderize the steaks you want to keep. I use one to tenderize roasts that I intend to marinate and grill. It works well and I just pop it in the dishwasher to clean. I learned about it from Hank Shaw’s recipes

I would 2nd the Jaccard, but sounds like you took care of it with the grinder. I used the Jaccard tenderizer on a Mtn Goat that was tough but otherwise had a good flavor, worked well.

 

[Sheltowee]

Out of curiosity-- how quickly did you bone him out? Is it possible he was still pre- or in-rigor mortis?

I've walked up on some rutting whitetails that were so rank you could smell them 25 yards off and were still delicious, just required a little more TLC when it came to brining and method of preparation.

Edited because I was a Hooked on Phonics kid

 

[Addicting]

Out of curiosity-- how quickly did you bone him out? Is it possible he was still pre- or in-riga mortis?

I've walked up on some rutting whitetails that were so rank you could smell them 25 yards off and were still delicious, just required a little more TLC when it came to brining and method of preparation.

I had hit him in the high shoulder / spine in the first shot. He dropped and we gave him 20 min or so. When we walked up to him he tried getting up and I had to shoot him in the neck.

Took a couple quick photos and started breaking him down. From time of death to the first hind going into the snow, maybe 20-25 minutes.

 

[Dave N]

That might be a reason for it. Good and warm and maybe still twitching when you cut it, into the shock of the cold snow. Does anything like that happen with elk in the snow?