Never seen this on a deer-Ok to eat?

[LukeDuke]

Opened up a deer last night and noticed it had really yellow tissue and fat. The deer was acting like a deer prior to the shot and seemed perfectly healthy. Meat smells fine. If it was just the fat, I would assume it was diet related, but curious if anyone else has some thoughts?

 

[Addicting]

I’ve seen a lot of beef that same way. We ate them without issue. @Hunting Wife may have better info.

 

[Hunting Wife]

So all that means is that that individual is in a catabolic state. It’s burning fat for calories. Given the amount and color and time of year, I assume a buck? If so, not at all unusual.

Creamy white fat is more typical of an animal that is getting all its caloric needs met with food still. As they burn fat, it gets yellower, sometimes even orange or red, and kind of gelatinous looking. That is an individual that is burning fat to survive.

Unless there’s obvious infection or something seems wrong with it, should be perfectly safe to eat. Congrats on the deer!

 

[LukeDuke]

So all that means is that that individual is in a catabolic state. It’s burning fat for calories. Given the amount and color and time of year, I assume a buck? If so, not at all unusual.

Creamy white fat is more typical of an animal that is getting all its caloric needs met with food still. As they burn fat, it gets yellower, sometimes even orange or red, and kind of gelatinous looking. That is an individual that is burning fat to survive.

Unless there’s obvious infection or something seems wrong with it, should be perfectly safe to eat. Congrats on the deer!

Perfect. Thank you. Yep, it was a buck.

 

[Salmonchaser]

So all that means is that that individual is in a catabolic state. It’s burning fat for calories. Given the amount and color and time of year, I assume a buck? If so, not at all unusual.

Creamy white fat is more typical of an animal that is getting all its caloric needs met with food still. As they burn fat, it gets yellower, sometimes even orange or red, and kind of gelatinous looking. That is an individual that is burning fat to survive.

Unless there’s obvious infection or something seems wrong with it, should be perfectly safe to eat. Congrats on the deer!

I sure do like that you are around to keep us boys out of trouble.

 

[F250]

So all that means is that that individual is in a catabolic state. It’s burning fat for calories. Given the amount and color and time of year, I assume a buck? If so, not at all unusual.

Creamy white fat is more typical of an animal that is getting all its caloric needs met with food still. As they burn fat, it gets yellower, sometimes even orange or red, and kind of gelatinous looking. That is an individual that is burning fat to survive.

Unless there’s obvious infection or something seems wrong with it, should be perfectly safe to eat. Congrats on the deer!

Yes. 100 % correct. Very well explained.

 

[Flatbrimmer]

So all that means is that that individual is in a catabolic state. It’s burning fat for calories. Given the amount and color and time of year, I assume a buck? If so, not at all unusual.

Creamy white fat is more typical of an animal that is getting all its caloric needs met with food still. As they burn fat, it gets yellower, sometimes even orange or red, and kind of gelatinous looking. That is an individual that is burning fat to survive.

Unless there’s obvious infection or something seems wrong with it, should be perfectly safe to eat. Congrats on the deer!

Wow thank you for this. Every deer I’ve cut up this year had various stages of this and I was so perplexed at the different colors and stages of thickness. You’ve taught me something valuable this morning.

 

[manitou1]

Well all I know is my fat wouldn't be yellow if you gutted me.
Haven't missed a meal since I left the infantry, lol.

 

[antler_master]

Well all I know is my fat wouldn't be yellow if you gutted me.
Haven't missed a meal since I left the infantry, lol.

Me too. What about in between the meals? lol.

 

[nrpate05]

I hope you took that liver!

 

[LukeDuke]

Nah…never been a fan of liver. The birds had the scene cleaned up by morning.

 

[devon deer]

@Hunting Wife is spot on, nothing wrong with what you can see, it's what you haven't seen in some cases that can be a worry.
I hope this doesn't come across as a being a smart ass, it's not supposed to be, but I suggest for those that aren't familiar read up on where to find the lymph nodes, and what to expect when observing healthy nodes to infected nodes, also check in the inside of the body cavity.
I know it's fairly well promoted, but (not in your case) the gutless method fails big time on detecting how healthy a deer is.

 

[Walkathon]

Great information. I shot a buck this weekend that had no fat on it. The stomach was was basically empty and the fat I did find (inside the rib cage / behind the diaphram) had a yellow color.