Pronghorn Meat Myths

[onpoint]

Pronghorn meat myths:

1. "running antelope makes for bad table fare".
2. "gotta get the hide off"

If one prefers to not shoot at antelope that "have been run", that's fine. That being said, we have cleaned up other people's poor shooting, pitiful critters that have been wounded and ran pretty fair distances to escape the cluster&$%#. Took care of the carcass in our standard way - tasted great.

Probably 3 dozen or more antelope have come home with us over the years. Decent sample size. Have never taken the hide off a single one. That includes whole carcasses for the first couple years and many many quarters since switching to the no gut method. Giant coolers and many frozen one gallon milk jugs necessary.

Everybody finds what work the best for them. Regardless - I do agree with - the best critter meat in my book.......

 

[mtmuley]

Agree with onpoint and others. Cleaned up some bad shooting myself by killing "runners". All that needs done is getting an antelope cool. No different than any other game animal. Methods will vary by weather. In almost 40 years of killing them in Montana, I've never had to immediately skin and ice, never touching the hide. Lot's of myths out there. mtmuley

 

[Power54]

Like others have said, gutless, hide off and on ice ASAP.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

This is making me hungry

 

[JohnCushman]

Most of my antelope are done during archery and muzzleloader seasons. A lot of times during archery temps can be in the 90's and high 80's during muzzleloader. I gut them as quickly as possible and take the hearts and livers and get home ASAP. I live 20 minutes from the grasslands and we hunt in an air conditioned suburban and get them skinned ASAP at home. I get them deboned in primal cuts and in a fridge as soon as they are skinned and butcher them within a couple of days. I have yet to have a bad tasting antelope. As was said before, my wife will give away deer and elk and lamb before she gives up antelope meat.

 

[onpoint]

"we hunt in an air conditioned suburban"

Didn't I see you on the Plevna road between Baker and Ekalaka?? May have been someone else.........

 

[JLS]

I've done a variety of methods and haven't found that any of them affected the meat either good or bad. I don't do anything unique for antelope that I wouldn't do with other critters.

I absolutely love Pronghorn meat. Rare to medium rare is as much as I ever cook it.

 

[jmgraham1986]

I've had Pronghorn meat from about 5 different animals and have always loved it. But my wife and father killed does this year on the same hunt and I've got to tell you that one of them isnt that good. I didnt label what animal the meat came from, but its like playing the lottery. One package is great and the next is not that good.

 

[JohnCushman]

"we hunt in an air conditioned suburban"

Didn't I see you on the Plevna road between Baker and Ekalaka?? May have been someone else.........

Was it 2 fat guys with beards and tattoos and shaved heads? The a/c is nice after long stalks when it's almost 100 degrees out...lol

 

[hunt1up]

We've killed probably 30+ antelope over several hunts and we've only skinned a few. If it's cool out, which it usually is, we just gut quickly and get them in the shade. Typically we take them to the processor within a few hours so we just leave the hides on with no issue whatsoever. If it's warm or we're in the field all day, we'll skin them.

Antelope is easily my favorite. My wife much prefers it to all other game meat.

 

[5Speedjim]

I put 5 in the freezer this year and haven't had any taste bad. I've heard it from one of my buddy's for years that they're no good but I can't figure out what he complains about.

 

[stonewall]

My brothers-in-law (2) and I each killed one last year - mid-october. I shot mine on a cool (not cold) overcast day around noon. I unfortunately couldn't get to it right away as my bro-in-law was right there with me putting a stalk on another one. If I had to guess it was 2 hours before I got to it - gutted immediately (haven't gutted an animal in ages). I did a poor job to say the least. We fortunately had water access and I washed it out best I could. skinned, quartered, cooler. meat is excellent. the other two, I did gutless and got them in cooler immediately - also excellent. side note: if you're planning to have one mounted, the hair is hollow and will hold blood - so be sure to wash it out best you can and get cold so bacteria won't grow. also, that hollow hair I'm sure will help spoil meat if you're not careful. that's my (limited) experience anyway

 

[Gr8bawana]

Antelope is the best game meat that I have eaten. It's too bad the aren't as big as elk.

 

[TripleJ]

Antelope is my favorite wild game meat. I've had some Roosevelt elk that were pretty close, but never better. Like almost everyone else has said, hide off, broke down, and on ice in a cooler, at least when it's 85 degrees out like it is here during archery season. I just wish tags were easier to come by in my home state.

 

[onpoint]

"It's too bad the aren't as big as elk".


That would bode real bad for Montana's antelope population.........

 

[airlocksniffer]

Love me some speedgoat. It goes at the bottom of the freezer so it's the last thing to eat before the next round of critters. I've shot them in heat and running and always tasted great. Get that stinky hide off and away from the meat and cooled quickly. Man, I'm hungry.....

 

[sigpros]

I've only shot 1 but it was my favorite game I have ate. I would gladly drive to wyoming to hunt does, could do that every year and be happy. Go get yourself a speed goat. Man I need some tags

 

[onpoint]

This thread's about after the shot, but when hunting antelope country, before the shot is pretty special too. Crisp temps and bluebird October sky filled with thousands of Sandhills heading south. Sitting and glassing in the cured grass and sage with the smell of the fall prairie in the nose. Looking across a wide open expanse... And ooh yeah, the steaks.

 

[Okbow87]

A piece of the goodness from the other night. Sear/sear in the cast iron and finish in the oven @425 until internal hits 125. Let it rest and internal temp will jump up between 135 and 140.

 

[onpoint]

Thanks for finished product pic. Having lope steaks on the barby tonight.....