Rank your meat

[WildWill]

I forgot wild hog on my list with the addition of hog my list would go.

1st. Antelope
2nd. Whitetail deer
3rd. Elk
4th. Hog
5th. Black bear

My small game list would be.

1st. Pheasant/Quail
2nd. Dove
3rd. Squirrel
4th. Rabbit
5th. Ducks (certain ducks are far better than others)
6th. Geese

Very interesting how varied the responses have been.

 

[Western Traveler1]

1. Moose (The only game I've had meat cutters ask for a piece of).
2. Elk
3. Whitetail
4. Mule Deer
5. Antelope (haven't eaten enough of them to rank them higher)

 

[gotur6]

Black bear
Whitetail
Elk
Moose

 

[Duck-Slayer]

This is a tuff question...... We eat almost strictly wild game animals, birds, and fish. But I definitely will give it a shot. There are several factors that go into the decision of the order. I process and cook all the venison we harvest.

1. Jumbo Perch
2T. Morning Dove
2T. Antelope
3. Columbia River Walleye
4. California Quail
5. Hungarian Partridge
6. Elk
7. Crappie
8. Whitetail Deer
9. Mule Deer
10. Wild CA Hog
11. Wild Turkey
12. Pheasant
13. Ducks/Geese
14. Steelhead/Trout
15. Grouse in general
16. Catfish
......
Matt

 

[480/277y]

1: Dall sheep
2: moose,elk, caribou,sugar beet fed whitetails, beechnut fed whitetails,blueberry fed black bear
3: mule deer, antelope

 

[JTHOMP]

Nutria? Really? I want to hear more about that. We’ve got plenty around here...

And not a lot of love for mule deer on this thread. I tend to like it every bit as much as elk.

I describe it as a rabbit on steroids, and have either deep fried them or cooked in a gravy. It's a lean meat with a diet exclusively of grass and roots. They look nasty with the rat like tail and teeth so many disregard them, but I'll never let another go to waste.

 

[jryoung]

It's really hard for me to rank meat, as it's all good, and all has a unique value. Each species has unique traits that lend them towards individualized cooking. If the meat is tough or it's a bear (trich) braise it, if it's a young ungulate steaks are ideal, etc etc.

There's always good animals and bad ones.....that said, my cow elk from AZ last year is the worst animal I have ever had in my freezer. I've spent a year trying to crack it's code, but there is an underlying medicinal taste that I wonder if its derived from the juniper and pinyon. Yesterday I surrendered, and everything left is going to dog food. The pooch has about 45lbs of prime eating in front of him. I braised the shanks for him yesterday, he likes it, but he also eats raw tripe.

 

[vanish]

I like antelope, but I don't see how it can rank ahead of elk on these lists.

Cause its better? We're the opposite, elk is overrated. Still plenty good.

1.) Pronghorn
2.) Whitetail
3.) Mule Deer
4.) Elk

Only had Moose burgers, so don't care to rank that.

 

[Horse]

My list is similar to others, yet I find it interesting that some animals just don't compare to their species, even though I do all my own processing. Some will point to what they eat and I often believe that, but still wonder. For example: I like mule deer , a few years a go, a few buddys and myself hunted Nebraska sand hills area. We all shot average bucks. Probably3- 4 1/2yr olds. All were terrible and had a weird smell. Not sagey, but different. Even after trying to make jerky, you could still pick up the weird taste/smell. Due to timing, 1 buck was shot the last morning. It was gutted and packed with ice and drove back to WI that same day, where we hung and skinned it that evening. Next day, buddy took it to a local meat processor. He almost didn't take it and thought it was "bad". Makes me wonder how all those Angus in the sand hills taste? I also like moose meat, but had a similar experience from a friend who shot a moose in Alaska. Steaks and burger he gave everyone didn't taste that great. Now this was a trophy 60+ moose, so maybe he was old. Or maybe he laid in a swamp while they cut him up don't know.
Anyways, the grill is getting bacon wrapped elk backstrap on it tonight

 

[Arty]

Not a ton of game taken yet but so far..

Antelope
Whitetail
Elk

 

[rtraverdavis]

I describe it as a rabbit on steroids, and have either deep fried them or cooked in a gravy. It's a lean meat with a diet exclusively of grass and roots. They look nasty with the rat like tail and teeth so many disregard them, but I'll never let another go to waste.

Man that is good to know. Thank you! I’m guessing you trap them. I’ll have to look into what’s possible and legal in my area.

 

[HSi-ESi]

My favorite is the current cut I'm working on out of the freezer. Yesterday my favorite was a 2 lb chunk of moose neck, braised and shredded for this week's lunches.

 

[jtm307]

1) Antelope
2) Blue Grouse
3) Sharptailed Grouse
4) Elk
5) Moose
6) Mule Deer
7) Pheasant

 

[50bowhunter]

Antelope
Elk
Whitetail
Mule deer
Black bear

Black bear would be higher if it could be cooked rare like deer.

 

[JTHOMP]

Man that is good to know. Thank you! I’m guessing you trap them. I’ll have to look into what’s possible and legal in my area.

I've never trapped them, just kill them when I see them. They do a lot of damage to the marsh, dig holes in pond levees, and out compete native muskrats so kill them all. A family friend recently had a sink hole created because they dug holes around his culvert. Most states list them as a nuisance and they can be killed at any time, but definitely check your regs.

 

[Brian in Montana]

1. Elk
2. Whitetail
3. Antlope
4. Mulie

My experience with mule deer has been very hit or miss. Had some that was very good and some (like this year's buck) were pretty bad. People say its what they've been eating, but I can't see that has made much difference. I've shot does and bucks of various ages in alpine mountain sides, alfalfa fields, and sage country - you just never know when one will be gamey.

 

[Irrelevant]

Chukar (vengeance is sweet)


Sockeye salmon
WT deer
Elk
Duck (rare, seared hot coated with melted butter)

 

[deer_shooter]

1. Antelope
2. Elk
3. Sitka Blacktail
4. Moose
5. WT Deer