Old buck vs young buck - meat differences

[Wannabelikedan]

I think (opinion from experience) the closer you shoot a mature buck to the peak of the rut equates to lower meat quality (taste not necessarily toughness) in a lot of instances. If you shot that same buck in early October, i bet you wouldn’t notice a difference. You have to think, they haven’t been eating, drinking, resting, and constantly stressed for a solid 3 weeks. If you gave similar treatment to a feeder calf before butchering it I’m sure it would yield similar results in meat quality. That old buck musk will get in your head though.

[brancher147]

I have never noticed any difference with age and always process my own 5 or 6 a year or more. Are you sure you got your same meat back from the processor? Only difference I have seen is gut shot or improperly processed or deer that don’t die quickly can be tougher. Mountain deer vs ag deer are different also.

I do all my own processing. Just block em into steaks and roasts and whatnot. This buck was dead within 60 seconds and gutted within 2 hours in cool temps. I dunno what I have going on here.

I misread your post and thought it mentioned using a processor. Yeah that’s weird not sure what you got going on either.

[KRONIIK]

I have found some older big woods bucks to be a bit strong-tasting and tough at times, and I think rut/rundown condition has more to do with it than age, per se
The last older buck I shot off ag land was not run down, and was some of the best venison we've ever eaten.

Clean handling, quick cooling and careful trimming will go far on any deer, though.

Personally I also believe that proper aging helps improve tenderness, although I know many will disagree...

[Jonny]

Never noticed any difference. You might have just had a bad tasting deer. Might have had a different diet or something.

I’d just make it into sausage and eat the kids deer for steaks and whatnot. But I like sausage

[Dewey]

I never noticed a difference. Ate a bunch of old bucks over the years and they were fine.

You didn’t accidentally rupture the bladder when field dressing did you?

[muddy]

I never noticed a difference. Ate a bunch of old bucks over the years and they were fine.

You didn’t accidentally rupture the bladder when field dressing did you?

I dont think so. Just a weird buck I guess.

[Bentstraight]

I will also say that my buck stunk worse on the outside than any other buck I've ever shot. It would be very feasible that I got tarsal/back leg urine smell on my hands and contaminated the meat? I dunno but The One will look much better on the wall vs the stew pot.

I did this on accident once, got the knife blade into the tarsal gland and into the calve muscle. Calf muscle got ground in with everything else and All I could smell was tarsal gland when it was cooking, it was brutal. Everything else that wasn't in the grind pile was fine though.

[Dewey]

I never noticed a difference. Ate a bunch of old bucks over the years and they were fine.

You didn’t accidentally rupture the bladder when field dressing did you?

I dont think so. Just a weird buck I guess.

Slow cooker with taters and water. Dump the taters in the garbage when done since they will absorb all the off taste. I had to do that with a mule deer once.

[mbone1327]

Flavors from other foods can transfer into the meat. Maybe the butcher had other meats or fish in the cooler where it was processed. Dairy products like cheese and milk can cause problems.

[Moose]

Ive noticed since ive been processing deer myself the quality has gone up. But i also spend hours cuting out fat and silver skin. Takes along time but its a superior quality. Last deer i had processed became dog food.

[may21581]

Mature rut bucks have always tasted stronger to me and more unpleasant. I would contribute this to the testerone at high levels and the muscles being exerted more. How long did they let it hang for where you took it. Rut bucks i let hang 7-10 days.

[muddy]

Guys, just to be clearI didn't take the deer to a locker, I processed it myself.

I am going to just make spicy jerky out of it and if that dont work it'll be dog treats!

[elk yinzer]

I think it's just an individual deer thing. I've eaten dozens of deer and two were bad, both tough. One was as older buck, the other was a younger doe. Every single cut on both was tough even to the point braising didn't help.

Have had a few deer that were exceptionally good. One of those was an older buck.

Most deer are not memorable either way. Best deer I ever ate was a buck fawn I killed in rifle season. You could cut that meat with a dull butterknife.

[218er]

I’d imagine it had to do with it being so rutted up. I shot an older mule deer a few years ago that was all rutty and it was the worst deer I’ve ever had. Actually it was the last mule deer I’ve shot. My wife’s afraid. I’d bet it had something to do with that.

[Chuck B]

When I started ageing my deer, about 5 deers ago, I have noticed a tremendous difference in taste and tenderness. Of course you have to have the right temps to let it hang for a week. Or, ample fridge space. You’d have to get the Busch lattes out of the fridge for the meat and just drink them warm.