Recently I’ve been thinking about switching to free range meat. But after doing some research I realized the processing was almost as effed up as normal meat. Plus the prices were outragious. Then it occured to me, why not go hunting and bag a deer.
I’ve read that the protein quality is excellent and the fat content low, and there can’t be anything more free range than a deer. Thoughts?
Very lean and as you said you can’t get anymore free range then that. The hunt is good physical activity, it’s fun, the meat is delicious. If you’re an outdoors-man you can also rabbit hunt usually up to six months out of the year. Plenty of time to stock up the freezer with another source of very lean and free range protein. Don’t forgot fishing either.
Take care,
D
Yup, deer meat is an excellent source of low-fat, high quality protein. It’s a good idea to soak it in milk or a marinade for a few hours to reduce the gamey taste.
[quote]wiz1902 wrote:
Recently I’ve been thinking about switching to free range meat. But after doing some research I realized the processing was almost as effed up as normal meat. Plus the prices were outragious. Then it occured to me, why not go hunting and bag a deer.
I’ve read that the protein quality is excellent and the fat content low, and there can’t be anything more free range than a deer. Thoughts?[/quote]
great idea as long as you don’t decide to hunt where i do 
go for a young doe, the meat will be better than the trophy buck which will be all stringy.
[quote]Kruiser wrote:
soak it in milk[/quote]
Never heard of using milk; whats it come out like?
Deer is my main meat protein source; and wild rabbit an once in awhile wild pigs/bore. Though if you don’t cook bore right it will stink to high hell an make you change your mind about it for awhile.
I’ve hunted pheasants too but I find they are not worth the time to hunt an clean for storage; for the amount of meat you get.
I like the gamey taste. =)
A while back I looked up info. on mad cow. It turns out they are having a similar problem (mad deer?) with deer and elk in the Wyoming and Utah area. I would avoid deer and elk from there.
Wild game is excellent. Just check to make sure the game is not eating the farmer’s feed. Eating the wrong feed is how cows got mad cow.
[quote]tall tom wrote:
A while back I looked up info. on mad cow. It turns out they are having a similar problem (mad deer?) with deer and elk in the Wyoming and Utah area. I would avoid deer and elk from there.
Wild game is excellent. Just check to make sure the game is not eating the farmer’s feed. Eating the wrong feed is how cows got mad cow.[/quote]
Around here they are calling that “wasting disease”, similar to mad cow, but doesn’t affect humans.
Funny this thread came up as I am waiting on dinner to be served- Deer Chops!
It is damn good.
I love the gamey taste too. Try bagging a moose. He’s bigger, uglier and easier to get tag for (in Canada anyhow). Get a deep freeze and move all the shit out of it and fill it up with cute tasty animals to last you through the year.
Make sure you’re a good shot. If not with iron sights then get a scope and tune it in. Dont take chances either, make sure he is gonna be toast, deer are terribly resistant to death. have fun.
-chris
[quote]wiz1902 wrote:
Recently I’ve been thinking about switching to free range meat. But after doing some research I realized the processing was almost as effed up as normal meat. Plus the prices were outragious. Then it occured to me, why not go hunting and bag a deer.
I’ve read that the protein quality is excellent and the fat content low, and there can’t be anything more free range than a deer. Thoughts?[/quote]
Depending on where you hunt will depend allot on what the deer meat will taste like. EXAMPLE: I lived in PA and loved PA deer meat. They ate a variety of foods from corn to apples to berries and wild nuts. When I lived in southwest TX, the meat tasted terrible. The deer in TX eat allot of sage and brush. The deer in TX don’t have the same food available to then like northern deer.
Another thing to think about. The processing. shoot a deer and its hella cheap at leats here to get it processed and turn it into what ever you want. Ting is they add Fat usually to any thing you get ground inot burger. he place I go you can choose pork or beef. Well your defeating the free raneg grass fed aspect. request they dont add any fat.
Phill
I usually eat about three deer a year (plus pheasant, ducks, goose, quail and rabbits). It is by far my favorite source of protein. There is much to be said knowing that your food is not full of hormones and other drugs. It is tasty stuff too.
As mentioned earlier, what the deer eats really influences how they taste. Here in Illinois, they pretty much live in the bean and corn fields, so they are “corn-fed”. They get huge too (got a 275 lb buck last week). I have had mule deer that have fed on sage brush and such and it tastes quite different. It is not bad, but it is definitely different. Many people who complain about venison expect it to taste like a cow. Pretty stupid if you ask me.
If you do decide to go hunting, you should find a hunter to help you with all the rules and regs. The days of walking out the back door and smoking a doe are over. You also might try to get to know some hunters, as I usually have one deer given to me every year by hardcore deer hunters. If you go this route, do not ever turn down a deer - you need to be the sure thing, so they can get rid of the deer quickly.
Regardless of where you get your deer, the biggest influence on the taste is how it is processed (both by you and the locker) and how you cook it. If you gut the deer quickly, keep it clean and cool and take it to a reputable locker, you will be miles ahead. As far as cooking goes, anything over medium rare/blush will have you eating a shoe. Venison is also good slow cooked in a crock pot with Italian dressing, pepperoncinis and served on a crusty roll with mozzarella and horseradish sauce. The juice will run down your arms, but you will not stop eating to wipe 'em off. For what it is worth, I never add fat to my deer burger and it grills up nicely.
With regards to chronic wasting disease, you should not be too worried. The deer that have CWD have an obvious sick appearance, so do not shoot it (odds are slim that you will find one anyway). If you take a deer in a CWD zone and it appears healthy, do not cut the lymph nodes and you will be fine. Most processing does not come in contact with the lymph nodes anyway. Plus CWD has yet to cross the species barrier.
Best-
BVL
[quote]pushharder wrote:
Phill wrote:
Another thing to think about. The processing. shoot a deer and its hella cheap at leats here to get it processed and turn it into what ever you want. Ting is they add Fat usually to any thing you get ground inot burger. he place I go you can choose pork or beef. Well your defeating the free raneg grass fed aspect. request they dont add any fat.
Phill
Problem is if you don’t add some fat to deer burger you have a tough time getting it to hold together for cooking purposes.[/quote]
true its kind of give and take and well I use it usually not to make say a hamburger but chili stw etc so works great
This reminded me;here in Louisiana it is illegal for meat lockers/slaughter houses to handle game meat in their coolers or in use with the same equipment that their beef/pork/fryers are handled with.It’s probly different in some other states; but I’d also think it’s a good idea for a person to learn to skin their game just incase meat lockers/slaughter houses in you area are restricted by these same laws.
If I am in a hurry to clean a deer, I use an air pump (small one like to fill tires)and insert a couple tubes under the skin, switch it on an watch as the skin pulls away from the meat an the pelt literally peel right off.
it always tastes better when i kill it myself
[quote]pushharder wrote:
VanderLaan wrote:
…The days of walking out the back door and smoking a doe are over…
Depends on where you are. I could shoot a deer every day of my life from the deck of my house.
[/quote]
Agreed. I was getting at the fact that many states now require hunter safety classes, a minimum amount of blaze orange on your clothing, etc.