First time for 'lopes this year and I paid close attention to all the edibility or lack thereof comments I heard. Two guys at work assured me it didn't matter what I did, they would be entirely unfit to eat. Process all our own deer and I'm very particular about game care so I actually wasn't too worried.. We shot 3 buck 'lopes openeing day and each was skinned, 1/4ered and on ice within 2 hours of death. They spent the next 5.5 days in a coooler iced down until they were processed and frozen. Waiting for my oldest daughter to come home from college for the weekend to do some chops on the grill but had to try some sooner. Put a 2# pack of lowly stew meat in crockpot yesterday with some chicken broth, stewed tomatoes and misc. spices. Served over noodles (rice for the wife) and all agreed it was good stuff. Good enough that the wife took the leftovers for lunch today. If it wasn't so good I'd give some to the naysayers to prove them wrong. Figured it best to leave them with their ill thoughts so there's more for the rest of us.